Page 112

Volume II OMTL-633 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program R.10/1/23 MS 3300 ELDERLY SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION PROJECT (ESAP) – OVERVIEW (1) The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) provides simplified assistance for households in which all adult members are 60 years of age or older and/or disabled, with no earned income. ESAP is a simplified version of the regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A. ESAP eligibility is determined during SNAP application pre-screening, SNAP recertification, and during case changes. Households do not have to request ESAP to receive it. B. ESAP applications are identified as ESAP on the system and are entered like all other SNAP applications. C. ESAP households will follow simplified reporting requirements however, periodic reporting requirements are waived for ESAP. D. No face-to-face interview is required for ESAP cases. E. ESAP cases are certified for 36 months with annual reminder notices. F. All ESAP case activity, i.e., approvals, denials, discontinuances, recertifications, reported case changes, claims identification and establishment, is processed by Family Support field staff. G. Any staff with system access can inquire ESAP cases. H. ESAP cases follow regular food benefits policy for fair hearings and claims identification and establishment. I. Child only households are not eligible for ESAP. J. ESAP interviews are required only at initial certification and prior to closing or denying an ESAP recertification. The agency may not deny an ESAP recertification without first attempting to schedule an interview. K. ESNAP allotments are the same as regular SNAP.