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A. GENERAL RULE
Application for residents of centers for the treatment of substance use disorders together with their spouse and children who reside at the center must be made through an authorized representative who is an employee of the center. Residents together with their spouse and children shall have their eligibility determined separately from other residents of the facility. Each application must be for an individual household. The recipient's benefits will be controlled by the center.
The center must be certified by the State of Maine Office of Behavioral Health as providing residential treatment of individuals with substance use disorders.
A center which knowingly provides false information or does not handle benefits properly may be disqualified from participation in SNAP. Repeated occurrences shall be referred to the Senior Program Manager - SNAP, for review.
B. PROCEDURE
(1) The Department shall verify that the center is a certified treatment program as defined under the general rule.
(2) The Department shall review the rights and reporting responsibilities of the center with the center representative, including the treatment of benefits and EBT Cards when a recipient leaves the center.
(3) The Department shall process applications by using the same provisions that apply to all other applicant households, except that certification is completed through use of the authorized representative.
(4) The Department shall contact the authorized representative for any information needed. The authorized representative must agree to sign any required forms and be interviewed with the following exceptions:
(a) The Department shall process all applications and annual eligibility reviews without an interview until March 31, 2023 unless —
(i) the household requests an interview,
(ii) there is unclear information on the application or renewal form, or
(iii) the household would be determined to be ineligible based on information provided on the application or renewal form.
(b) Households which have no earned income and in which all adult members are elderly and/or have disabilities will not be required to complete an interview at annual eligibility review unless —
(i) there is unclear information on the renewal form, or
(ii) the household would be determined to be ineligible based on information provided on the renewal form.
The Department will conduct an interview if the household requests one.
(5) Benefits shall be issued and notices shall be provided in care of the authorized representative.
(6) The Department shall use appropriate budgeting procedures. (See Section 555-6.)
NOTE: If the center charges for room and board, the room expense is included in the budget as a rent expense (see Section 555-5(7)(A)(1)), but the board expense is not. If the center does not provide an itemized bill, the rent included in the budget is determined by subtracting the Thrifty Food Plan (Section 999-3 Chart 5) for the household size, from the total room and board expense.
C. WHEN A HOUSEHOLD LEAVES THE CENTER
(1) When the household leaves the center and no benefits have been spent on their behalf, the center shall provide the household with their EBT Card and full allotment for that month, regardless of what day they leave.
If benefits have already been issued and any portion has been spent on behalf of the household, and they leave the center prior to the 16th of the month, the center shall provide the household with one-half of their monthly allotment.
If the household leaves after the 16th of the month, and the benefits have already been issued and used, the household does not receive any benefits for that month.
(2) Once the household leaves the treatment center, the center is no longer allowed to act as the household's authorized representative. The center shall return to the household’s account any benefits received on behalf of households which are no longer residents of the center.
(3) It is the household's responsibility to report their new address and other changes in their circumstances to the Office for Family Independence after leaving the center.