Food StampsFood Stamps((Supplemental Nutrition Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance ProgramAssistance Program))in a in a

DisasterDisaster

Types ofFood Stamps in a Disaster

• Disaster Food Stamps (D-Snap)

• Expedited Food Stamps

• Replacement Food Stamps

DISASTERFOOD STAMPS

What areDisaster Food Stamps?

Disaster Food Stamps are Food Stamps for persons who weren’t getting benefits when the disaster happened but who are in a disaster designated county and now in need of help for food.

Disaster Food Stamps

• Authority– 7 C.F.R § 280.1• Commercial channels of food distribution must have been disrupted by a disaster but must be available again to meet the temporary food needs of families• Link to Allotment Standard for 2009: http://www.fns.usda.gov/disasters/response/D-SNAP_Handbook/2009-income_standards.pdf

The Who, WHAT, When, The Who, WHAT, When, Where, Why and How of D-Where, Why and How of D-

SNAPSNAP

The Who, What, WHEN, The Who, What, WHEN, Where, Why and How of D-Where, Why and How of D-

SNAPSNAP

The Who, What, When, The Who, What, When, Where, WHY and How of D-Where, WHY and How of D-

SNAPSNAP

The WHO, What, When, The WHO, What, When, Where, Why and How of D-Where, Why and How of D-

SNAPSNAP

The Who, What, When, The Who, What, When, WHERE, Why and How of D-WHERE, Why and How of D-

SNAPSNAP

The Who, What, When, The Who, What, When, Where, Why and HOW of D-Where, Why and HOW of D-

SNAPSNAP

• To apply– Can pre-register:

https://dcf-access.dcf.state.fl.us/FFF/foodforflorida/frmWelcome.do?performAction=init

–Need date of birth, SSA #, income, assets and disaster expenses

• On-line data matches may verify identify

• EBT cards may be issued on-site

Less Red Tape

A ComparisonA Comparison

SNAPv. D-SNAP

Eligibility Element SNAP Typical Disaster SNAP

Disaster Status N/A One of the Following:-Damage to home or self-employment property

-Disaster related expenses

-Income source disrupted

-Inaccessible liquid resources

-Food loss

Residency Florida Disaster Area

A ComparisonA Comparison

SNAPv. D-SNAP

Eligibility Element SNAP Typical Disaster SNAP

Identity of Applicant Verified Verified

Social Security Numbers (SSN)

Failure to Provide SSNs of Household members results in denial

Failure to provide SSNs does NOT result in denial

Alien Status -Citizenship and alien status is verified-Applicant must sign statement under penalty of perjury that information is correct

Citizenship and alien status is NOT Applicable

SNAPv. D-SNAP

Eligibility Element

SNAP Typical Disaster SNAP

Household Composition

7 CFR 273.1(a) -Persons living and eating together at the time of a disaster

-Does NOT include members of a household with whom applicants are temporarily staying during the disaster.

Students As defined in 7 CFR 273.5

Status is not required

Benefit Amount

Benefit calculation according to 7 CFR 273.10

Maximum allotment for household size

A ComparisonA Comparison

SNAPv. D-SNAP

Eligibility Element

SNAP Typical Disaster SNAP

Income -Verified

-Gross/net income limits applied to all households

-More generous provisions for elderly and handicapped

-Verified WHERE POSSIBLE

-Only net (take-home) income expected to be received during the benefit period counted.

Take-home pay is defined as wages a household actually receives after taxes and all payroll withholding, public assistance payments or other unearned income, and net self-employment income.

-No different provisions for elderly and handicapped

A ComparisonA Comparison

SNAPv. D-SNAP

Eligibility Element

SNAP Typical Disaster SNAP

Expenses Deductions include: standard, earned income, excess shelter, dependent care, and medical (elderly/disabled members only).

-Maximum deductions already incorporated into disaster eligibility standards because maximum allotment provided

-Allows Disaster-related expenses that are not expected to be reimbursed during the 30-day disaster benefit period

Resources -Cannot exceed $2,000 if there is NOT an elderly household member /Cannot exceed $3,000 if there is elderly household member

-Verification sometimes required

-No separate resource test

-Only liquid resources are counted

-Verified WHERE POSSIBLE

A ComparisonA Comparison

*Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Guidance, April 2008

SNAPv. D-SNAP

Eligibility Element

SNAP Typical Disaster SNAP

Work Requirements

Yes (but currently voluntary under ARRA)

No

Intentional Violations

Penalties are 12 months, 24 months, and permanent disqualification for sequential incidents of fraud

-Disqualification status from regular program does NOT disqualify an applicant from the D-SNAP

-Committing IPV in the D-SNAP WILL count towards disqualification in the regular SNAP

A ComparisonA Comparison

REPLACEMENT FOOD STAMPS

What areReplacement Food

Stamps?

Replacement Food Stamps are benefits to replace food that a recipient purchased with Food Stamps but lost or was ruined/spoiled due to a disaster.

Replacement Food Stampscan get either under special disaster rules or

regular Food Stamp program rules

• Authority– 7 C.F.R. § 274.6

(regular program)– ESS Manual at

3210.0213.01– 7 C.F.R. . § 280.1

(disaster program) gives states lots of discretion)

Replacement Stampsfor current recipients losing food in a disaster

• Can get replacement Food Stamps for food bought with Food Stamps that is destroyed in a house-hold misfortune (i.e., disaster)

• Household must report loss within 10 days of destruction and submit affidavit

• Can’t get both replacement and disaster Food Stamps

• Get amt lost up to max of 1 month's worth allotment – Normally family gets the maximum allotment for a

family of their size– Often done automatically for everyone in the designated

area

• Usually benefits are good for 90 days• Can buy hot prepared foods• Financial requirements set disaster

by disaster• In some disasters, everyone living in

designated county qualified financially• When income/asset limits apply,

unreimbursed disaster-related expenses may be deducted

Expedited Stamps

What are expedited Food Stamps?

• Expedited Food Stamps are benefits you get more quickly than other applicants because your financial situation is so bad

Expedited Service:Who’s eligible?

• Following households are eligible:– Households with less than $150 in monthly

gross income and liquid resources not in excess of $100

– Migrant/seasonal households who are destitute

– Households whose combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than the household’s monthly rent or mortgage and utilities

Expedited Service

• DCF’s application procedures must be designed to identify expedite eligible families

• Benefits (EBT card) must be provided within seven calendar days

• Verification– Identity

– Prove identity through collateral contact or documents

• Verification other than identity can be delayed if reasonable efforts to verify are not successful

Think outside the box

No Disaster Food Stamp Program?

Try to make it happen• Although the decision is a

joint USDA-FL decision, The ball is in FL’s court

• DCF may look at whether a particular area has been without power for 4- 24 hours

• But advocacy with local EM agencies is important

– Link to contact info for local EM is: http://www.floridadisaster.org/fl_county_em.asp .

No Disaster Replacement Food Stamps?

• Use existing replacement polices to get food lost in a disaster replaced

Client lives outside designated county for Disaster Food

Stamps but lost income due to disaster?

Evaluate for expedited service.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

The ENDThe END