FNS is targeting the areas of program operation listed, for state SNAP Agency Management Evaluations for the upcoming fiscal year. State SNAP agencies are required to conduct MEs for the target areas in the upcoming fiscal year.
Program informational activities, or SNAP outreach activities, are a critical tool to ensure vulnerable populations are aware of the availability, eligibility requirements, application procedures, and benefits of the SNAP program. In line with administration priorities and to ensure that all eligible households have the opportunity to access SNAP benefits, FNS has developed outreach priority areas to encourage states to target certain underrepresented or particularly vulnerable populations
In response to the President’s Executive Order on Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic issued on Jan. 22, 2021, which directed all federal agencies to consider administrative actions to better address the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic, USDA reviewed and updated the SNAP EA guidance.
FNS is allowing states flexibility regarding fair hearing timeframes. As needed, state agencies may extend the fair hearings process up to 120 days from receipt of the request for fair hearings that were already in process or for which requests are received from March 1 through May 31, 2020.
This memorandum adjusts the total number of exemptions available to each state for FY 2021, as shown in the table on the next page. This includes increases in the number of exemptions available to states in which caseloads increased by more than 10 percent, as described in section 6(o)(6)(F) of the Act.
This memo provides information on how states can request certain SNAP COVID-19 administrative flexibilities beginning May 2021, including information pertaining to certain options allowed under the Continuing Appropriations Act 2021.
On April 30, 2021, FNS issued a memo that SNAP Quality Control will resume nationwide starting July 2021, with special QC review procedures related to COVID-related adjustments, and provides state agencies with a blanket waiver regarding the QC face-to-face interview.
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This legislation provides support for American families, state governments, and communities to rebuild and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
This memorandum implements Section 1101(b) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which provides SNAP state agencies with administrative funding to support program administration.
In an effort to make the distribution of P-EBT benefits to eligible children as efficient as possible, USDA has developed a simple P-EBT summer plan template. The template allows states to elect a USDA-determined standard benefit that relieves states of the burden of determining their own benefit levels based on state-specific school district calendars.