Food Stamp News Brief - October 2008

Food Stamp (aka "SNAP" updates)

October 1, 2008

Reminder about interview requirements

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) recently reminded local social service districts about federal food stamp requirements governing the scheduling of interviews, as well as the notice procedures for households who miss their interview. 

OTDA released GIS message, 08 TA/DC018 ("Food Stamp Notice of Missed Interview (NOMI) Issuance") in July 2008.  The GIS reiterates that:

1. All households not interviewed on the day they submit their applications must be given a scheduled date and time at initial application.   Districts should not advise households to come back and be interviewed on a "first come, first serve" basis, nor can they advise households who qualify for a phone interview to wait for a phone call "some time" during the 30-day processing period.  Households who are recertifying must also be given a scheduled date and time for their recertifications. 
2. Districts are required to send a NOMI to all households who have filed an initial or recertification application and have missed their interview.  The NOMI informs the household of their responsibility to reschedule the eligibility interview.
3. For applicant households who miss their initial eligibility interview, the district must send out the NOMI and then hold the application for 30 days to give the household an opportunity to reschedule their appointment.  If the household responds to the NOMI, the district must reschedule the interview.  If the household does not respond to the NOMI, the district can deny the application at the end of the 30-day period.
4. For recipient households, the NOMI procedures are slightly different.  (Remember that households are mailed a recertification "packet" which includes a recertification [application] form, and a notice which lists the recert interview date and time.)  If the household submits a completed recertification form but misses their interview, the district must send a NOMI.  And if the household responds to the NOMI, the district must reschedule the interview.  However, households who fail to send in their recertification form and miss their interview will not receive a NOMI.  

You can get the GIS at http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/gis/2008/08dc018.pdf. 

New eligibility guidelines beginning October 1, 2008

GIS message 08 DC019, released by OTDA in August 2008, lists the updated food stamp standards for October 1, 2008, including the new payment matrix for the New York State Nutrition Improvement Project (NYSNIP), which provides standardized food stamp benefits to single SSI live-alone recipients.    The GIS message also incorporates the changes to the standard and dependent care deductions (no more dependent care cap!) enacted as part of the 2008 federal reauthorization.  You can access the GIS message at

http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/gis/2008/08dc019Upstate.pdf

If you have questions about this article or any other food stamp-related questions, please contact Barbara Weiner (bweiner@empirejustice.org) or Cathy Roberts (croberts@empirejustice.org) at Empire Justice's Albany office, or give them a call at 518-462-6831.