Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 20 - Division of County Operations › Rule 016.20.99-014 - TEA 99-9: Revision to the Simplified Food Stamp - To update the 10000 Section of the Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) Manual

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Simplified Food Stamp Program Program
				Intent
10000
Intent of Simplified Food
Stamp
Program
The Simplified Food Stamp Program (SFSP) provides TEA Cash
				Assistance Program participants with their basic food needs while the parent or
				other adult relative works toward increasing his or her earnings
				potential.
10010
Program
Design
The following SFSP requirements will be based on TEA policy:
				residency. Social Security Numbers, income and resources. (NOTE: The TEA Cash
				Assistance payment must be counted as income in the SFSP budget.)
NOTE: Some income is excluded when determining TEA eligibility
				but is used to determine whether a household will receive a full TEA Cash
				Assistance grant or one-half a grant. Any income, except child support, that is
				used to determine either eligibility or grant amount will be counted as income
				in the SFSP. Child support will not be counted as income in the SFSP unless
				received by a family cap child.
Households that participate in the SFSP will not have to meet
				any work requirements in addition to the TEA Cash Assistance Program work
				requirements. TEA Cash Assistance recipients who are students will not have to
				meet the Food Stamp Program student requirements. SFSP participants will have
				no change reporting requirements in addition to the TEA Cash Assistance
				reporting requirements.
CITlZENSfflP REQUIREMENTS FOR FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
				RECIPIENTS ARE BASED ON LAW AND CANNOT BE WAIVED. ANYONE WHO IS NOT A U.S.
				CITIZEN MUST MEET THE REGULAR FOOD STAMP PROGRAM CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS AS
				SPECIFIED IN TEA 10101 BEFORE HE OR SHE IS ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
				SFSP,
10020
Household Composition
A
household participating in either the
				regular or the SFSP must meet one of the following descriptions:
*
An individual who lives alone.
* A group of individuals who live together and customarily
				purchase food and prepare meals together.
* An individual or a group of individuals who live with others
				and customarily (more than 50% of the time) purchase food and prepare meals for
				home consumption separate and apart from the others.
* An individual who is living with others but is unable to
				purchase and prepare meals due to a permanent disability such as, but not
				limited to, senility. This type of household may include the individual and his
				or her spouse regardless of the physical condition or age of the spouse. All
				income of the individual or the spouse will be counted in the food stamp
				budget. The income of all other household members will be disregarded; however,
				the total gross non-excludable income of all other household members may not
				exceed 165% of the maximum net income standard as shown on the
Food Stamp Basis of Issuance Charts. Exhibit
				A
.
Separate household status will not be granted imder any
				circimistance to:
* The spouse of a household member;
* Children under the age of 22, regardless of marital status,
				who live with a natural, adoptive, or stepparent;
* Siblings, regardless of marital status, who live together if
				one sibling is age 17 or younger; or
* Children under the age of 17, regardless of marital status,
				who are under the parental control of another household member even if that
				household member is not a parent or a sibling.
Individuals imder the age of 22 who do not meet one of these
				restrictions may participate in the Food Stamp Program as a separate household
				if otherwise eligible.
10100
Households to be Served in the Simplified Food Stamp Program
Only households where all household members receive TEA Cash
				Assistance or a combination of TEA Cash Assistance and SSI benefits will
				participate in the SFSP. Households with children not added to the TEA Cash
				Assistance grant solely due to the family cap provisions of TEA 4131 will
				participate in the SFSP. These children will be included in the SFSP
				household.
Households with children not added to the TEA Cash Assistance
				grant solely due to the family cap provisions are not categorically eligible to
				receive food stamp benefits. These households piust meet the Food Stamp Program
				resource limits and the gross income limits for the SFSP household including
				the child affected by the family cap provisions. See TEA 10104-10106 for
				additional information.
Households, except those households with a child containing a
				family cap child, that participate in the SFSP will be classified on the Food
				Stamp Automated Customer Tracking System (FACTS) as public assistance (PA)
				households. Households that contain a family cap child are classified as
				non-public assistance (NA) households.
Recipients of TEA Diversion Assistance as specified in TEA 2010
				will not participate in the SFSP. Diversion Assistance recipients will be
				classified as NA households on the Food Stamp Automated Customer Tracking
				System (FACTS).
