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.
On Dec. 22, 2009, Puerto Rico passed Law 191 of 2009 that voids all Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010. Current Puerto Rican birth certificates remain valid until the July I, 2010 effective date of the new law. As a result of this recent legislation, FNS has been asked to provide guidance to state agencies as to the treatment of voided Puerto Rican birth certificates for SNAP purposes.
This policy applies to all TANF-funded subsidized employment paid to SNAP clients or applicants in the form of wages, regardless of the source of TANF funding, including but not limited to funds available to states and Indian tribes through the Emergency Contingency Fund for state TANF programs.
On Nov. 19, 2009, the Program Development Division issued guidance on how to implement Section 8 of that act requiring state agencies to exclude the $25 a week increased unemployment compensation payments from all calculation of resources and income.
Attached are questions and answers in response to issues raised by the states, through various discussions, concerning SNAP provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
FNS is aware that state agencies are struggling to cope with mounting caseloads as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is responding to growing needs for food assistance. As state budgets become increasingly tight, few states are able to add staff to manage the greater demands. This memo is intended to review certification policies states may consider to support more efficient caseload management.
FNS staff is working on making improvements to the QC process. One of the major components of the improvements that we are working towards is the development of a paperless work environment for both state and federal QC staff.
It has come to our attention that there is confusion over the Quality Control application of the certification policy that allows state agencies to disallow deductions when the households fails to provide requested verification or fails to report an expense after being advised that failure to do so would result in the loss of a deduction.
Questions and answers on the certification issues in the 2008 Farm Bill.
This memo address under what circumstances a state agency may disallow a deduction based on failure to report or verify expenses.