Food assistance: allotment computation

(A) How is the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) allotment determined? Except for computation of the initial allotment or when circumstances as defined in rule 5101:4-7-13 of the Administrative Code are in effect, the assistance group's monthly allotment shall be equal to the maximum SNAP allotment for the assistance group's size, reduced by thirty per cent of the assistance group's net monthly income. After multiplying the net income by thirty per cent, the county agency shall round the product up to the next whole dollar when it ends in one through ninety-nine cents prior to subtracting that amount from the maximum SNAP allotment. This rounding method shall be used in all determinations of allotments.

(B) What is the minimum issuance amount in an initial month? When the calculation of benefits for an initial month made in accordance with rule 5101:4-4-27 of the Administrative Code would yield an allotment of less than ten dollars for the assistance group, no benefits shall be issued to the assistance group for the initial month.

(C) What are the minimum allotment amounts? Only eligible one-person and two-person assistance groups shall receive the "minimum benefit" as defined in rule 5101:4-1-03 of the Administrative Code, for each month following the initial month.

(D) What happens when there is eligibility after the gross income test but not after the net income test? When the assistance group is program eligible after the gross income test, but, after calculating net income is ineligible due to income in excess of the net income standard (issued in a food assistance change transmittal letter located in the food assistance certification handbook on the Ohio department of job and family services website), the county agency shall deny the assistance group's application. For those eligible assistance groups that are entitled to no benefits in their initial month of application but are entitled to benefits in subsequent months, the county agency shall certify the assistance groups beginning with the month of application, but not issue benefits until the second or subsequent month.

(E) How are changes in circumstances that affect an assistance group's income eligibility standard handled? When an assistance group's circumstances change and it becomes entitled to a different income eligibility standard, the county agency shall apply the different standard at the next recertification or whenever the county agency changes the assistance group's eligibility, whichever occurs first. This applies when an assistance group loses or gains an elderly or disabled member or when an assistance group has a change in its categorical eligibility status.