* A household with a member disqualified under regular Food
				Stamp Program rules for a reason such as, but not limited to, an intentional
				program violation (IPV), may participate in the SFSP if the disqualified member
				receives TEA Cash Assistance or SSI. However, the disqualified member will
				continue to be disqualified. See FSC 1623.1 - 1623.3 for additional
				instructions.
* 10101
Citizenship Requirements for SFSP
Participation in the SFSP is
			 limited to U.S. citizens and to the non-citizens described in this section.
For up to seven vears fi'om the date of admission
				under one of the specified criteria, any alien who:
* Was granted asylimi under Section 208 of the IN A;
* . Was granted status as a refiigee under Section 207 of the
				INA;
* Had deportation withheld under Section 243 (h) or, after
				April 1,1997, Section 241 (b)(3) of the INA;
* Was admitted as an Amerasian immigrant pursuant to Section
				584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs
				Appropriations Action of 1988; or
* Is a Cuban or Haitian entrant under 501(e) of the Refugee
				Assistance Act of 1988.
For refiigees admitted under Section 207 of the INA, the seven
				year count begins the date the refugee entered the country. For other aliens,
				the seven year count begins the date the alien was granted the particular
				status.
For an unlimited period:
1. Any alien who is currently admitted for
			 permanent residence as defined in Section 101(a)(2) of the INA and who:
* Can be credited with 40 quarters of qualified work (their
				own, a spouse's or a parent's); or
* Is a veteran of or is on active duty in the U.S. armed
				forces; or
* Is the spouse or dependent child of an individual who is a
				veteran of or who is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.
2. Any alien who is a veteran of or is on
			 active duty in the U.S. armed forces OR any alien who is the spouse and/or
			 dependent child of an individual with a military connection if the
alien
:
* Was granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA;
* Was granted status as a refugee under Section 207 of the
				INA;
* Had deportation withheld under Section 243(h) or, after April
				1, 1997, Section 241(b)(3) of the INA;
* Is a Cuban or Haitian entrant under Section 501 (e) of the
				Refugee Assistance Act of 1988;
* Is a conditional entrant under Section 203(a)(7) of the INA;
				or
* Has been a parolee for at least one year under Section 212
				(d)(5) of the INA.
3. Under
			 certain conditions, an alien who is a battered spouse or battered child of a
			 veteran or a person who is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces. The
			 nonabusive parent of a battered child or the dependent child of a battered
			 spouse may also meet the citizenship requirements under this
			 provision.
4. Any alien who was
			 lawfully present in the United States on August 22,1996, and:
* Is currently under 18 years of age: or
* Was age 65 or older on August 22,1996; or
* Is currently receiving one of the payments for blindness or
				disability listed in the
Glossary
to the
Food
				Stamp Certification Manual
under the definition of "Aged/Disabled
				Household."
5. Any American
			 Indian bom in Canada who is entitled to cross the United States border into
			 Canada or Mexico.
6. Any individual
			 who was a member of a Hmong or Highland Laotian tribe at the time the tribe
			 rendered assistance to United States personnel during the Vietnam era beginning
			 August 5,1964, and ending May 7,1975. This provision includes any such
			 individual's current spouse or surviving spouses unless the spouse has
			 remarried. It also includes the individual's unmarried dependent children.
A qualifying quarter of work includes: one worked by the alien;
				one worked by a parent (natural adoptive or step) while the alien was under the
				age of 18; and one worked by a spouse during the marriage if the alien remains
				married to the spouse or the spouse is deceased. Any quarter during which the
				alien received SSI, Medicaid or TEA isTiot a qualifying quarter of work.
Ineligible aliens include aliens such as, but not limited to:
				visitors and tourists; students; diplomats; aliens admitted under color of law;
				aliens who have applied for eligible status but have not yet been approved
				(except for battered spouses and/or children with a military connection); and
				aliens whose status is questionable or unverified.
10102
Verification of
			 Citizenship
One of the following documents may be presented by the alien to
				establish that he or she is legally present in the United States:
*
Alien Lawfully Admitted For Permanent
				Status
- INS Form
l-55\.
Alien Registration
				Receipt Card
.
