SR 22-37 Dated 01/23

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - Bureau of family assistance (bfa)

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This Supervisory Release (SR) releases changes to the eligibility criteria for SNAP under the Expanded Categorically Eligible category.

POLICY

Broad-based categorical eligibility, referred to as expanded categorical eligibility in New Hampshire, is a policy in which households may become categorically eligible for SNAP because they qualify for a non-cash TANF or state maintenance of effort (MOE) funded benefit. New Hampshire meets that requirement by providing all households with BFA Form 77u, Community Resources (previously titled It Takes a Village). In an effort to increase SNAP eligibility, the gross income limit has been increased and the criteria for a household to contain both a dependent child and a specified relative to be considered expanded categorically eligible have been removed. A household may now be considered expanded categorically eligible, if not already categorically eligible due to receipt of SSI or public assistance (FANF or SSP cash), if the household’s gross income is less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG). There remains no resource test for any household that is expanded categorically eligible.

Example: Joe, age 30, has applied for SNAP as a household size of 1. Joe reports his monthly income is $1,850 and he has a checking account with a balance of $4,100. Previously, Joe would have been over both the resource limit of $2,750 and the income limit of $1,473 (130% of the FPG for a non-Target HH size of 1). With these changes to Expanded Categorical Eligibility, Joe will be eligible for SNAP as he will not have a resource test and he is under the gross income limit of $2,266 (200% of the FPG for a HH size of 1).

A Target household may also be Expanded Categorically Eligible if the household’s gross income is at or below 200% of the FPG, in which case they will not have a resource test. If the Target household’s gross income is over 200% of the FPG they will not be Expanded Categorically Eligible and will have to meet the Target resource test.

Example: Mary, age 64, has applied for SNAP as a household size of 1. Mary’s gross monthly income is $1,650, which is below 200% of the FPG. Mary is both Target and Expanded Categorically Eligible and does not have to pass a resource test. If Mary’s income increases to over 200% of the FPG, she will then be Target only, and will have to pass the resource test.

Exceptions: A SNAP household will not be eligible for Categorical Eligibility or Expanded Categorical Eligibility if the SNAP household includes any of the following:

·         At least one household member who is  disqualified due to Intentional Program Violation (IPV);

·         At least one household member who is disqualified due to noncompliance with SNAP work requirements due to Voluntary Quit.

·         If any member is a  fleeing felon, certain convicted felons, or a parole or probation violator; or if

·         A SNAP household reapplies after closing due to substantial lottery or gambling winnings. Note: These households will not be eligible for Categorical Eligibility or Expanded Categorical Eligibility until the household has had one certification period completed as a regular SNAP household.

NEW HEIGHTS & NH EASY SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

New HEIGHTS Update(s)

New HEIGHTS will remove the criteria for a household to include a dependent child and a specified relative and increase the gross income limit for expanded categorical eligibility from 185% to 200% of the FPG. The effective date of this change is January 1, 2023.

New HEIGHTS will not build SNAP Households for Categorical Eligibility or Expanded Categorical Eligibility for the following households:

•    If there is an active IPV sanction for at least one individual in the SNAP household

•    If at least one individual has failed for Voluntary Quit, or

•    If any member of the household has a response as ‘Yes’ to any of the following fields “Probation Violation”, “Fleeing Felon” or “Parole Violation” on the Additional Demographics Screen.

NH EASY Update(s)

There are no system changes to NH EASY.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

·         BFA Form 77u, It Takes a Village, has been renamed to Community Resources. Contact information has been updated for all resources listed. The Spanish version, 77u(Sp) and form instructions, 77u(i), have been updated accordingly. The new version of Form 77u has also replaced the previous version that is attached to BFA Form 800, Application for Assistance, which is available on the DHHS website and in the N: drive.

·         BFA Form 800W, Website Forms, has been updated due to the name of Form 77u being changed. Other form names and website addresses were updated as well. The form instructions, 800W(i), have been updated accordingly.

·         BFA Form 215, Reporting Requirements Handout, has been updated to reflect the higher income limits for Expanded Categorically Eligible households and remove reference to having a dependent child in the household. The Spanish version, BFA Form 215(Sp), has also been updated.

·         BFA Form 800A, BFA Programs and Services Guide, has been updated with current resource limits for all programs. The Spanish version, 800A(Sp), and form instructions, 800A(i), have been updated accordingly. BFA Form 800A and 800A(Sp) will be added to the DHHS website.

·         The BFA Desk Reference and Program Fact Sheet will be released on their normal schedule with the January Mass Change and will include the updates to SNAP eligibility criteria that are released by this SR.

·         Nepali Versions of BFA Forms 77u, 215, 800A and 800W are obsolete upon the release of this SR. The Office of Minority Health and Refugee Affairs (OMHRA) has indicated that there is no longer a need for BFA forms to be translated into Nepali. Any Nepali translated versions of these forms on hand should be recycled.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 145.04            Special Reporting Requirements

PART 231                    CATEGORICALLY AND EXPANDED CATEGORICALLY ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS

Section 231.01            Categorical Eligibility Criteria

Section 231.03            Required Verification for Categorical Eligibility

Section 611.01            Computing Income Eligibility

Table E                        SNAP Maximum Monthly Income Limits

Table G                        Determining SNAP Allotments

New Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 231.05            Expanded Categorical Eligibility

IMPLEMENTATION

The policy released in this SR is effective 01/01/2023. Previous versions of all revised forms must be recycled and new versions used starting 01/01/2023. All revised forms will be available on NH EASY and the DHHS website 01/03/2023 and in the N: Drive on 01/03/2023.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned or needed.

TRAINING

The Training Unit has developed a mandatory training in Moodle, which is to be completed by all staff by 12/30/2022.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the Online Manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for BFA policy releases. This SR, and revised Online Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the Online Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/sr_htm/sr.htm, effective 01/03/2023.

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