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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

FNS 220 CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY

5 Section 220 Change #02-2024 October 01, 2024 or below the 200% maximum allowable gross income limit the household meets the categorical eligibility criteria and the application is processed. 2. If the FNS unit has provided sufficient verification to meet FNS verification requirements but has failed to provide sufficient verification for WFFA, SSI, or Work First Employment Services approval, process the FNS application following regular FNS Program rules. Do not deny the FNS application for failure to provided sufficient verification or for failure to comply with processing requirements. 3. If an FNS unit’s categorical eligibility cannot be established due to a pending WFFA, SSI, or Work First Employment Services application, and the FNS unit does not meet the 200% maximum allowable gross income limit criteria, pend the FNS application until the 30th day unless the FNS unit is entitled to expedited service. This only applies when categorical eligibility is needed to establish FNS eligibility. 4. Once WFFA, SSI, or Work First Employment Services is approved, the FNS unit is considered categorically eligible if all other eligibility criteria are met. 5. If the WFFA or SSI approval can be reasonably anticipated, include the monthly payment amount as income. “Reasonably anticipated” means that the WFFA application-processing deadline is approaching and no processing delays are expected or an SSI award letter has been issued. 6. Do not include WFFA or SSI payments intended for prior months as income. 7. If the amount and/or date of receipt of the initial WFFA or SSI benefits cannot be reasonably anticipated, do not count the payment as income. Consider the WFFA or SSI approval as a change in situation. 8. For pending Work First Employment Services applications, and the FNS unit does not meet the 200% maximum allowable gross income limit criteria, the FNS unit is not categorically eligible until at least one member of the FNS unit is authorized for Work First Employment Services. If authorization can be reasonably anticipated, consider the FNS unit categorically eligible. If authorization cannot be reasonably anticipated, follow regular FNS eligibility rules. B. Denying an FNS Application Pending WFFA, Work First Employment Services, or SSI Approval Do not deny the application of a potentially categorically eligible household until the 30th calendar day following the date of application if pending for an eligibility factor that is related to categorical eligibility. If the household’s income is at or below the 200% maximum allowable gross income limit the household meets the categorical eligibility criteria and the application is processed.