OR unexpired temporary 1-551 stamp in
				foreign passport or on INS Form 1-94,
Arrival/Departure
				Record
.
*
Asvlee
- INS Form
				1-94,
Arrival/Departure Record
,
annotated with stamp showing grant of asylum under Section 208 of the
				Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) OR INS Form I-688B,
Emylovment Authorization Card
,
annotated with stamp showing admission under Section 207 of the
				INA.
*
Refugee
- INS Form 1-94,
Arrival/Departure Record
,
annotated
				with stamp showing admission xmder Section 207 of the INA.
*
Alien Paroled Into The U.S. For At Least One
				Year
- INS Form 1-94.
Arrival/Departure
				Record
,
with stamp showing admission for at least one
				year under Section 212(d)(5) of the INA.
*
Alien Whose Deportation or Removal Was
				Withheld
- Order from an immigration judge showing deportation
				withheld under Section 243(h) of the INA as in effect prior to April 1,1997, or
				removal withheld under Section 241(b)(3) of the INA after April 1,1997.
*
Alien Granted Conditional Entry
-
				INS Form 1-94,
Arrival/Departure Record
,
with stamp showing admission under Section 203(a)(7) of the
				INA.
*
Cuban/Haitian Entrant
- INS Form
\-SS\.
Alien Resistration Receipt Card
,
vdth the code CU6, CU7 or CH6, OR unexpired temporary 1-551 stamp in
				foreign passport or on INS Form 1-94,
Arrival/Departure
				Record
,
with stamp showing parole as Cuban/Haitian
				Entrant under Section 212(d)(5) of the INA.
*
Amerasian Immigrant
- INS Form
				1-551,
Alien Resistration Receipt Card
,
with the code AM6, AM7, or AM8, OR unexpired temporary 1-551 stamp in
				foreign passport or on INS form 1-94,
Arrival/Departure
				Record
,
with the code AMI, AM7, or AM3.
*
Battered Alien
- Evidence of having
				petitioned INS for permanent resident status and reasonable proof of battery.
				Reasonable proof of battery includes, but is not limited to, police reports,
				information from medical or school personnel, and/or photographs. A collateral
				statement may be accepted to verify that the battered, individual no longer
				lives with the batterer
*
Alien Lawfully Present on August
				22.1996
- Proof of lawful presence on August 22,1996, and proof of
				age or proof of receipt of disability payment.
*
American Indian Born in Canada or
				Mexico
- Proof of membership in one of the tribes entitled to
				cross the U.S. border.
* Hmong or Highland Tribe Member - Proof of lawful presence and
				proof of membership in a tribe that rendered assistance to U.S.
				personnel.
Aliens who are applying to participate in the SFSP based on
				military service must first provide documentation that he or she meets the
				citizenship requirements of TEA 10010. Then he or she must provide verification
				that he or she meets minimum active duty service requirements. Veterans must
				provide documentation of an honorable discharge for reasons other than
				alienage.
A surviving spouse of a deceased veteran must provide
				verification that the marriage meets the requirements of Section 1304 of Title
				38 U.S.C. Battered aliens must provide documentation of being battered and of
				having petitioned INS for permanent resident status.
The Social Security Administration is the primary source of
				verification of qualifying quarters of work. An automated system has been
				developed to provide an array, by year, begirming with 1937, of all qualifying
				quarters of work. Appendix Q to the Food Stamp Certification Manual provides
				complete information about verifying qualifying quarters of work through the
				automated system.
10103
Special Income and Resource Guidelines
-
Ineligible
			 Aliens
Some aliens may be eligible to participate in the TEA Program
				but not eligible to participate in the SFSP. The resources of these ineligible
				aliens will be counted in their entirety. A prorata share of the income of
				these ineligible aliens will be counted in the SFSP budget. If the alien is the
				payee for the TEA Cash Assistance, a prorata share of the TEA Cash Assistance
				will be counted in the SFSP budget.
To calculate the prorata share of the income to be
				counted:
* Determine the ahen's gross countable income as instructed in
				TEA 2330 - 2341.
* Divide the gross income among all household members including
				the ineligible alien to obtain the prorata amount for each member.
* Multiply the number of eligible members by the prorata
				amount.
* Count the result as income in the SFSP budget.
Medical expenses and dependent care costs are not deductible.
