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3605.15.00 SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE CIRCUMSTANCES (S)

Special provisions exist for authorized representatives for residents of drug/alcohol rehabilitation centers, residents of facilities for the blind and disabled, and residents of shelters for battered persons. These situations are discussed in the following sections. 3605.15.05 DRUG/ALCOHOL TREATMENT CENTER REPRESENTATIVE (S)

The resident in the facility is prohibited from applying on his own behalf. The residents of drug/alcohol treatment centers shall apply and be certified through the use of an authorized representative who shall be an employee. The employee of the facility will apply for as well as receive and spend benefits on behalf of the residents. 3605.15.05.05

WHEN THE AG LEAVES THE FACILITY (S)

Once the AG leaves, the center is no longer allowed to act as that AG’s authorized representative. The center shall, if possible, provide the AG with a change report form to report to the Local Office the individual’s new address and other circumstances after leaving the center, and shall advise the AG to return the form to the Local Office within 10 days.

When the AG leaves the center, the center shall provide the resident AG with the client's EBT card. The departing AG shall also receive its full allotment if benefits have been spent on behalf of that individual AG. These procedures are applicable any time during the month. However, if the SNAP benefits have already been issued and any portion spent on behalf of the individual, and the AG leaves the treatment and rehabilitation program prior to the 16th day of the month, the treatment center shall provide the AG with one-half of its monthly SNAP benefit allotment. If the AG leaves after the 16th day of the month and the allotment has already been issued and used, the AG’s allotment is gone for the month. 3605.15.05.10

LIABILITIES AND PENALTIES OF FACILITIES (S)

Facilities will be held responsible for any misrepresentation or fraud it commits in the certification of facility residents. As an authorized representative, the facility must be knowledgeable about the individual’s circumstances and should carefully review those circumstances with residents prior to applying on their behalf. In addition, facilities will be held liable for all losses or misuse of SNAP benefits held on behalf of residents and for any over issuances which occur while the individual is a resident of the facility. A benefit recovery referral will be filed against the facility for any over-issuance of SNAP benefits.

If there is reason to believe a facility has misappropriated or used SNAP benefits for purchases that did not contribute to an entitled individual’s meals, the Local Office will promptly notify the Central Office, who will notify the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA may disqualify a facility as an authorized retail food store and may suspend the facility’s authorized representative status for the same period.