Historically, approximately a third of the eligible elderly population has participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest of the domestic nutrition assistance programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In response to the low participation levels and unique economic circumstances of elderly households, FNS has implemented specific eligibility criteria for elderly households, and has developed several demonstration projects and opportunities to waive federal regulations that seek to address elderly access to SNAP.
This evaluation focused on how nine states implemented five demonstration projects and waivers that are specifically targeted to increase elderly access to the program: Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP); Combined Application Project (CAP); Standard Medical Deduction (SMD); Elderly and Disabled Recertification Interview Waiver; and 36-Month Certification Demonstration.