Page 489

SNAPCERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 14000 14000 Issuance of Benefits – Summary 14100 Types of Issuance

14000 Issuance of Benefits – Summary

SNAP Manual 12/01/03 Issuance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in the State of Arkansas operates in the following sequence: • The county office authorizes issuance of SNAP benefits. • Benefits for initial applicants are authorized on a daily basis. Monthly benefits for currently certified cases are authorized at the end of each calendar month for the following calendar month. • Benefits are issued through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system utilizing a device similar to a debit card. • When a household applies for the first time or when an applicant needs a new EBT card, the card is mailed to the household. After the EBT card is received, the SNAP household must contact the Customer Service Help Desk at 1-800-997-9999 to select the personal identification number (PIN) that must be used with the EBT card. • To purchase food with the EBT card, the SNAP household takes the card to any grocery store authorized by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to accept SNAP benefits. At the grocery store, the EBT card is swiped through a point of sale (POS) device. • When the card is swiped, the EBT contractor electronically credits to the merchant’s bank account an amount equivalent to the SNAP purchase, and the household’s SNAP EBT account is electronically debited for the amount of the purchase.