Some state agencies have adopted a version of simplified reporting for other programs, such as Medicaid and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, and are using multi-program report forms for the various programs, including SNAP.
We would like to issue a correction on question 11 from the Questions and Answers on categorical eligibility that were issued on Dec. 15, 2009. The answer incorrectly states that the entire household is no longer categorically eligible if any member of a categorically eligible household fails to comply with work registration, job search, voluntary quit, workfare, or monthly reporting requirements.
This memorandum provides questions and answers relating to policy memorandum SP38 CACFP08 SFSP07-2009, Extending Categorical Eligibility to Additional Children in a Household, dated Aug. 27, 2009.
This is a reminder of the statutory and regulatory requirements for categorical eligibility for the Child Nutrition Programs based on receipt of benefits from each state’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act restricts categorical eligibility to those TANF programs with standards that are comparable to or more restrictive than those in effect on June 1, 1995.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created or expanded many refundable tax credits to help families struggling with the economic crisis; the intent was not to make it harder for these families to become eligible for the SNAP.
As described in our Reauthorization Implementation Memo SP 4, Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts of Runaway, Homeless, and Migrant Youth, runaway youth served through grant programs established under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act are now categorically eligible for free meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.
The categories of noncitizens eligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 have been expanded to include the minor children, spouses and in some cases the parents and siblings of victims of severe trafficking.
This memorandum supplements our Reauthorization Implementation Memo SP 4 by providing additional information on identifying migrant children and on the procedures that school food authorities and local education agencies should use to coordinate with the Migrant Education Program in order to document the categorical eligibility of migrant children for free meals.
Section 107 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make runaway, homeless and migrant children categorically eligible for free meal benefits under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and is effective July 1, 2004.