SNAP Corrective Action Plan State Requirements

To address deficiencies in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administration, FNS regulations at 7 CFR 275.16 require state agencies to implement corrective action plans (CAP). This document covers corrective action planning procedures, requirements, and deadlines for state agency performance as indicated by quality control data.

Regulations require a state agency CAP based on quality control (QC) data in the following circumstances:

• A payment error rate of 6 percent or greater
• Case and Procedural Error Rate (CAPER) above the national average
• Five percent or more of a state’s active or negative QC caseload coded as incomplete

This guide is divided into six sections:

• Section 1 - introduces the guide and its layout.
• Section 2 - provides general requirements regarding the development of a CAP, including a general introduction, a discussion on root cause analysis, a list of general content requirements for a CAP, what states can expect from an FNS review, and a discussion of the reporting requirements once engaged in a CAP.
• Sections 3 through 5 - provide information on the types of CAPs required to be developed based on QC data, what the required contents are, and suggestions for developing an effective CAP.
• Section 6 - discusses escalation procedures related to CAP non-compliance.