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Subject: SNAP Application Processing

Policy 24.02 Date of Last Review: 11/30/2023 Effective Date: 12/01/2022 Date of Next Review: 11/30/2026 RDA: SW22 Page 13 of 20 2. Denial or rejection of application due to death, withdrawal of application, loss of contact, failure to provide or obtain information necessary to determine eligibility or ineligibility based on program regulations; or 3. Pending of application due to county caused delay SNAP Policy 24.03 Timeliness Standards. Certification Periods 1. Definite periods of time are established within which a household shall be eligible to receive benefits. 2. At the expiration of each certification period, entitlement to SNAP benefits ends. 3. Benefits shall not be continued beyond the end of a certification period without a new application and a determination of eligibility, even if the household has requested a fair hearing of an adverse action. 4. SNAP certification periods shall conform to calendar months. a. The month of application shall generally be the first month of the certification period for initial applications if the household is eligible for benefits the month of application even if the benefits prorate to zero and even if the household’s eligibility is determined in a subsequent month. • A partial month’s benefit is considered a month even if the benefits prorate to zero. b. Upon recertification, the certification period will begin with the month following the last month of the previous certification period. 5. As a result of anticipated changes, the household’s level of benefits for the month of application may differ from its entitlement in subsequent months. 6. The household’s allotment will vary from month to month within the certification period to reflect changes anticipated at the time of certification unless the household elects the averaging techniques in Income and Budgeting Procedures. 7. Households shall be assigned the longest certification periods possible based on the predictability of the household’s circumstances. The acceptable certification periods for an eligible household are six (6) months or less depending on the circumstances. A twenty-four (24) month certification can be approved for households where all adult members are elderly or disabled, with no earned income, and the household is not receiving or applying for Families First. a. Cases certified at least four (4) months can be considered simplified reporting households unless self-employment is the only earned income in the case. b. Households that are eligible and are certified for twenty-four (24) months will be required to submit HS-3412 Mid-Certification Report at the twelfth (12th) month. The household will be sent their HS-3412 Mid-Certification Report in the tenth (10th) month of their certification period to be due on the first of the twelfth (12th) month. The household must complete the form with a signature and return it by the due date to continue to receive benefits after the twelfth (12th) month. See 24 Month Certification for further details.