SNAP CHALLENGE

September 6, 2013

YOU MUST DIAL INTO THE WEBINAR BY PHONE

TO HEAR THE PRESENTERS.

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PresentersChris Koehn Programs Field Representative for the Adult and Family Services of the OKDHS SNAP/LIHEAP Policy Section.

Becca WalkerSNAP Outreach and Senior Servings Coordinator

Kim GoddardBroken Arrow Neighbors Executive Director

Torri ChristianDirector of Advocacy and Public Policy for both Oklahoma food banks.

Sara B. AmbergManager of Agency Capacity Building

SNAP DemographicsCharacteristics of Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program Households: Fiscal Year2011:

In an average month in FY 2011, SNAP provided benefits to 44.7 million people living in about 21.1 million households.

The average benefit per household was $284.

The average benefit per person was $134.

SNAP Demographics

Of the adults who received SNAP, 27.7% were working

Children45%

Adults46%

Elderly9%

Individual SNAP Recipients FY 2011

SNAP DemographicsSNAP Households FY 2011

◦76% of households included a child, elderly person, or disabled person. These vulnerable households received 83% of all benefits

◦Average SNAP household income: ◦$744 gross monthly income◦$338 net monthly income

◦Sources of income: 31% of households had earned income, 22% received Social Security income, 8% received TANF, and 6% received unemployment benefits

SNAP Participation

In Oklahoma, about 75% of eligible people participate compared with 72% nationally.

Participation rates are highest among families with children, and lowest among the elderly.

Administration

FNS •The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees SNAP at the Federal level through the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The federal government pays the full cost of SNAP benefits and shares the cost of administering the program with the states.

OKDHS •State agencies (OKDHS) are responsible for administering the program on the state and county level, determining eligibility according to federal guidelines and distributing benefits.

County DHS offices •County DHS offices process applications and conduct client

interviews

Administration

Eligibility Eligibility and benefit amount depend on the number of

people in a household and the household’s combined income.

Households must meet the following criteria to be eligible for SNAP:◦ Gross monthly income up to 130% of the poverty line ◦ Net income up to 100% of the poverty line

Net income is income after standard deductions are applied for items such as housing costs and child care.

A household with at least one elderly or disabled individual only has to meet the net income test and not the gross income test

Income includes benefits like social security, pension, unemployment benefits, veteran’s benefits, workers compensation, and TANF, among others.

Household size Gross monthly income(130 percent of poverty)

Gross yearly income(130 percent of poverty)

1 $1,211 $14,523

2 1,640 19,680

3 2,069 24,828

4 2,498 29,976

5 2,927 35,124

6 3,356 40,272

7 3,785 45,420

8 4,214 50,568

Each additional member +429

EligibilityUndocumented immigrants are ineligible for SNAP.

According to FNS, about 4 percent of SNAP participants are noncitizens (legal permanent residents, refugees, asylees, etc) and another 3 percent are naturalized citizens.

However, a child born in the United States is eligible for SNAP benefits even if other household members are not eligible because of their immigration status. Information given for a SNAP application will not impact a noncitizen’s immigration status.

AllotmentsThrifty Food Plan: The allotment formula is

based on the Thrifty Food Plan, a market-basket of food updated annually by the USDA representing the minimum amount a family could spend on groceries for a nutritionally adequate diet.

Roughly, SNAP = TFP – 30% of household’s net income

EBT Cards Approved households receive an “Access Oklahoma” EBT card, which is loaded with benefits once a month.

Benefits can be exchanged only at USDA-authorized food retailers (there are about 200,000 nationwide).

SNAP cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, hot or

prepared foods, vitamins or medicine, or non-food grocery items such as household supplies and personal care items.

With the introduction of EBT cards, the USDA is better able to track and deter fraud. The national rate of SNAP card misuse or trafficking declined from 3.8 cents per dollar in 1993 to about 1 cent per dollar in the most recent analysis from 2006-2008.

OKDHS Application Process“New Applicants”A “new applicant” is anyone who is not currently

receiving SNAP, even if they have received SNAP sometime in the past. ◦Applicants who have never had an OKDHS case

number must turn in a paper application, called the Request for Benefits form (PS-1), to a county DHS office in person, by fax, or by mail.

◦Applicants who have had an OKDHS case number sometime in the past can either apply online at OKDHSLive.org or turn in a paper application.

The day the application is received in the DHS office is the client’s application date. OKDHS will make an eligibility decision within 30 days of that date.

Clients can apply at any office of their choosing.

OKDHS Application ProcessOnce the application (paper or online) has

been submitted, DHS schedules an interview with the applicant and verifies documents about his or her household and income. After all verification has been provided, DHS determines the applicant’s eligibility.

Application (paper or online) Interview Verification

Documents

Here is What the “Request for Benefits” Form Looks Like

Renewal SNAP recipients must apply to renew their benefits

every 6 months (or every 12 months in households where all members are elderly or disabled and there is no earned income). A renewal requires updated verification of the household’s income and expenses.