				Other deductible expenses will be allowable. These expenses will not be
				prorated unless the ineligible alien incurs part or all of the expense. If the
				ineligible alien does incur part or all of the expense, the expense will be
				prorated using the same method as the method used for proration of
				income.
10104
Special SSNRequirements
-
Family Cap
			 Households
Children who are not included in the grant due to the family
				cap provisions must provide a social security number (SSN) or apply for an SSN
				before they can receive food stamp benefits. If the child cannot provide an
				SSN, the county office worker will complete an
Application
				for an SSN
(SS-S) and an
Enumeration
				Referral
(DCQ-12V ApseudoSSN will be entered on the
				DCO-12 to insure enumeration occurs. Both forms must be mailed to local SSA
				office.
When the parents of a newborn cannot supply either an SSN or
				the birth proof needed to apply for an SSN, the SSN requirement may be delayed
				for six months or imtil the household is recertified (or extended in lieu of a
				recertification), whichever is later. The child may participate in the SFSP
				while the SSN requirement is postponed.
Postponement of the SSN requirement will not apply if a form
				SSA-2853 was completed for a newborn by a hospital. When the parent provides a
				copy of the SSA-2853, the county office will complete an SS-5 and DCO-12. When
				these documents are sent to SSA, the household has complied with the SSN
				requirement.
If the SSN requirement is postponed, the household must be
				notified that proof of compliance
wilh
the SSN requirements
				must be provided when the household's current certification period is extended.
				(This includes recertification or reapplication if the household no longer
				participates in the SFSP.)
/
To disqualify a member for non-compliance with the SSN
				requirements:
* Use a household status code "9" in the member segment of the
				WFSM screem
* Include all of that member's resources.
* Count a prorata share of the member's income.
* Do not allow any expense incurred entirely by the
				disqualified member.
* Allow a prorata share of any shared expense.
* Do not include the disqualified member when determining the
				food stamp benefit amount.
10105
Special Resource Guidelines -
			 Family Cap Households
The resource limits for SFSP households with a child not added
				to TEA Cash Assistance due to the family cap provision are $3,000 for any
				household with an aged member, regardless of household size, and $2,000 for all
				other households. If the household's countable resources exceed the resource
				limits, the household will be ineligible to receive food stamp benefits.
Only the resources owned solely or jointly by a child who was
				not added to the grant due to the family cap provision will be counted in
				determining the household's countable resources for food stamp eligibility.
				(Resources owned solely by an SSI and/or TEA recipient are excluded in their
				entirety.) If one of these children has resources, see TEA 2270 - 2277.6 for
				instructions on determining countable resources.
10106
Special Income Guidelines -
			 Family Cap Households
Households with at least one child not added to TEA Cash
				Assistance due to the family cap provisions must meet the Food Stamp Program
				gross income limits in order to participate in the SFSP. See the
Food
				Stamp Basis of Issuance Charts, Exhibit A,
for the current gross
				income limits. Any income received by children who are not included in the
				grant due to the family cap provision will be considered when the food stamp
				benefit amount is determined. TEA policy 2330 - 2341
vnW
be
				used to determine the amount of countable income. Child support received by
				family cap children will be counted in the food stamp budget since it will not
				be turned over to the Office of Child Support Enforcement to maintain TEA
				eligibility.
10107
Special Income and Resource Guidelines
-
SSI
			 Recipients
The income of any SSI recipient who participates in the SFSP
				will be counted aslncome to determine food stamp benefit level. If there is a
				child in the home affected by the family cap provision, the household is not
				categorically eligible; therefore, the household must meet the Food Stamp
				Program gross income limits in order to participate in the SFSP. Any SSI
				payment received will be counted as income in the SFSP budget.
See TEA 2330-2341 for instructions on determining countable
				income. Resources owned by the SSI recipient will be excluded.
* 10108
The Effect of TEA
			 Sanctions on Food Stamp Benefits
Food stamp benefits will not be increased when benefits
				received under another means-tested federal, state, or local welfare or public
				assistance program (i.e., TEA or SSI) are reduced, suspended or terminated due
				to intentional failure to comply with a requirement of that program. The
				prohibition against increasing benefits will last no longer than the duration
				of the penalty imposed by the TEA Program or the SSI Program and will be
				applied concurrently with the TEA or SSI sanction. Should the TEA or SSI
				sanction end because the household has complied, the prohibition against
				increasing food stamp benefits will also end. The prohibition against
				increasing food stamp benefits follows the individual who intentionally failed
				to comply. If this person leaves the household, the prohibition will
				end.
