Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 106 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE › Title 106 CMR 365.000 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): special situation households › Section 365.120 - Determining Eligibility and Benefit Level

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(A) PA households shall be allowed to apply
			 for SNAP benefits at the same time they apply for other assistance. However,
			 the household's eligibility and benefit level shall be based solely on SNAP
			 eligibility criteria and the household shall be certified in accordance with
			 notice, timeliness, and procedural requirements of the SNAP regulations. If a
			 household's intent to apply for SNAP benefits is unclear, the worker shall
			 determine at the interview, or in other contact with the household, whether or
			 not the household also wants a PA application processed for SNAP purposes.
(1)
Joint Application
			 Form
. The TAFDC application and the EAEDC application shall
			 contain all the information necessary to determine a household's SNAP
			 eligibility and benefit level. These joint applications shall also have a place
			 for the household to indicate if it does not wish to apply for SNAP benefits.
			 The applicant shall not be required to fill out any additional application form
			 for SNAP purposes.
(2)
Single Interview Requirement
. The worker shall conduct
			 a single interview at initial application for both cash assistance and SNAP
			 purposes. PA households shall not be required to see a different worker or
			 otherwise be subject to two interview requirements to obtain the benefits of
			 both programs. Following the interview, the application may be processed by
			 separate workers to determine eligibility and benefit levels for SNAP and cash
			 assistance. A household's eligibility for a SNAP out-of-office interview does
			 not relieve the household of any responsibility for a face-to-face interview
			 for cash purposes.
(3)
Verification Standard
.
(a) For households applying for both cash
			 assistance and SNAP, the verification procedures described in
			 106 CMR 361.600
			 through
			 361.660
			 shall be followed for those eligibility factors that are needed solely for
			 purposes of determining the household's eligibility for SNAP benefits. For
			 those factors that are needed to determine eligibility for both cash assistance
			 and SNAP, the worker shall follow cash assistance verification requirements.
			 However, in no case shall the worker delay the household's SNAP benefits if, at
			 the end of 30 days following the date the application was filed, the applicant
			 has provided sufficient verification to meet the verification for SNAP
			 purposes, even if there is insufficient verification to meet the cash
			 assistance verification rules.
For example, a family applies for TAFDC and SNAP. The applicant
				timely submits verification of income and all other verification necessary for
				SNAP purposes. However, the applicant does not prove relationship which is
				necessary to establish TAFDC eligibility. In this case, the SNAP assistance
				shall not be delayed or denied because of the household's failure to comply
				with a TAFDC eligibility requirement.
(b) A household may be denied SNAP and cash
			 assistance at the same time (based on the cash assistance processing standards)
			 when all of the following conditions have been met:
1. The Department has provided the household
			 with a statement of required verification and has assisted the household in
			 obtaining verification, as necessary;
2. The Department has informed the household
			 of the appropriate processing standard, in writing, at the time of the
			 application and notified the household at the interview of the date by which
			 any missing verification must be provided; and
3. The household has failed to provide
			 verification of an eligibility factor that is required for both cash assistance
			 and SNAP.
For example, if a family applies jointly for cash assistance
				and SNAP and fails to submit income verification by the cash assistance
				processing date, cash assistance and SNAP would be denied on the same day
				because income verification is required for SNAP as well as for cash
				assistance.
If the household provides the missing verification within the
				initial 30-day period, the Department must provide benefits from the date of
				application. If the household does not provide the missing verification or
				complete the application until the second 30 days, the Department must provide
				benefits from the date the household completes the application or furnishes the
				missing verification. If more than 60 days has elapsed from the date of initial
				application, the household would have to reapply for SNAP benefits.
(4)
Timeliness Standard
. The worker must make the SNAP
			 eligibility determination in accordance with all the timeliness standards and
			 procedures specified in
			 106 CMR
			 361.700 through
			 361.960,
			 unless the household has failed to provide verification of an eligibility
			 factor required for both cash assistance and SNAP benefits in accordance with
			 106 CMR 365.120(A)(3)(b).
(a) As a result of
			 differences in application processing procedures and standards, the worker may
			 have to determine SNAP eligibility prior to determining eligibility for PA
			 payments. Action on the SNAP portion of the application shall not be delayed
			 nor the application denied on grounds that the PA determination has not been
			 made.
(b) Households whose PA
			 applications are denied but who have provided all verifications necessary to
			 determine SNAP eligibility shall not be required to file a new SNAP
			 application. They shall, however, have their SNAP eligibility determined or
			 continued on the basis of their original joint application and any other
			 documented information obtained subsequent to the application that may have
			 been used in the PA determination and that is relevant to SNAP eligibility or
			 level of benefits.