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Subject: SNAP Household Composition

Policy 24.04 Date of Last Review: 11/30/2023 Effective Date: 03/01/2019 Date of Next Review: 11/30/2026 RDA: SW22 Page 3 of 5 iv. staff shall refer to Applying the 165% Gross Income Test for the procedures on determining separate HH status for elderly and disabled individuals living with others. 3. Persons not eligible for separate HH status: a. A spouse of a member of the HH; b. Staff shall refer to SNAP-Impact of the Defense of Marriage Act on SNAP Eligibility that mandates that same-sex spouses must be considered to be married and a part of the same HH or SNAP eligibility purposes. c. Children under twenty-two (22) who are living with their parents; or d. when a child resides in more than one HH, staff shall refer to Child Residing in More Than One Household During the Same Month. e. Children under eighteen (18) who are living with someone acting as a parent (parental control). 4. Verification must be obtained for individuals wanting separate HH status. The individual must: a. obtain the cooperation of the individual(s) with whom she/he lives in providing the necessary information; and b. provide (if requested) a physician's statement that the elderly person is disabled as defined in Policy 24.18 SNAP Deductions from Income, and cannot purchase and prepare their own food. E. Designating Head of Household 1. Every HH must designate an individual as the head of HH for case control and issuance purposes. 2. Certain HHs must be offered the option of selecting their head of HH. The department shall allow the HH to select an adult parent of children (of any age) living in the HH, or an adult who has parental control over children [under eighteen (18) years of age] living in the HH, as the head of HH provided that all adult HH members agree to the selection. 3. If all adult members do not agree to the selection or decline to select, the department may designate the head of HH or permit the HH to make another selection. 4. For HHs that do not consist of adult parents and children, the department shall designate the head of HH or permit the HH to do so. 5. When the HH declines to designate or cannot agree who is to be the head of the HH, the department will designate the head of the HH. 6. The department shall permit HHs to select their head at each certification action or whenever there is a change in HH composition. 7. The head of HH classification will not be used to impose special requirements, such as requiring the head of HH, rather than another responsible member of the HH, to file the application or to appear at the certification interview.