SR 24-26 Dated 10/24

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

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

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This Supervisory Release (SR) releases updates to the Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) age limit.

BACKGROUND

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA) was signed into law on June 3, 2023. The FRA included a provision to gradually increase the age limits for individuals who are subjected to ABAWD work requirements.  Starting October 1, 2024, for fiscal year 2025, the final age limit will be raised from 52 to 54.

POLICY

Effective October 1, 2024:

·      The age limit for ABAWDs increases from 52 to 54 years old (those who are 55 years old and above are exempt from ABAWD requirements).

NEW HEIGHTS & NH EASY SYSTEMS PROCEDURES

The following changes will be effective in New HEIGHTS October 1, 2024:

·      Individuals are exempt from the ABAWD work requirements the month they turn 55 years of age. ABAWD clocks will build for all 53 and 54 year olds. New HEIGHTS will pull a report each month starting in the month of October and remove the countable month for any individuals ages 53-54 who have not yet had a recertification, as FNS has advised the tracking of countable months should not begin until the month following the individual’s first recertification after September 1, 2024. New applications and recertification applications will be subject to the time limit starting October 1, 2024.

·    NH EASY applications and redeterminations have been updated in the ABAWD Work Requirements Section, and in the Statements of Understanding Section to reflect the new ABAWD age limits.

A banner (pop-up) and Announcement have been added to the NH EASY homepage and will be available September 1, 2024. Both will have a link to BFA Form 216, Are You an ABAWD?.

·         The banner will say:

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO ABAWD AGE LIMIT AND EXEMPTIONS

Effective October 1, 2024, there are changes to the age limit for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs). Please refer to BFA Form 216, Are You an ABAWD?, for more information on how this may affect you and your eligibility for SNAP.

·         The Announcement will say:

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO ABAWD AGE LIMIT

Effective October 1, 2024 there are changes to the age limit for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs). An ABAWD is an individual who is fit for work and does not have a child under age 18 in their SNAP household.

ABAWDs are limited to 3 months of SNAP benefits in a 3-year period, unless they are meeting work requirements or exempt.

Beginning October 1, 2024, the age range for ABAWDs will include any individual aged 18 but younger than age 55.

Please refer to BFA Form 216, Are You an ABAWD?, for more information on the time limit, work requirements, and exemptions.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

BFA Form 216, Are You an ABAWD?, has been updated with the new age limit.

BFA Form 77d, SNAP Information Sheet, has been updated with the new age limit.

The new  versions of BFA Forms 77d and 216, as well the Spanish translated versions, will be available electronically on the DHHS website at http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/forms-documents and NH EASY Gateway to Services at https://nheasy.nh.gov/#/forms.

BFA Forms 77d and 216, their Spanish translations, and the associated instructions will also be available internally, for Department staff only, on the N:\ drive upon release of this SR.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Food Stamp Manual (FSM)

The following FSM pages will be updated for October 1, 2024:

 PART 245                                ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS

Section 245.03                        Criteria for Exemption from ABAWD Work Requirements

Section 245.15                        Verification Requirements

PART 800                                TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT

IMPLEMENTATION

This policy is effective October 1, 2024.  

For current ABAWD recipients, the age limit increases will be applied at each individual’s next recertification.

For new SNAP applications, new age limits are in effect at application.

The prior paper versions of BFA Form 77d, SNAP Information Sheet, and BFA Form 216, Are You an ABAWD?, must be recycled and the new versions used immediately. A Certificate of Destruction has been included with this SR.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

·       On August 23, 2024, New HEIGHTS sent a one-time letter to 369 SNAP recipients and 74 alternate payees informing them of the updated age limits. The letter was sent to individuals who will be newly ABAWD as of October 1, 2024 (ages 53-54), except those who are exempt. A copy of this letter is attached for reference.

·        All Notice of Decision text with ABAWD information will be updated with the new ages.

·       A banner has been added to the NH EASY website, along with information under the Announcements section, to notify SNAP applicants and recipients of the updates to the ABAWD age limit.

·    The SNAP page of the DHHS website has been updated to include the updated information and link to BFA Form 216, Are You an ABAWD?

No further client notification is planned or needed.

TRAINING

The Training Unit has created a training for field staff that will be available in Moodle.

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 October 1, 2024.

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