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S N A P M A N U A L

47 In determining whether a household is categorically eligible, SCDSS will verify that each member receives TANF or SSI benefits and that it includes no individuals who have been disqualified as provided in Section 4.2 Households Prohibited from Being Considered Categorically Eligible or Section 4.3 Individuals Prohibited from Being Considered Categorically Eligible.

SCDSS will also verify household composition if it is questionable, in accordance with Chapter 5, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Verification, in order to determine that the household meets the definition of a household in Section 2.1 General Household Definitions. In order to determine if a household will be eligible due to its status as a recipient TANF or SSI household, SCDSS may temporarily postpone, within the 30-day processing standard, SNAP eligibility determination if the household is not entitled to expedited service and appears to be categorically eligible. However, SCDSS will postpone denying a potentially categorically eligible household until the 30th day in case the household is determined eligible to receive TANF or SSI benefits. SCDSS will ensure that the denied application of a potentially categorically eligible household is easily retrievable. For a household filing a joint application for SNAP and TANF or SSI benefits (or has a TANF or SSI application pending) and is denied SNAP benefits but is later determined eligible to receive such benefits and is otherwise categorically eligible, SCDSS will provide SNAP benefits using the original application and any other pertinent information occurring subsequent to that application. Benefits will be paid from the beginning of the period for which TANF or SSI benefits are paid or the original SNAP application date, whichever is later. Exception: Residents of public institutions may apply jointly for SSI and SNAP benefits prior to their release from a public institution. In situations where the SCDSS must update and reevaluate the original application of a denied case, SCDSS will not re-interview the household, but will use any available information to update the application. SCDSS will then contact the household by phone or mail to explain and confirm changes made and to determine if other changes in household circumstances have occurred. If any information obtained from the household differs from that which SCDSS obtained from available information or the household provided additional changes in information, SCDSS will arrange for the household or its authorized representative to initial all changes, re-sign and date the updated application and provide necessary verification. SCDSS will not require households which file a joint TANF or SSI and SNAP application, and whose TANF or SSI applications are denied, to file new SNAP applications. Rather, SCDSS must determine or continue their SNAP eligibility on the basis of the original applications filed jointly.