210 Public Assistance and Categorically Eligible Households

Any household in which all members are recipients of PA and/or SSI benefits shall be considered eligible for food assistance because of their PA/SSI status. 1. Recipients include individuals authorized to receive PA and/or SSI benefits but who have not yet received payment. 2. In addition, persons are considered recipients if their PA or SSI benefits are suspended or recouped. 3. Persons entitled to PA benefits but who are not paid such benefits because the grant is less than $10 are also considered PA recipients. 4. Persons not receiving PA or SSI benefits who are entitled to Medicaid only shall not be considered recipients. Categorically eligible households shall be certified in accordance with the notice, procedural and timeliness requirements of the food assistance program. A. Categorically Eligible Households Any household (except those listed in the exceptions below) in which all members receive or are authorized to receive PA and/or SSI benefits shall be considered eligible for food assistance because of their status as PA and/or SSI recipients unless the entire household is institutionalized, or any member is disqualified for any reason from receiving food assistance. (See “Exceptions to Categorical Eligibility” below) The eligibility factors which are deemed for food assistance eligibility without the verification required in Section 205 of this chapter because of PA/SSI status are resources, gross and net income limits, social security number information, sponsored alien information and residency. If any of the following factors are questionable, the county department shall verify that the household which is considered categorically eligible: 1. Contains only members that are PA or SSI recipients as defined in this section. 2. Meets the household definition in Section 100, Chapter 1. 3. Includes all persons who purchase and prepare food together in one food assistance household regardless of whether or not they are separate units for PA or SSI purposes. 4. Includes no persons who have been disqualified as provided in the exception to categorically eligible listed below. Households subject to retrospective budgeting that have been suspended for PA purposes or that receive zero benefits shall continue to be considered as authorized to receive benefits from the appropriate agency. Categorical eligibility shall be assumed at recertification in the absence of a timely PA redetermination. Households determined to be categorically eligible must report substantial lottery and gambling winnings of $4500 or more. Households that reapply and are certified after losing eligibility for benefits due to substantial lottery or gambling winnings must not be considered categorically eligible. Eligibility for these households must be determined under regular program rules. B. Expanded Categorically Eligible Households All households authorized to receive non-cash services funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) shall be considered categorically eligible after receiving information and referral services, i.e. pamphlet series 09-3 and after Broad Based Categorical Eligibility has been conferred to the household. Conferring means that the household has been determined eligible to receive food assistance benefits. Households authorized to receive TANF non-cash services must continue to meet the remaining food assistance eligibility criteria. Categorical eligibility must not be extended to any household that is not eligible to participate in the Food Assistance Program because the entire household is institutionalized, or any member is disqualified for any reason from receiving food assistance. (See “Exceptions to Categorical Eligibility” below) To determine categorical eligibility based on receipt of TANF non-cash services, households are subject to the following income test. 1. 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or 2. 200% of the FPL if all household members are elderly or disabled and the net income limit is at or below 100% of FPL. The county department must revert to normal program policy (use of 100% net income limit and $4500 asset test) if the income of these households exceeds the 200% gross income limit. Households that qualify under expanded categorical eligibility rules are exempt from the asset (resource) test. Benefit and allotment levels must be based on the net income limits after all income and deductions are verified and applied. Exceptions to Categorical Eligibility Households that reapply and are certified for Food Assistance after losing eligibility due to substantial lottery or gambling winnings must not be conferred Broad Based Categorical Eligibility. Eligibility for these households must be determined under regular program rules. Under no circumstances shall any household be considered categorically eligible (even if all members are PA and/or SSI recipients) if any member(s) of that household is disqualified for: 1. An intentional program violation. 2. Failure to comply with any of the work requirements (registration, compliance with job search, etc.). 3. Drug felons who have not met the requirements found in Chapter 1, Section 101-f. 4. Lottery and gambling winnings of $4500 or more. The above households are subject to all food assistance eligibility and benefit provisions. Excluded Household Members No person shall be included as a member in any household which is otherwise categorically eligible if that person is: 1. An ineligible alien. 2. An ineligible student. 3. Institutionalized in a nonexempt facility. 4. An ineligible ABAWD Work Registration For the purposes of work registration, the normal requirements and exemptions shall be applied to individuals in categorically eligible households. Any household member who is not exempt from work registration is subject to all other work registration requirements. When determining eligibility for a categorically eligible household described in “A” above (all members receive SSI and/or PA), all factors of eligibility except for those listed below shall apply. 1. Categorically eligible households do not have to meet the resource limits. 2. Categorically eligible households do not have to meet either the gross or net income eligibility standards. 3. Categorically eligible households do not have to have their eligibility determined for the month of application. 4. Categorically eligible households do not have to have their available resources determined at the time of their certification interview. 5. Categorically eligible households do not have to have their income determined or anticipated to establish eligibility for food assistance. 6. Categorically eligible households shall not be denied due to their income exceeding the net income standards. When determining eligibility for an expanded categorically eligible household described in “B” above, all factors of eligibility except for those listed below shall apply. 1. Categorically eligible households do not have to meet the resource limits. 2. Households must meet income limits for TANF Information & Referral Service. 3. Categorically eligible households do not have to have their available resources determined at the time of their certification interview. 4. Categorically eligible households whose net income exceeds the food assistance net income limits must be denied.