This provision will not apply:
* When TEA recipients are not allowed to add newborn children
				to an existing TEA cash assistance grant.
* When there is a reduction, termination, or suspension in
				benefits paid imder the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program
				regardless of the reason for the reduction.
* When the agency that administers the other program will not
				cooperate in providing the necessary information.
To prevent food stamp benefits from increasing as a result of
				an intentional failure to comply with a program requirement, an amount equal to
				the reduction in the TEA or SSI benefits must continue to be counted in the
				food stamp budget. This amoimt will be calculated by subtracting the reduced
				amount of the assistance from the original amount. This amount will be shown in
				the budget as "other" income and will continue to be shown until the sanction
				ends regardless of subsequent changes to the assistance amount. If the case was
				closed, the full amount of the grant will be shown in the budget for the
				sanction period. If an adverse change to an SSI check is due to a readily
				identified change such as, but not limited to, receipt of additional income,
				SSA need not be contacted for information about the reason for the change. In
				other instances the worker should contact SSA to determine the reason for the
				decrease. If an adverse action to an SSI benefit is not specifically identified
				as resulting from an intentional failure to comply, the reduced benefit amount
				will be shown in the budget so long as there has been a good faith effort to
				get information about the reason for the action.
Fmlure to comply with a TEA Program requirement will not
				include:
* Failure to appear for the initial assessment
				interview;
* Failure or refusal to complete the TEA application process;
				or
* Requesting that the TEA case be closed.
The following chart provides information about when a sanction
				is to be applied for failure to comply with a TEA Program requirement:
REASON FOR SANCTION
ACTION IN TEA CASE
LENGTH OF TIME TO COUNT INCOME EQUAL TO SANCTION
						  AMOUNT
Failed to cooperate with the Office of Child Support
						  Enforcement
25% reduction in payment amount
Until adult complies or case closes
Failed to comply with immunization
						  requirement
25% reduction in payment amount
Until adult complies or case closes
Failed to participate in a work activity
25% reduction in payment amount
Until adult complies or case closes
Minor parent failed to comply with a work
						  activity
25% reduction in payment amount
Until minor parent complies or case closes
Failed to participate in an employability
						  assessment
25% reduction in payment amount
Until aduh complies or case closes
Failed to accept employment or terminated
						  employment
25% reduction in payment amount
Until adult complies or case closes
Failed to cooperate with Quality Assurance
Case closed
Three months
Intentional Program Violation (IPV)
Case closed
For duration of IPV penalty period
10200
Applying to Participate in tiie Simplified Food Stamp Program
Households that submit an application to participate in the TEA
				Cash Assistance Program will also have submitted an application to participate
				in the SFSP. Page one of The TEA Cash Assistance application contains the
				information necessary to determine food stamp eligibility and to screen for
				expedited services.
When a household that is not currently participating in the
				Food Stamp Program submits a
TEA Application
(DCO-180), the
				county office will use the DCO-180 to determine food stamp eligibility if
				possible. The DCO-180 may not be used to determine food stamp eligibility if
				some household members already receive food stamp benefits under the regular
				Food Stamp Program and the TEA applicants cannot be a separate household as per
				TEA 10020.
Example: A 19 year old woman applies for TEA Cash Assistance
				for herself and her child. She lives in the home with her parents. Her parents
				receive food stamp benefits. The woman and her child must be added to her
				parent's food stamp case.
The food stamp portion of the TEA application must be approved
				or denied, under either regular Food Stamp Program rules or SFSP rules, within
				30 days of the date of application. (For eligible households, food stamp
				benefits must be available within 30 days of application so the application
				must be keyed by the 27"' day of the application processing period. If the
				application is denied, the effective date of the denial must always be the 30""
				day of the application processing period.)
