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Supplemental Nutrition Program
Background
Assembly Bill 1811 reverses the CalFresh eligibility policy known as cash-out, under which recipients of SSI/SSP are ineligible for CalFresh. Effective June 1, 2019, individuals receiving SSI/SSP are eligible for CalFresh, provided all other eligibility criteria are met.
AB 1811 also creates two state-funded nutrition benefit programs intended to “hold harmless” existing CalFresh households negatively affected by the policy change. The two state-funded programs, known as the SNB and TNB Programs, will provide CalFresh households with nutrition benefits to mitigate the reduction of CalFresh benefits or CalFresh ineligibility, respectively. Policy guidance on the TNB Program is provided on a separate Update.
Throughout this Update, “SSI recipients” refers to both recipients of SSI/SSP and SSP-only. Additionally, use of the term “CalFresh” or “CalFresh benefits” throughout this ACL also includes recipients of the CFAP, as applicable.
Household Effective Date
Effective June 1, 2019, currently excluded SSI member(s) will be added to the existing case as an included household member at the household’s SAR 7, RC, or when voluntarily requested by the household. This rolling implementation date is referred to as the household effective date. Households who would experience a benefit reduction will receive SNB when their SAR 7 or RC is processed after June 1, 2019. The SNB Programs will provide eligible CalFresh households with state-funded nutrition benefits to the extent that state funding for this purpose is available. The SNB Program benefits are not entitlement benefits.
Eligibility
SNB eligibility is only determined on the household’s effective date. CalFresh households are eligible for the SNB Program if they:
- Are receiving CalFresh benefits and include at least one excluded SSI/SSP recipient on the implementation date (i.e., 6/1/2019), and
- Experience a CalFresh benefit reduction when any of those previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients are added to the household on the household’s effective date (i.e. SAR 7/RC/Voluntary Request).
Note: A two-person household that becomes eligible for the minimum benefit allotment at the household’s effective date may be eligible for the SNB Program, if the minimum benefit allotment is less than the household’s previous benefit amount.
In determining whether a household is eligible for the SNB Program, the EW does not need to determine whether the benefit reduction was caused solely as a result of adding the previously excluded SSI/SSP recipient(s) to the household. The EW must only determine that the CalFresh household includes an SSI/SSP recipient excluded from the household on the implementation date and that the household experienced a benefit reduction when any of those previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients were added on the household’s effective date.
A household consists of a mother and an excluded SSI child as of 6/1/2019 submits June SAR 7 on 6/10/2019. The household reported that Mom’s wage increase. When added the excluded SSI child and the increase income to the case, the household CalFresh benefit amounts are reduced. The household is eligible for SNB effective July 2019.
A household consists of a father and one SSI child. The SAR 7 is due in October 2019. The household does not request the implementation of CalFresh expansion or report any household composition changes on or after 6/1/2019. A complete SAR 7 was submitted timely in October and processed. When the SSI child is added, and the SSI payment is counted, the household’s CalFresh benefits are reduced by $50 for the November benefit. SNB will start effective 11/2019.
Ineligibility for SNB
The following households are not eligible for the SNB Program:
- Households that include an SSI recipient and experience a benefit reduction after the household’s effective date;
- If the household’s only SSI/SSP recipient at the household effective date is not one of the same SSI/SSP recipient(s) excluded from the household on the implementation date (June 1); or
- If the household must reapply for CalFresh benefits after discontinuance.
- A three-or-more person household that is eligible for zero benefits at the household’s effective date is considered ineligible for CalFresh. They may be eligible for the TNB Program.
- An SSI recipient suspense status receiving CalFresh benefits on the implementation date is not considered “excluded,” therefore, ineligible for the SNB Program.
Note: Households that are eligible for and receive SNB Program benefits shall not at any point be eligible for TNB Program benefits, regardless of any change in household circumstances.
A household consists of a mother and an excluded SSI child on June 1, 2019 (implementation date). When the first SAR 7 due in September, the household reports the SSI child left home to leave with a father, and an SSI grandmother moves into the CF household. The CF household removes the SSI child and adds the SSI grandmother to the case effective October 1, 2019. The household is not eligible for the SNB Program since the same excluded SSI person is not in the home at the time of the household’s effective date (i.e., September 2019).
Transitional CalFresh (TCF)
CalFresh households receiving TCF benefits may be eligible for the SNB Program if at the household’s TCF recertification the County implements the reversal of the cash-out policy and determines that the household experienced a benefit reduction when the previously excluded SSI recipients were added to the household. The County must determine whether a benefit reduction has occurred by comparing the household’s TCF benefit amount to the household’s new CalFresh benefit amount.
SNB Program Benefit Table
The amount of SNB Program benefits provided to each SNB-eligible household will be based on the benefit
allotment tables developed by the State.
The SNB benefit amounts are determined on the household’s effective date as follows:
- The new household size when the previously excluded SSI/SSP recipient(s) is added to the household (vertical axis).
- The number of previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients added to the household (horizontal axis).
Refer to Chart Book for the SNB Program benefit amounts.
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