SR 24-11 Dated 04/24

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

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

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This Supervisory Release (SR) releases policy and system updates to the process in New HEIGHTS for SNAP cases that complete their recertification timely, but auto close at the end of the certification period for failing to provide required verifications, then provides missing verifications within 30 days of the auto closure.

POLICY

SNAP assistance groups (AG) that attend their scheduled recertification interview or submit their recertification either on-line or by mail but fail to provide all requested verifications by the end of the certification period, will automatically close as normal.

When a SNAP AG provides the missing requested verifications within 30 days following the end of their certification period, benefits are prorated from the day that the final verification was received. These households are not eligible for Expedited SNAP benefits and neither the length of the following certification period nor the method for the recertification period should be impacted due to the closure and re-opening of benefits.

Certifications completed within 30 days following the end of the certification period are still considered a recertification and not a new application.

Example: SNAP household with a 6-month recertification due May 15. The household completed the recertification on-line on May 11, but failed to provide the requested verifications by the end of their certification period (May 31). SNAP auto closed.  On June 9, the household provided the missing verifications. SNAP benefits for June are prorated for June 9. This case is not entitled to Expedited SNAP benefits. The household’s next certification period will remain from June through October and the recertification method will be face-to-face due to the prior one being on-line.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEM PROCEDURES & IMPLEMENTATION

HEIGHTS has added a new check box on the SNAP Program of Assistance screen, entitled ‘Consider as Recertification’.  This checkbox is automatically selected by New HEIGHTS when the case was in ‘rede mode ‘and failed to provided verification then auto closed and either:

1.)    SNAP is added back to the Program of Assistance screen on an open case; or

2.)    The case is closed, and SNAP is initiated in Client Registration.

In either of the scenarios above a new confirmation box will appear indicating ‘This case will be considered as SNAP Recertification’. This update allows cases to continue with the correct recertification period and alternating recertification methods i.e., in-person, mail-in, or online. The checkbox will also prevent SNAP cases from inappropriately running eligibility for Expedited SNAP.

If the case is running incorrectly, the check box can be edited for 1 month following the end of the certification period. BFA Department Supervisors and HEIGHTS Helpdesk employees will be able to edit the check box for 2 months following the end of the certification period. After two months have passed the checkbox will be disabled for all users.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Food Stamp Manual Topics

Section 161.05            Processing Recertifications

IMPLEMENTATION

This policy is effective April 26, 2024.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

No special client notification is planned or needed.

TRAINING

The Training Unit will need to update any related training.

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 June 01, 2024.

BFA:RS