In July of 1999, President Clinton announced several new initiatives to improve access to the Food Stamp Program. One of these initiatives was an expansion of the existing authority for quarterly reporting waivers.
Since the publication of the “WIC Bloodwork Requirements” final rule in December 1999, several questions have arisen that require clarification. Therefore, the purpose of this policy memorandum is to clarify these questions as well as provide an update on the status of all policy memoranda previously issued that address bloodwork requirements.
This section of Q&As covers the Application form, Filing the Application Form, Interviews, Verification, Request For Contact and Shortening Certification Periods, Drug/Alcohol Treatment Programs, Transitional Benefits, Recertification, Aliens, Self-Employment, Shelter Expenses, and Extending Certification Periods.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 made a number of changes to the National School Lunch Act which governs the waiver process in the child nutrition programs. This memorandum identifies the changes and provides guidance to be used in developing and submitting waiver requests to the child nutrition division.
Attached are answers to a series of questions which we have received concerning the new two-tiered reimbursement system mandated for FDCHs in the CACFP.
Noncitizens who were receiving food stamps on Aug. 22, 1996, will not lose benefits due to their immigration status until at least April 22, 1997. If, for example, a person moves to another state or has a break in eligibility because of something unrelated to his or her noncitizen status (such as a temporary increase in earnings) and applies again before April 1, 1997, the new noncitizen eligibility requirements would not apply.
The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act makes a significant change to implementation of the food stamp eligibility provisions for noncitizens of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
Recently, we were asked whether state agencies are required to make public release announcements on behalf of their CACFP institutions. If the state is not required to do so, does the state have the option to publish an announcement for CACFP institutions in conjunction with other child nutrition programs, and if so, does this announcement relieve the institutions of their responsibility for releasing a public notification?
This letter describes the new statutory requirements for state agency implementation of the Food Stamp Program provisions of PL 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. We are also providing information regarding proposed and interim rules the FCS will publish and guidance relating to the Simplified Program option, FCS waiver authority, and quality control.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 stipulates that able-bodied, childless adults may only receive food stamps for 3 months in a 36-month period unless they work at least 20 hours a week; participate in an approved work or training program; or live in an area that has been waived from the time limit due to either an unemployment rate higher than 10 percent, or insufficient jobs.