910 Bay State CAP Households

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Combined Application Project (Bay State CAP) was developed through the cooperative effort of the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under Bay State CAP, information about SSI applicants and recipients gathered by SSA staff during the interview for an SSI application or redetermination is electronically transmitted to DTA through the State Data Exchange (SDX) system. SDX information is then used by DTA to issue Bay State CAP food assistance benefits for the applicant/recipient once SSI is approved or redetermined. Bay State CAP does not eliminate SSA's obligation to take a regular SNAP application, in accordance with 7 USC 2020(i). (A) Bay State CAP Eligibility Criteria. To be eligible for Bay State CAP benefits, the following conditions must be met by the applicant. He or she: (1) must apply for food assistance benefits at SSA; (2) must be receiving SSI; (3) must not be permanently disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits; (4) must be unmarried (single, divorced or separated); (5) must have declared he or she purchases and prepares food separately from other individuals living in the same household; (6) must be 18 years of age or older; (7) must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen in accordance with SNAP rules at (8) must not have earnings, in accordance with SSA rules. (B) The Bay State CAP Food Assistance Application. (1) Bay State CAP application can be made only through SSA. (2) The application interview for SSI benefits serves as the application interview for Bay State CAP benefits. (3) The SSA worker will ask three food assistance questions as part of the SSI application: (a) Do you wish to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program? (b) Do you purchase and prepare separately? (c) Are your housing expenses (rent/mortgage) equal to or greater than $453.00 per month? (4) The SSI applicant is not required to visit a DTA office or have a telephone interview. (C) Verification Requirements. The SSI applicant does not have to verify additional information to complete the application process for Bay State CAP food assistance benefits. All information necessary to process the Bay State CAP household is created from SDX data and any existing data on the DTA computer system. All demographic and income information on the Bay State CAP household is updated using SDX data. (D Expedited Issuance. (1) Bay State CAP households are not eligible for expedited benefits. (2) The SSA worker will screen for expedited service and assist the applicant/recipient in completing the regular SNAP application if the applicant/recipient appears to qualify for expedited service. The SSA worker will fax the regular SNAP application to the Department. (E) Establishment of the Bay State CAP Household. For newly approved SSI recipients reported by SSA as requesting Bay State CAP benefits and who meet the Bay State CAP eligibility criteria, DTA will take the following actions: (1) Create a Bay State CAP household; (2) Calculate the monthly Bay State CAP benefit amount; (3) Certify the household for 36 months; (4) Issue the initial Bay State CAP benefit amount the month following receipt of the SSA approval information; and (5) Send a Bay State CAP approval notice. (F) Bay State CAP Benefit Calculation. The SSI income of the recipient, as well as any other unearned income, as reported on the SDX, will be used to calculate the monthly Bay State CAP benefit amount. (1) Bay State CAP households receive the standard deduction for one person. (2) The shelter deduction for each Bay State CAP household is calculated as follows: (a) During the SSI interview, households claiming monthly shelter expenses equal to or greater than the high shelter standard will receive the high shelter standard. This amount is determined using a methodology approved by the USDA. The high shelter standard is posted at www.mass.gov/dta. Paper copies are available upon request. (b) During the SSI interview, households claiming monthly shelter expenses less than the high shelter standard will receive the low shelter standard. This amount is determined using a methodology approved by the USDA. The low shelter standard is posted at www.mass.gov/dta. Paper copies are available upon request. (c) All Bay State CAP AUs will receive the Bay State CAP Standard Utility Allowance. This amount is determined using a methodology approved by the USDA. The Bay State CAP SUA is posted at www.mass.gov/dta. Paper copies are available upon request. (d) One half of the household's adjusted gross income will be subtracted from the sum of the appropriate standard shelter expense and the Bay State CAP SUA. The difference is the shelter deduction for the household. (3) The shelter deduction will be subtracted from the household's adjusted gross income to determine the monthly net income. (4) The net monthly income will be used to determine the Bay State CAP benefit amount in accordance with 106 CMR 364.600: Determining the Benefit Level. (G) Bay State CAP Reporting Requirements. (1) Bay State CAP households will be told to report the following household expenses to DTA: (a) Increases in shelter costs (rent/mortgage); (b) Payment of utilities separate from shelter costs; (c) Medical expenses over $35.00 per month; (d) Dependent care costs; and (e) Child Support payments for a nonhousehold member. (2) Other changes in circumstances must be reported to SSA in accordance with SSA rules. (H) DTA Action on Reported Household Expense Information. The Department will act on reported household expenses when: (1) the information impacts the Bay State CAP food assistance benefit amount; or (2) the information would result in a higher regular SNAP benefit amount. (I) DTA Action on SSA Reported Information. (1) Changes to the following SDX demographic data will result in the Bay State CAP household being updated on DTA's computer system. Demographic data includes name, SSN, address, gender, race and language. (2) Changes to the following SDX data will result in a request for benefit recalculation and may result in a food assistance benefit amount change, as follows: (a) A change from the High Shelter Standard to Low Shelter Standard; (b) A change from the Low Shelter Standard to High Shelter Standard; or (c) A change in an SDX Unearned Income Amount. (3) The following SDX information will result in a switch from Bay State CAP benefits to regular SNAP benefits for three months: (a) The individual requested Bay State CAP benefits to stop; (b) SSI benefits have stopped for a reason not listed in 106 CMR 366.910(I)(4); (c) The Federal Living Arrangement Code is no longer A; (d) The State Living Arrangement Code is no longer A or B; (e) The individual is married; (f) The individual is younger than 18 years old; and/or (g) The individual has had earnings for three months. (4) The following SDX information showing the following changes will result in the closing of the Bay State CAP case: (a) the individual is an ineligible noncitizen; (b) the individual is a resident of a Public or Private Institution; (c) the individual is no longer a Massachusetts resident; (d) the individual is deceased; (e) the individual's whereabouts are unknown; (f) the individual did not cooperate with a fraud investigation; (g) the individual is receiving assistance in another state; or (h) the individual is a fleeing felon. (J) Recertification of Bay State CAP Benefits. (1) SSA will ask the food assistance questions during the SSI redetermination interview. SSA transmits the redetermination information to DTA through the SDX file. (a) Timely Recertification. If the SSI redetermination occurs during the Bay State CAP certification period, the household will be recertified for Bay State CAP purposes. A new 36-month certification period will be assigned and DTA will continue the Bay State CAP benefits using the information received through the SDX file. There will be no interruption in benefits. (b) Untimely Recertification. If the SSI redetermination occurs after the Bay State CAP certification period expires, the household will be recertified for Bay State CAP purposes. A new 36-month certification period will be assigned and DTA will begin issuing Bay State CAP benefits the month after the redetermination information is received. (2) If an SSI case is not scheduled to be redetermined during the Bay State CAP certification period, DTA will mail out a redetermination package 45 days before the end of the certification period with a notice informing the household that benefits are due to end unless the household reapplies. DTA will process the redetermination forms. Any obligation attributed to SSA in 106 CMR 366.910(J)(2) is included for informational purposes only. Appeal rights regarding SSI eligibility or benefit level must be pursued through SSA. Appeal rights regarding Bay State CAP eligibility or benefit level must be pursued through DTA.