A month before the renewal is due, the household gets a renewal notice in the mail. They can initiate the renewal online, at a DHS office, or with a paper application.

If a household does not renew their benefits in time, they will have to apply again as a new applicant

What the Renewal Notice Looks Like

Home Page of OKDHS-Live

Other InformationExpedited Applications: processed within 7 days

◦Households with less than $150 gross monthly income and liquid resources (checking, savings account balances, cash on hand, etc.) less than $100.

◦Households with monthly rent or mortgage and/or utilities which cost more than the combined monthly gross income and liquid resources

Emergency SNAP: In “emergency” cases, DHS can give a household SNAP temporarily (1-2 months) to allow them more time to collect verification documents. Emergency benefits will expire after the allotted time if the household does not provide the required verification.

Other Information

Household Composition RulesIndividuals who are married and living together

must be included on the same SNAP case.Individuals living together who purchase and

prepare their food together must be included on the same SNAP case.

Children under age 22 living with their natural, adoptive, or step-parents must be included on the same SNAP case as their parents.

Other InformationIt is possible for individuals to be under the

income standard for SNAP and still not be eligible for the program. For instance, the individual may not meet citizenship criteria, or they may have a current SNAP disqualification. Or, they may be a student who has to meet additional eligibility criteria. In addition, for households with at least one elderly or disabled household member, our computer system determines eligibility based on net income, rather than gross.

SNAP OutreachThe goal of SNAP Outreach is to inform

eligible clients about SNAP and help them start the application process if needed. Many families seeking assistance at food pantries are in need of more than emergency food assistance. By connecting eligible people with SNAP, we can help provide more meals to the communities we serve.

SNAP OutreachWe began the pilot in March 2013 with 4 sites in

Tulsa county at Owasso Community Resources, Sand Springs Community Services, Broken Arrow Neighbors, and A Third Place in Turley

The main components of outreach are: ◦ Answer general questions about SNAP eligibility and the

application process◦ Inform SNAP recipients about using the OKDHS-Live

website for renewals ◦ Assist new applicants with the SNAP application◦ Distribute other helpful handouts: detailed information

about the SNAP interview and documents that may be required, referral to free CNEP nutrition classes, and a list of farmers’ markets that accept SNAP EBT cards

Broken Arrow Neighbors

Brief introduction to Broken Arrow Neighbors with Executive Director Kim Goddard.

Why and How of SNAP Outreach at Broken Arrow Neighbors

Nutrition Programs: Fast FactsSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Supplements the food budgets of low-income households with monthly benefits in the form of an electronic benefit (EBT) card for use at authorized retail stores. SNAP serves households with incomes up to 130% of the federal poverty line.

Funding: $947,199,555 People Served: 614,947 Percent Households With: Children: 49.5%Elderly: 15.1%Disabled: 21.7%Average Monthly Benefit: $128.36 per person Average Per Meal Benefit: $1.43 per person Payment Accuracy Rate: 96.10% (including underpayments)

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provides food fordistribution through qualifying emergency feeding organizations like food banks, pantries, kitchens, and shelters. Food and funds are allocated to states using a formula based on poverty and unemployment.

Funding: $4,158,591 in food commodities & $514,252 for storage and distribution

Change in TEFAP Deliveries: 36.2% decline from 2010 to 2012

Farm Bill Timeline

June 10, 2013: Farm Bill Passed in Senate

July 9: House GOP tries to split Farm Bill

© 2010 Feeding America

Cut SNAP by $4.1 B; Increased TEFAP by $54 M

Farm BillFailure of June/July House votes leave legislation in limbo

© 2010 Feeding America

Option 1: Split Farm Bill Passes•House GOP splits Farm Bill, passes Farm and Nutrition titles separately•Separate bills are conferenced with Senate bill

Option 2: Split Farm Bill Fails•House GOP fails to pass Farm only bill

•Whether Nutrition only bill passes or not, would be difficult to conference the two approaches if one title is missing from House

Option 3: Paralysis

•House does not have enough votes to pass Farm only bill and pulls the bill•Congress could let current authorization expire Sept 30•Legislation could be included in an Oct/Nov bargain on deficit reduction and raising the debt limit

Message Points• Need remains high despite improved economy and SNAP

spending will go down on its own as need declines

• Charity can’t do it alone; highlight impact of cuts to SNAP on your organization, low-income families, as well as the need for more TEFAP

• SNAP is targeted at most vulnerable; most benefits go to kids, seniors, disabled and benefits are not generous

• 83% of all benefits got to kids, seniors, disabled• Av benefit is less than $1.50 per meal per person• Benefits for all SNAP beneficiaries will already go down Nov. 1

• Cuts are not about closing loopholes - they will take food from the refrigerators and pantries of struggling families

Questions?

Contact Information:Torri ChristianAdvocacy and Public Policy Community Food Bank of Eastern OK(405) 600-3129tchristian@regionalfoodbank.org

Feeding America:Brett WeiselDirector of Advocacy(312)-641-6554bweisel@feedingamerica.org

Contact your Congressman!1-866-527-1087

What is a SNAP Challenge?