9061.1 Determination of Eligibility and Benefits Levels

A household's eligibility will be determined for the month of application by considering the household's circumstances for the entire month of application. Base a household's benefit level for the initial month of certification on the day of the month it applies for benefits. Applicant households consisting of residents of a public institution who apply jointly for SSI and food stamps prior to release from the public institution in accordance with DSSM 9015 will have their eligibility determined for the month in which the applicant household was released from the institution. Base a household's benefit level for the initial months of certification on the day of the month it applies for benefits. Provide benefits from the date of application to the end of the month unless the applicant household consists of residents of a public institution. For households which apply for SSI prior to their release from a public institution, base the benefit level for the initial month of certification on the date of the month the household is released from the institution and provide the household benefits from the date of the household's release from the institution to the end of the month. Using a 30- day calendar month, households will receive benefits prorated from the day of application to the end of the month. A household applying on the 31st of a month will be treated as though it applied on the 30th of the month. Migrant and seasonal farmworkers will receive a full allotment for the month of application when the household has participated in the Food Stamp Program within 30 days prior to the date of application. When certifying such a household, use the first day of the month as the start date. To determine the amount of the prorated allotment, use the Food Stamp Allotment Proration Table provided by FNS. Allotments of less than $10 will not be issued for the initial month. The term "initial month" means the first month for which the household is certified for participation in the Food Stamp Program following any period during which the household was not certified for participation, except for migrant and seasonal farmworker households. In case of migrant and seasonal farmworker households, the term "initial month" means the first month for which the household is certified for participation in the Food Stamp Program following any period of more than one (1) month during which the household was not certified for participation. Those households which are certified using the expedited service procedures in DSSM 9041, and which apply for benefits after the 15th of the month, will be certified for benefits prorated from the day of application to the end of the application month and also for the following month. Benefits for the second full month following the month of application shall not be issued until all postponed verification is provided to DSS. Do not prorate benefits for migrant/seasonal farmworker households that have participated in the Food Stamp Program within 30 days prior to the date of application. If an application is held pending beyond 30 days and if the delay is the fault of the household, the first month for which an allotment will be issued to the household will be the month following the month of application. This allotment will be prorated from the date eligibility is established by the household.