An interview must be conducted by a county office worker before
				food stamp eligibility can be established. Pages one and two of the TEA
				application, along with the information on the remainder of the TEA
				application, should contain adequate information to determine eligibility under
				the SFSP policy or regular Food Stamp Program policy for both expedited and
				non-expedited households. The TEA interview will be sufficient to meet the
				interview requirements of both the SFSP and the regular Food Stamp
				Program.
When a TEA applicant misses an appointment, the TEA portion of
				the application may be denied at the end of 10 days. However, the food stamp
				portion of the application must be held for the full 30-day period. If the
				household requests another appointment, one will be scheduled. The appointment
				will be scheduled before the 30*'' day of the food stamp application period if
				at all possible. If not, the household will be scheduled for an interview as
				quickly as possible and all delays in application processing beyond the
7[GREATER THAN](f
day of the application period will be the fault of the county
				office. If the household appears for the interview, provides all needed
				information and is otherwise eligible to participate in the regular Food Stamp
				Program, the food stamp portion of the application will be approved. The
				household will not be required to submit a
Food Stamp Application
(DCO-220). Any certification period assigned must not exceed three
				months.
If the TEA applicant does not wish to receive food stamp
				benefits, it is not necessary to process the food stamp portion of the
				application.
Example: A 19 year old woman applies for TEA Cash Assistance
				for herself and her child. She lives in the home with her parents. Her parents
				do not wish to receive food stamp benefits. It is not necessary to process the
				food stamp portion of the application.
The TEA applicant is allowed, but not required, to sign a
				written statement that he or she does not wish to receive food stamp benefits
				at the present time. Declining food stamp benefits at the time of application
				will have no affect on a household's future eligibility. The household will be
				allowed to apply for food stamp benefits at any time.
Nutrition assistance is a valuable asset to TEA applicants. The
				receipt of food stamp benefits may give a family the support they need to
				survive while the TEA application is being processed. This means that the
				county should process the food stamp application as quickly as all needed
				information is available. If TEA applicants can be certified under regular Food
				Stamp Program before the county can make a determination on the TEA portion of
				the application, then the household's receipt of food stamp benefits should not
				be delayed.
* 10201
Certifying Households Under SFSP Rules
Households will be certified to receive food stamp benefits
				under SFSP rules when:
* Eligibility for food stamp benefits can be determined more
				quickly under SFSP rules than under regular Food Stamp Program rules; or
* The household is not eligible to participate in the regular
				Food Stamp Program but, based on receipt of TEA benefits, will be eligible to
				participate in the SFSP.
When a household is not eligible to participate in the regular
				Food Stamp Program but will be eligible to participate in the SFSP based on
				receipt of TEA Cash Assistance, food stamp benefits will not be authorized
until
the TEA portion of the application is
approved. Since eligibility for food stamp benefits is dependent on
				receipt of TEA
__________
benefits, food stamp benefits for the first month of
				eligibility will be prorated to the date on which the TEA application was
				approved.
If eligibility for food stamp benefits is delayed due to a
				request for additional information and the TEA application is approved prior to
				receipt of the requested information, eligibility for food stamp benefits will
				be determined at the time the TEA application is approved. The rules applicable
				to the SFSP will be applied when the food stamp application is approved.
* 10202 Certifying SFSP Applicants
			 Under the Expedited Provisions
The following SFSP applicants must be provided with food stamp
				benefits within seven calendar days of the date of application:
* Households with $100 or less in countable liquid resources
				and less than $150 in gross monthly income;
* Eligible households whose total combined
gross
monthly income and
liquid
resources are less than the amount incurred by
				the household for its utilities and rent or mortgage payment; or
* Destitute households with $100 or less in countable liquid
				resources. A household may not be considered destitute unless it contains
				migrant or seasonal farmworker members in the job stream.
There are questions on page 1 of the TEA Application (DCO-180)
				that are designed to help identify households entitled to expedited
				service.
Verification of the following items may be postponed for
				households entitled to expedited service: residency, income, liquid resources,
				actual utilities, medical costs, and alien status. Identity must be verified.
				When verification is postponed, expedited households will be assigned a one
				month period of certification unless the application was submitted after the
				15th of the month and approved the same month. If so, the household will be
				assigned a two month period of certification.
There is no limit to the number of times a household may be
				certified under the expedited service provisions. However, prior to each
				subsequent expedited certification, the household must either complete the
				verification requirements that were postponed or be certified under normal
				processing standards.
