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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 3

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 22 Chapter 3 Eligibility Determination Groups

Students who live in a dormitory operated by the school and receive the majority of their meals from the school are ineligible to participate in SNAP regardless of whether they meet an exception to the policy. See Section 2.2.1. A student cannot be denied SNAP benefits simply because the applicant lives on campus and/or participates in a meal plan at an institution of higher education. The worker must determine the scope of an applicant’s meal plan to determine eligibility. Individuals who receive the majority of their meals (more than 50% of three meals daily) through a meal plan are ineligible for SNAP benefits. Individuals who DO NOT receive the majority of their meals from a meal plan may be eligible for SNAP, if they meet all other eligibility criteria. The worker must methodically and comprehensively screen SNAP applicants on a case-by-case basis to determine the scope of the applicant’s meal plan. EXAMPLE: An eligibility worker may ask the applicant the number of meals they will receive through a meal plan. The applicant may respond they receive breakfast and lunch every weekday through their meal plan, which is equivalent to 10 meals per week. Though the applicant will receive two of three daily meals through the meal plan on weekdays, the worker will not consider the meal plan to be providing the majority of the applicant’s meals because 10 meals per week is less than the majority of 21 total weekly meals (3 meals per day x 7 days per week). 50% of 21 meals per week would be 10.5 meals. If the student receives 10.5 meals or less than 10.5 meals per week, they may be potentially eligible for SNAP.

The Department recognizes that meal plan structure may vary from institution to institution and the value of a meal plan may be counted by the number of meals, points or dollars included. The worker must fully explore a student’s circumstances to determine how to treat such plans. The worker may need to ask students for clarification if it is unclear how many meals they receive from a plan. If there is no clarification, student attestation may be accepted. The following example illustrates how the worker may evaluate varying meal plan levels. • Unlimited Plan: Designed for 3 meals a day plus snacks (highest cost) = more than 50%/not SNAP eligible. • Level 4 Plan: Designed for 3 meals a day (high cost) = more than 50 %/not SNAP eligible. • Level 3 Plan: Designed for 2 meals every day (moderate cost) = more than 50%/Not