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ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS State agencies are required to include information on the organizational relationship between the units responsible for certification and the units operating the E&T components, including units of the statewide workforce development system, if available. For the purposes of the questions below, E&T providers are considered to include units of the statewide workforce development system. FNS is specifically interested in ensuring that the lines of communication are efficient and that, if applicable, noncompliance with mandatory E&T is reported to the certification unit within 10 working days after the noncompliance occurs, per 7 CFR 273.7(c)(4). State agencies must also include information on the relationship between the State agency and other organizations it plans to coordinate with for the provision of services. The following questions are about how the E&T program is structured in your State agency. Indicate which division within the SNAP State agency is responsible for the E&T program. (i.e. establishes E&T policy, contracts for E&T services, monitors providers). For example, explain if the E&T program unit is separate from the SNAP certification unit, and if there are separate E&T units at the county level. Montana’s SNAP E&T program policy contracts for E&T services, and monitoring is provided by the SNAP E&T Coordinator and Food Security Program and Compliance Supervisor statewide as a separate unit from the SNAP eligibility unit. SNAP E&T services are provided through Maximus who provides E&T services directly to Deer Lodge, Gallatin, Lewis & Clark, Missoula, Silver Bow, and Ravalli Counties. Maximus also subcontracts E&T services at the county level with E&T services providers in Big Horn, Yellowstone, Flathead, Lincoln, Fergus, Petroleum, Musselshell, Golden Valley, Wheatland, and Judith Basin Counties. How does the E&T unit coordinate and communicate on an ongoing basis with the units responsible for certification policy? The SNAP E&T Coordinator shares information with the Food Security Program and Compliance Supervisor and develops, updates and/or changes in SNAP E&T policy. SNAP E&T policy changes that affect eligibility and referral are included in the SNAP policy manual and SNAP business process manual. Changes are communicated to eligibility staff via email, SNAP Policy, and SNAP Business Process manuals, and/or training updates. Describe the State's relationships and communication with intermediaries or E&T providers. The SNAP E&T Coordinator has open communication with Maximus the SNAP E&T contractor. If needed, Maximus passes information on to the SNAP E&T sub-contractors within Big Horn, Yellowstone (HRDC7), Flathead, Lincoln (CAPNW), and Fergus, Petroleum, Musselshell, Golden Valley, Wheatland, and Judith Basin counties (HRDC6). Maximus has view only access to Montana’s CHIMES system and the state document management system Perceptive. SNAP E&T case managers can determine that participants have been determined SNAP eligible at referral and monthly. This access reduces errors of participants receiving benefits they are not entitled to. If errors or concerns are discovered, the E&T case managers working for Maximus and the E&T case managers working with the sub-contractors, communicates with the Maximus supervisor who then communicate directly with the SNAP E&T Coordinator via email, TEAMS meeting or phone call. Maximus notifies SNAP eligibility staff of a participant’s status by emailing the Employment and Training Participant Status form (DPHHS-HCS/SNAP-010) within 10 days of a participants change in status. 1/29/26, 8:17 AM State Plan MT FY26 - Amendment 1 https://dam-fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/microsite/snapet-mtfy26stateplan//index.html 17/103