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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 12

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 2 Chapter 12 Benefit Replacement

12.2 SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) The following section covers the replacement of destroyed food that was purchased with SNAP benefits. When the assistance group (AG) is eligible to receive a replacement allotment, the allotment must be received as follows: • Within 10 days after the client reports, or • Within two working days after the client returns the DFA-SNAP-36, whichever is later. • As a last resort, the agency must make the replacement available within thirty (30) days from the date of the loss, only if the case is pended for additional verification or clarification. A snap replacement request is not an application for SNAP and must not be processed using SNAP certification policy. A SNAP replacement request is a request for restoration of benefits that were used to purchase food that was subsequently lost, destroyed, or made unavailable due to allowable reasons. Additionally, there is no proration of replaced SNAP benefits. A SNAP replacement request must result in either an approval or denial. Replacement requests must not be closed without a determination. If the agency decides not to approve a replacement request, a denial notice must be issued. 12.2.1 SNAP BENEFIT REPLACEMENT 12.2.1.A Destroyed Food 12.2.1.A.1 Replacement Procedures In cases when food purchased with SNAP is destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster, the AG will be eligible for replacement of the actual value of the loss, not to exceed one month’s allotment, if: • The loss is reported within 10 days of the incident; and • The AG’s misfortune or disaster is verified; and • The DFA-SNAP-36 is completed and signed within 10 days of the report of the loss.