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SNAP 304-1 NON-FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS: Categorical and Expanded Categorical Eligibility

Supersedes: SNAP 304-1 (07/25/2022) Reference: 7 CFR 273.2(j); 7 CFR 273.8(e) Overview: Federal law provides the basic eligibility rules for SNAP. There are two basic pathways to gain financial eligibility for SNAP: 1. Having income and resources below specified levels set out in federal SNAP law (regular eligibility); or, 2. Being “categorically,” or automatically, eligible based on receiving benefits from other specified low-income assistance programs. Traditional Categorical Eligibility (CE) describes households in which all members receive or are authorized to receive CASH assistance funded by TANF, TANF Post Employment, Tribal TANF, or SSI. Expanded categorically eligible (ECE) describes households in which all members receive or are authorized to receive non-cash assistance (in Montana this is the TANF Information and Referral Services brochure). This policy addresses number 2 above - Categorical Eligibility and Expanded Categorical Eligibility. CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY AND EXPANDED CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY: Categorical Eligibility includes both: 1. Traditional categorical eligibility (referred to in Montana as CE – Categorically Eligible) describes households in which all members receive or are authorized to receive cash assistance funded by TANF, TANF Post Employment, Tribal TANF, or SSI; and,