New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 18 - DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES › Chapter II - Regulations of the Department of Social Services › Subchapter B - Public Assistance › Article 4 - Services to Individuals › Part 387 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program › Section 387.2 - Responsibilities of local department

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
In order to assist needy families and individuals to
			   obtain SNAP benefits, each social services district shall:
(a) certify eligible families and
			 individuals; receive, store and issue food stamp coupons, either directly, or
			 with the approval of the department, through a banking institution or other
			 issuing agency;
(b) continue
			 ongoing efforts to inform low-income individuals and family households, with
			 due regard to ethnic and disadvantaged groups, of the availability and benefits
			 of the program; encourage the participation of all eligible households through
			 services provided by federally funded organizations as well as other
			 organizations;
(c) insure that food
			 stamps provided to any eligible household shall not be considered as income or
			 resources for any purpose under any Federal, State or local laws, including but
			 not limited to laws relating to taxation, welfare and public assistance
			 programs;
(d) not terminate or
			 reduce a public assistance grant, or deny application for public assistance or
			 care or otherwise adversely affect a family's or an individual's eligibility
			 for public assistance or care, on the grounds that the recipient or applicant
			 is receiving or is eligible to receive food stamp coupons, or fails to apply
			 for or to utilize food stamp coupons;
(e) have applications readily available for
			 potentially eligible households and provide an application to anyone requesting
			 one;
(f) undertake the
			 certification of applicant households in accordance with the standards used by
			 the department in the certification of applicants for benefits under the
			 federally aided public assistance programs;
(g) identify households eligible for
			 expedited service;
(h) provide each
			 applicant for public assistance, medical assistance or family and children's
			 services with the pamphlet(s) explaining the food stamp program and provide
			 them with the opportunity to apply for food stamps;
(i) provide each nonpublic assistance
			 applicant for the food stamp program (excluding recipients of supplemental
			 security income) with a pamphlet explaining the program and provide them with
			 opportunity to apply for food stamps;
(j) restrict the use or disclosure of
			 information obtained from applicant households to persons directly connected
			 with the administration and enforcement of the food stamp program, other
			 Federal assistance programs, and federally assisted State programs providing
			 assistance on a means-tested basis to low-income households. Notwithstanding
			 any other provision of law, the address, social security number, and if
			 available, photograph of any member of a household must be made available, on
			 request, to any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer if the officer
			 furnishes the social services district with the name of the member and notifies
			 the social services district that:
(1) the
			 member:
(i) is fleeing to avoid prosecution,
			 or custody or confinement after conviction, for a crime or an attempt to commit
			 a crime, that, under the law of the place the member is fleeing, is a felony
			 or, in the case of the State of New Jersey, a high misdemeanor;
(ii) is violating a condition or probation or
			 parole imposed under Federal or State law; or
(iii) has information that is necessary for
			 the officer to conduct an official duty related to subparagraph (i) of this
			 paragraph;