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without the fiscal penalty and/or sanction and use this amount in the SNAP budget to ensure there is no increase in SNAP as a result of the TANF reduction.

This policy only applies when the individual is receiving SNAP or was an ineligible SNAP member at the time of the penalty for failure to comply with the requirement for TANF or SSI is authorized.

Because TANF sanctions and fiscal penalties by themselves do not terminate TANF eligibility for the AG, this policy will not apply when a TANF case is closed, and a sanction or penalty is in effect and the SNAP case remains open. For example, a TANF case with an IMPACT sanctioned member is closed due to earnings effective 3-1-1999. The TANF award will be removed from the SNAP budget for 3-1-1999. Should the client reapply later and the TANF sanction is continued when the case is reopened, the SNAP budget should reflect what the new TANF award would be without the sanction.

The policy will not be applied when the act of non-compliance results in a "Dual" SNAP sanction as well as a TANF or SSI sanction. For example, a person exempt from SNAP work registration because they are referred to the TANF work program will be sanctioned/disqualified by both programs resulting in decreased benefits for both programs. In this situation benefits will be reduced for both programs when the person is disqualified. For example, an individual who receives a penalty in both TANF and SNAP for Voluntary Quit will have the actual TANF amount after the penalty is applied budgeted for SNAP.

As options under PRWORA are taken to extend all TANF disqualifications to the SNAP Program the application of this policy may be limited to situations where "fiscal sanctions" are applied to TANF recipients who retain eligibility for both programs.

If information about SSI sanctions is not available to the State Agency, the State agency will not be penalized by QC for increasing SNAP benefits.

Occasionally, the Food and Nutrition Service has provided lists of SSI recipients who were overpaid SSI benefits due to a fraudulent act as determined by an SSA hearing. These lists have never included a current Indiana resident, however, if you suspect an SSI recipient's benefit has been reduced due to fraud you must contact the Social Security Administration to attempt to verify the reason for the reduction. If the SSI payment is reduced due to a fraudulent act, we must budget the SSI amount prior to the reduction to ensure "no SNAP increase".

TANF recoupments to collect over issued benefits that resulted from an IPV will not be deducted from the SNAP budget. This amount may be in addition to the reduction of benefits due to the disqualification of an individual. The eligibility system will continue to include any recoupment of TANF benefits to repay a TANF IPV over issuance in the SNAP budget. This policy has been in effect for many years but was not applied because TANF did not determine if over issuances were the result of an IPV. (f27b)

If it is later determined that the reduction of TANF was not appropriate, the reduction in the SNAP benefits must be restored.