10203
Certifying Households Under Regular Food Stamp
Program
Rules
Food stamp benefits will be authorized under regular Food Stamp
				Program rulesTor TEA Cash Assistance applicants when:
* The household is entitled to expedited service for food stamp
				benefits;
* The household is not entitled to expedited service, but
				eligibility for food stamp benefits can be determined more quickly than
				eligibility for TEA benefits;
* The TEA Cash Assistance portion of the application is denied,
				but the household is eligible for food stamp benefits under regular Food Stamp
				Program rules.
* One or more household members are not included in the TEA
				assistance grant for reasons other than the family cap provisions or receipt of
				SSI.
If additional information is needed to establish eligibility
				under regular Food Stamp Program rules, this information may be requested via
				the
Notice of Delayed Food Stamp Application
(DCO-206). This information must be provided on or before the end of
				the 30 day food stamp application processing period. The household must be
				allowed at least 10 days to provide this information. If the application must
				be held beyond the end of the 30 day processing period in order to allow the
				household 10 days to provide the information, the delay in processing will be
				the fault of the household.
Decision Point In order to insure the household receives food
				stamp benefits quickly, the county office may instruct the worker to
				immediately process the food stamp portion of the TEA Application if all
				information is available. If all information is not available, the worker may
				immediately issue a Notice of Delayed Application (DCO-206) requesting the
				needed information. As soon as this information is available, the food stamp
				portion of the application can be approved.
Food stamp applications processed under regular Food Stamp
				Program rules will be registered and, if the household is ineligible, denied
				using the area provided on page 1 of the TEA application. The date of the TEA
				application is also the date of the food stamp application. When a food stamp
				application is approved, the food stamp benefits will be prorated from the date
				of the TEA application. The household will not be considered to be at fault for
				any application processing delays past 30 days.
Any household that submitted only a TEA application but was
				certified under regular Food Stamp Program rules will be assigned a
				certification period no longer than three months. (Expedited households
				certified pending verification will be assigned a-one or two month
				certification period as explained in TEA 10202.) The household will not be
				placed on quarterly reporting.
If a household is certified under regular Food Stamp Program
				rules and the TEA application is later approved, the household will be
				converted to the SFSP as instructed in TEA 10400. When the household is
				converted to the SFSP, the certification period will be extended to a maximum
				of 12 months with no additional interview required. See TEA 10500.
If the household is not converted to the SFSP for any reason, a
				normal recertification must occur at the end of the certification period. At
				recertification, a
Food Stamp AvvUcation
(DCO-220) must be completed and submitted by the household and an
				interview must be conducted.
DECISION POINT
General
				guidelines have been provided for determining food stamp
eligibility for TEA applicants based on regular Food
				Stamp Program rules. Each county will apply these procedures in accordance with
				the county's internal procedures for processing both regular and expedited food
				stamp applications. For example, if there is a Unit in the office which
				determines food stamp eligibility for NA households, that Unit could work with
				a copy of the TEA application to determine food stamp eligibility under regular
				Food Stamp Program rules.
10204
Work Registration
			 Requirements
-
Regular Food Stamp Program
Food Stamp Program work registration exemptions are allowed for
				the following household members:
1.
			 Age 15 or younger
2. Age 16 or 17
			 and living with a parent or attending a school or training program on at least
			 a half-time basis
3. Age 60 or
			 older
4. Disabled
5. Caring for a dependent child under age 6
			 or an incapacitated person of any age
6. Receiving unemployment benefits
7. Participating in a treatment program for
			 alcoholism or drug addiction
8.
			 Employed or self-employed on a full-time basis
9. Enrolled full-time in a high school or an
			 institution of higher education
10.
			 Receiving TEA Cash Assistance
All other household members are subject to the work
				registration requirements.
"When the household signs the TEA Application, DCO-180,
				non-exempt household members are automatically registered for work. If the TEA
				Application is denied
after
the household has been
				certified for food stamp benefits and not all household members are exempt from
				work registration , a
Notification of Work
				Resistration
(DCO-260) will be issued to the household. A
				DCO-260 will also be issued if the TEA Application is approved, the household
				is not eligible to participate in the SFSP, and some household members will be
				subject to work registration under Food Stamp Program rules.