340:50-5-28 Shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children

Residents of shelters for victims of domestic violence and their children may apply and be certified for food benefits on their own behalf using program requirements applicable to any other household, per Section 271.2 and 273.11(g) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Shelter residents may name a shelter staff member or other person to act as an authorized representative for application and certification purposes; however, the residents are expected to control their own food benefits. (1) Verification for shelter status. Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) staff are responsible for verifying the shelters meet the definition for domestic violence shelters, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:50-5-7.1(4). (A) Non-profit status verification is accomplished by seeing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) correspondence, stipulating the organization is tax-exempt as a charitable or educational entity, per Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. (B) When IRS documentation is not available, the worker sends a copy of the shelter's by-laws to Adult and Family Services Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to determine non-profit status. (C) SNAP staff notifies the worker of the non-profit status determination. (D) The county director is responsible for keeping a list and, the supporting documentation, of domestic violence shelters in the county whose status is verified. (2) Separate households. A shelter resident included in another active household may participate as a separate household when the active household includes the person who abused the resident. The resident may receive an additional allotment as a separate household once a month. The worker takes prompt action to remove shelter residents from the active household's composition and allotment. (3) Income and expenses. The worker certifies a resident applying as a separate household based on the resident's current income and expenses. When the shelter charges a room payment, it is considered a shelter expense for the resident. The worker excludes the income and expenses of the resident's former household. The worker expedites processing the application when the resident meets expedited services criteria, per OAC 340:50-11-1.