10:87-2.33 Procedures for SSI jointly processed households

(a) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is defined as Federal SSI payments made under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, federally administered optional supplementary payments under section 1616 of that Act, or federally administered mandatory supplementary payments made under section 212(a) of Public Law 93-66. Households may apply and be certified for NJ SNAP benefits in accordance with the procedures described herein and with the notice, procedural and timeliness requirements of the Food Stamp Act. 1. Households applying simultaneously for SSI and NJ SNAP benefits shall be eligible to receive benefits based solely on NJ SNAP eligibility criteria until the household is considered categorically eligible. Households denied NPA NJ SNAP benefits that have an SSI application pending shall be informed on the notice of denial of the possibility of categorical eligibility should they become SSI recipients. (b) The Social Security Administration District Office (SSA/DO) will inform households eligible for SSI joint processing (see N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.12(a)3) of their right to apply for NJ SNAP benefits at the SSA/DO without going to the NJ SNAP office and will refer all other households to the appropriate NJ SNAP office. The SSA/DO will accept and complete the NJ SNAP Application received from households eligible for SSI joint processing and forward them within one working day to the appropriate CSSA. Along with the NJ SNAP Application, the SSA/DO will forward a Social Security Administration Transmittal for NJ SNAP Application (Form SSA-4233) which documents all verification obtained by the SSA employee. 1. During a telephone interview, if the SSA/DO takes an initial or redetermination application for SSI, an NJ SNAP Application will also be completed. In these cases an NJ SNAP Application will be mailed to the claimant for signature to be returned to the SSA/DO or CSSA. The SSA/DO will then forward any NJ SNAP application it receives to the appropriate NJ SNAP office. The CSSA may not require the household to be interviewed again in the NJ SNAP office (see N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.22(d)1). SSI recipients who are redetermined for SSI by mail will be sent a notice informing them of their right to file an NJ SNAP application at the SSA/DO or their local NJ SNAP office and have an out-of-office interview performed by the CSSA if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative. 2. The SSA/DO will prescreen all applications for entitlement to expedited service on the day received, and will mark "Expedited Processing" on the SSA-4233 for all households which appear to be so entitled. The SSA/DO will inform such households that benefits may be issued a few days sooner if they apply directly at the NJ SNAP office. The household may take the application from the SSA/DO to the NJ SNAP office for screening and interview, and processing of the application. 3. Residents of public institutions who apply for SSI under SSA's Prerelease Program for the Institutionalized may complete a joint application for SSI/NJ SNAP prior to release from the institution, and are subject to the same provisions applicable to all other jointly processed SSI households, with the following exceptions: i. The 30-day processing standard described at N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.26 to deliver benefits to a prerelease applicant shall be based upon the date the individual is released from the institution, rather than the date the application is filed at the CSSA. ii. A prerelease applicant who is entitled to expedited service shall be provided NJ SNAP benefits no later than the seventh calendar day following the date of release from the institution. iii. A prerelease applicant's benefit level for the initial month of certification shall be based on the day of the month the resident is released from the institution. (c) Jointly processed SSI households which have received an NJ SNAP notice of expiration (Form NJ SNAP-907A) and who appear at an SSA/DO for an SSI redetermination shall be entitled to make a timely application for NJ SNAP recertification at the SSA/DO office. (d) The CSSA receiving NJ SNAP applications from SSA for SSI households are required to determine if any member of the SSI household is currently participating in the NJ SNAP program. (e) The CSSA shall ensure that information required at N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.19, 2.20, and 2.21 is verified prior to certification for households initially applying for NJ SNAP benefits. Households shall be provided the opportunity to provide verification from another source if all necessary SSI benefit payment information is not available on/through the State Data Exchange (SDX) or Beneficiary Data Exchange (BENDEX) (see N.J.A.C. 10:87- 2.21). (f) Households identified as categorically eligible where all members of the household receive SSI and where such households require expedited service shall be handled in accordance with the provisions at N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.30. (g) An applicant or recipient of social security benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act shall be informed by the SSA/DO of the availability of benefits and an application at the SSA office. Interviews and application processing is not required by the SSA/DO unless an eligibility worker has been outstationed at the SSA office. History HISTORY: Amended by R.1989 d.121, effective February 21, 1989. See: 20 N.J.R. 2689(a), 21 N.J.R. 511(b). Substantially amended. Amended by R.1989 d.464, effective September 5, 1989. See: 21 N.J.R. 1636(a), 21 N.J.R. 2790(a). Provisions for applicants who are residents of public institutions added at (b)3. Amended by R.1990 d.270, effective May 21, 1990. See: 22 N.J.R. 139(a), 22 N.J.R. 1599(a). Stylistic changes in (f). Amended by R.1999 d.6, effective January 4, 1999. See: 30 N.J.R. 3451(a), 31 N.J.R. 69(a). In (b), substituted references to FSP 901 for references to FSP 901A in the introductory paragraph and 1. Recodified from N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.37 and amended by R.2004 d.181, effective May 17, 2004. See: 36 N.J.R. 28(a), 36 N.J.R. 2425(a). Rewrote the section. Former N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.33, Expedited service processing standards, recodified to N.J.A.C. 10:87-2.29. Administrative change and correction. See: 44 N.J.R. 1529(a).