Consistent with USDA's efforts to increase state flexibility within the bounds of the law, FNS is expanding allowable activities for states seeking to use non-merit system personnel in call centers. With FNS approval, states may now use non-merit personnel to provide basic case-specific information that is readily available in the system to a SNAP applicant or participant, such as application or case status, benefit issuance date, and status of submitted verifications.
This memo discusses SNAP applications and other documents being sent by clients to the USDA Office of Civil Rights instead of the appropriate state SNAP office. The memo outlines best practices states can use to make submission instructions clearer for clients.
FNS is issuing this policy memo in response to inquiries about how state agencies are required to inform households about required and missing verification and how this interacts with other Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) requirements, including whether a state may close a case on the 30th day following application.
This memorandum provides additional implementation guidance regarding the final rule titled the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Review of Major Changes in Program Design and Management Evaluations (“Major Changes Rule”) published in the Federal Register on Jan. 19, 2016.
Joint USDA-ED Letter: Encouraging SNAP Participants to Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
This memorandum provides additional implementation guidance regarding the final rule titled SNAP Review of Major Changes in Program Design and Management Evaluations published in the Federal Register on Jan. 19, 2016.
This memorandum provides a brief summary describing the Review of Major Changes in Program Design and Management Systems final rule's provisions and outlines the next steps in its implementation.
Attached is a Q&A fact sheet that answers questions and provides further guidance on the new racial/ethnic data collection and the new FNS-101 reporting. The July 31, 2006, memorandum offers further policy guidance on this regulation.
This memorandum addresses questions recently raised about the allowable scope of formal state Food Stamp Program outreach plans. The specific issue is whether state FSP outreach plans may include activities directed to access and retention of current participants in addition to outreach and education efforts directed to nonparticipating persons.
Attached is the Interim Guidance on WIC Vendor Cost Containment. This interim guidance is intended to assist state agencies in implementing the Vendor Cost Containment Interim Rule published in the Federal Register on Nov. 29, 2005.