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Page | 74  In-Person: The application date is the date the application is received in the Department of Social Services’ office.  Mail: The application date is the date the application is received in the Department of Social Services’ office.  If the application is received in a drop box, email, or fax after 5:00 p.m., it will be date stamped the following day.

4210 INITIAL MONTH

The initial application month is the first month a household applies if the head of household (usually the applicant) was not certified for SNAP benefits in South Dakota the previous month.

A household’s eligibility will be determined for the month of application by considering the household’s circumstances for the entire month of application even when the certification decision may not be made until the following month. This rule does not apply to households that delay completing their application past the end of the allowed processing period.

4220 COMBINED ISSUANCE

Households applying for initial benefits after the 15th of the month, who have completed the application, have provided all required verification within 30 days of the date of application, and have been determined eligible to receive benefits for the initial month of application and the next subsequent month, will receive their prorated allotment for the initial month of application and their first full month’s allotment at the same time.  ACCESS approval for combined allotments must be done on the same day.  After approving the initial month’s eligibility, make sure the eligibility results have completely gone through background before approving the second month’s benefits.  Double check that both months’ eligibility results remain approved prior to the end of the work day.

Households who apply for initial benefits after the 15th of the month and are eligible for expedited service provisions, have verifications postponed for both months, provided the household is eligible and the eligibility results are approved on the same day.

Households applying after the 15th of the month who have been determined ineligible to receive benefits for the initial month of application or the next subsequent month or households with missing or postponed verification will have their application processed according to normal processing procedures.

4230 BENEFIT AVAILABILITY

A household determined eligible for SNAP through the eligibility determination process must have an opportunity to use the benefits as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days following the date the application was filed (7 days if expedited). The first day of the 30 day period is the day following the application date. When the 30th day falls on a non-workday (weekend or holiday), the case must be approved by the end of the day on Friday before the weekend or the last working day before the holiday.

Exception: If the household’s SNAP case was correctly closed for the month, and later in the month, the household became eligible and reapplies; it will be considered an application month, and benefits will be prorated from the application date.