States are making one-time or special assistance payments to households under state programs to keep the households from becoming monthly recipients of regular Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Such payments cannot be considered a nonrecurring lump-sum payment but must be counted as income.
The following memo gives guidance on disqualifying a member of a food stamp household from the Food Stamp Program when that person fails to do something required by another public assistance program.
The fiscal year 1997 Supplemental Appropriations Act gave states the option of purchasing federal food stamps for use in state-funded food assistance programs that provide nutrition assistance to legal immigrants and childless, able-bodied adults ineligible for the Food Stamp Program because of the three-month food stamp time limit.
Attached is guidance for your staff and state agencies on submitting a request to purchase food stamps for use in state-funded nutrition programs. The guidance includes information on the terms for reimbursing the federal government for the value of food stamps distributed and the federal administrative costs incurred under such state programs.
The memorandum explains the circumstances under which a state agency may use the automatic eligibility provisions for free school meals and milk for children from households who are receiving assistance under the state’s TANF Program. It also discusses TANF as it affects reimbursement and eligibility under the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program.