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Part XX Appendix IV

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Disaster Issuance Process

Eligibility for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) process is outside of VaCMS. Benefits approved in the D-SNAP system are merged with the regular benefit approvals and changes in VaCMS and forwarded to the EBT vendor. Batch cutoff times are 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. After each cutoff, the benefit file is transmitted at 10 minutes past the hour and the demographic file follows at 20 minutes past the hour.

The process described in this Appendix outlines how to attach an EBT vault card to a D- SNAP case and how to issue the EBT vault card to the Case Name or the household’s authorized representative. Workers with an Update function profile in EPPIC will issue vault cards. There will be no initial mailing of cards in the operation of the D-SNAP.

If additional workers need the capacity to issue vault cards to meet the emergency need, the local security officer may add or change duties as necessary. Please note the separation of duties between eligibility staff and issuance staff must be maintained, i.e., workers responsible for determining eligibility for or approving case actions in the D- SNAP system must also not have the role of issuing cards.

General EBT Card Issuance Instructions:

Step 1 Receive the case file, Request for D-SNAP Assistance, application, Internal Action and Vault EBT Card Authorization for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits and notice of action from the BPS. The application and internal action form must be provided because information from these forms will be needed to issue an EBT vault card. Cards may be issued to the primary cardholder in advance of the case appearing in the issuance system through manual account setup. Clients must be advised of the time their cards will be available for PIN selection and when benefits will be accessible. Cards issued to authorized representatives can not be issued through manual account setup. Issuance staff must wait for these cases to appear in the issuance system prior to issuing.

Step 2 Access the case in the EBT system, by performing a case number or case name search.

Step 3 Take a vault card from the supply. Write the vault card number on the internal action form. Initial and date the internal action form next to the card number.

Step 4 Complete the Vault EBT Card Issuance Log.

Step 5 Access the Recipient Card Issue screen in the EBT system, choose vault card as the method of issuance, and enter the vault card number associated with that case in the card number field.

Step 6 Obtain the case name or authorized representative’s signature on the Internal Action Form when the card is given to the person.

Step 7 Ensure that the cardholder has the Q&A brochure which explains PIN selection and care of the EBT card.

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