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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES CERTIFICATION PERIODS/RECERTIFICATION

10/24 VOLUME V, PART IV, PAGE 2

When households become ineligible for ESAP, but they remain eligible for SNAP, the remaining months of the 36-month certification period will remain in effect. These households are subject to the Interim Report process.

24 months • Households in which all members are 60 years of age or older or all members are disabled, as outlined in Definitions, may have a certification period up to 24 months if there is no earned income in the household. These households must file an Interim Report of their circumstances by the 12th month to receive benefits for the final 12 months of the certification period. See Part IV.C.8 and Part XIV.B.

6 months • Households in which all members are 60 years of age or older or all members are disabled, as outlined in Definitions, may have a certification period up to 6 months if there is no earned income in the household in order to ensure these households will not receive an Interim Report.

6 months • Households in which any member is eligible for time-limited benefits through the work requirement may receive benefits for no more than six months. Benefits for the certification period will be allowed as follows: one month of prorated benefits, if appropriate, up to three countable months of time-limited benefits (Y1 or Y2), and a varying number of Special Exemption benefit months (E9). See Part XV for determining eligibility for the work requirement.

up to 6 months • Households with unstable circumstances may have a certification period of up to six months depending on individual household circumstances. This may include households with members who are homeless or who are migrant/seasonal farm workers, as defined in Definitions.

5 months • Households that receive Transitional Benefits for former TANF recipients may receive frozen benefits for five months. Note that ongoing households must have their certification periods lengthened or shortened to the five-month limit. See Parts XII.H and IV.D.3 for a discussion of Transitional Benefits.

12 months • All other households not addressed above may have a certification period of 12 months and must file an Interim Report of their circumstances by the sixth month. See Part XIV.B.

B. NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY, DENIAL OR PENDING STATUS (7 CFR 273.10(g)(1))

Each household must receive a written decision about its application at initial application, reapplication and recertification. Depending on household preference, notices may be delivered through the mail or electronically. The BPS may:

1. find the household eligible for benefits and approve the application;

2. find household ineligible and deny the application; or

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