understanding the return of snap time limits for able bodied...
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HOWTHENONPROFIT ANDFA ITHCOMMUNITY CANHELP
UnderstandingtheReturnofSNAPTimeLimitsfor
AbleBodiedAdultswithoutDependents
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SOUTHCAROLINAAPPLESEED
MissionStatement: SCAppleseedfightsforlowincomeSouthCarolinianstoovercomesocial,
economicandlegalinjustice.
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WHATWEWILLCOVERINTHISPRESENTATION
oWhatistheSNAPtimelimit?oWhatandWhyarewefacingthisissuenowoSouthCarolinaSNAPprogramtimeline
•Whowillbeaffected?•Exceptions– Whoisexemptfromthetimelimit?•HowABAWDscancontinue toreceiveSNAPpast3monthsunder thetimelimitrule•QualifyingWorkHoursforIndividualExemptions•HowCommunity-BasedandFaithOrganizationsCanAssist
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WHOMUSTMEETTHETIMELIMIT
FederalRegulationsrefertothisgroupasAbleBodiedAdultsWithoutDependents,orABAWD.•18– 49yearsold•Childless(nodependentchildrenunder18)•Unemployed/underemployed:Lessthan20hrs.aweekinjoborjobtraining.•Non-disabled(Nodocumenteddisabilitythatwouldprecludeemployment)
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THESNAPTIMELIMIT
•SNAPbenefitsarelimitedtothreefullmonths inanythreeyearperiod,unless theindividual:- livesinawaivedareaofastate(none inSC),- isworking20hoursaweek,- inaqualifying jobslot20hoursaweek,- participating incommunity servicework,
or- meetsoneofthefewexceptions.
•Statesdonothavetoofferajobortrainingopportunity
•Manystatesdonot,SouthCarolinaisnowsettingupavoluntaryE&TprogramProgramrunbySCDSSbuttheywillbecontractingwithSCDEW
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SNAPTIMELIMITHISTORYANDCONTEXT
•The1996welfarelaw(PRWORA)imposedatimelimitontheeligibilityofcertainSNAPapplicantsevenwhentheyarecomplyingwithallotherprogramrequirements.•USDAwaivesthetimelimitforstatesduetohighunemployment orhighlaborsurplus.•BecauseSChashistoricallyhadhigherunemployment thantherestofthecountrythemajorityofourcountiesandMSA’shadawaiver.•Throughout therecessionanditsaftermathmoststateshadwaivers.•TheAmericanRecoveryandReconstructionActof2009suspended thetimelimitprovision forallstatesfor2009and2010.•Withtheeconomyimproving andunemployment declining, manystateswillnolongerqualify forastatewidewaiverandmustreinstatetheSNAPtimelimits.•SCstillqualified forawaiverin2016,butchosetoinitiatethetimelimitstatewide.•Therehasbeenabigpushamongconservativepoliticalgroups todothis.
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KEYMESSAGESABOUTTHETHREEMONTHTIMELIMIT
•TheABAWDprovisionisatimelimit,notaworkrequirement.
•CuttingSNAPbenefitstothisextremelypoorandvulnerablegroupwillcausewidespreadharm.
•IdentifyingexistingABAWDsrequiresindividualizedassessmentoftheircircumstances.
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TIMELINEFORIMPLEMENTATIONINSOUTHCAROLINA
EarlyAssessmentofIndividualCircumstances- Winter2016
OTDANoticetoPotentialABAWDs- March2016
TimeLimitsReinstated-April1,2016
NoticesgooutwithchecklistforExemptions- April2016
SomeABAWDsexhaust3montheligibilityandlosebenefits- July2016
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WHOISAFFECTEDBYSNAPTIMELIMITS?
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WHOMUSTMEETTHETIMELIMIT:
Low-incomeadultswithoutchildreninthehouseholdwhoworklessthan20hoursperweek:
•18– 49yearsold
•Childless(nodependentchildrenunder18)
•Unemployed/underemployed:Lessthan20hrs.aweekinjoborjobtraining.
•Non-disabled(Nodocumenteddisabilitythatwouldprecludeemployment)
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INDIVIDUALSATRISKAREVERYPOOR
4outof5haveincomebelow50%ofthePovertylevel
Source:Cen.OnBudgetandPolicyPriorityofFY2013SNAPHouseholdCharacteristicData
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AGEALMOSTONETHIRDOVER40
Source:Cen.OnBudgetandPolicyPriorityofFY2013SNAPHousehold CharacteristicData
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GENDER40%AREFEMALE
Source:Cen.OnBudgetandPolicyPriorityofFY2013SNAPHouseholdCharacteristicData
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EXCEPTIONS
WhoisExemptfromSNAPTimeLimits?
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WHODOESNOTFALLUNDERTHETIMELIMITRULE:
IfanindividualmeetsanyofthefollowingexceptionsthentheycancontinuetobeeligibleforSNAPanddonotfallunderthethreemonthrule:•LivesinawaivedareaofSC(Currentlynone)•Under18or50yearsofageorover•Pregnant•ExemptfromgeneralSNAPworkrequirements.•Responsibleforadependentchildorresidinginahousehold(sameSNAPcase)whereahouseholdmemberisunder18oranadultthatneedscaretakingthatkeepsbeneficiaryfromgoingtowork,or•Physicallyormentallyunfitforwork•Chronicallyhomeless:FNSguidanceonthisissue
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IDENTIFYINGTHOSEWHOAREPHYSICALLYORMENTALLYUNFITFORWORK
AnIndividualisnotsubjecttothethreemonthtimelimitiftheyaredeterminedtobementallyorphysicallyunfitforwork.Thereare3waystobeconsideredunfitforwork:•Receivingtemporaryorpermanentdisabilitybenefitsissuedbygovernmentalorprivatesource,•ObviouslymentallyorphysicallyunfitforemploymentasdeterminedbyaSNAPworker,or•Statementfromaphysician,physician’sassistant,nurse,nursepractitioner,representativeofaphysician’soffice,licensedorcertifiedpsychologist,asocialworker,oranyothermedicalpersonneldeterminedappropriatebythestate.
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WHATIFSOMEONESHOULDHAVEBEENIDENTIFIEDBUTWASNOTUNTILAFTER
CLOCKSTARTS
TellSCDSSABAWDworkerimmediatelyifsomeoneshouldhavebeenidentifiedasnotundertherule.
DSScangobackandreclassify.
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CONTINUINGTORECEIVESNAPAFTER3MONTHS
QualifyingWorkActivities
IndividualExemptions
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QUALIFYINGWORKACTIVITIES
ABAWDsengagedinqualifying workactivitiescancontinue toreceiveSNAPbenefitsbeyond thethreemonth timelimit.•Working 20ormorehoursaweek,averagedmonthly.•Participatinginaqualifying work/trainingprogramapprovedbytheSNAPoffice20hoursormoreaweek,averagedmonthly.•Participatinginaprogramunder theWorkforce InvestmentOpportunity Act(WIOA)whichmayincludejobsearch,jobreadiness,occupationalskillstraining,andeducationactivities20hoursormoreaweek,averagedmonthly.•Combinationofworkingandparticipating inqualifying workprograms20hoursaweek.OR•Complying withaWorkExperienceassignmentifonemadeavailable.Someconfusion nowwheretheE&Tofficewillbelocated,buteachcountyofficewillhaveanABAWDcaseworker.
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INDIVIDUALEXEMPTIONS:
USDAprovidesstateswiththeabilitytosettheirownindividual exemptions.•Eachyearastatecanexemptroughly15percentofitscaseloadthatissubjecttothetimelimit.•USDAprovidesstateswithayearlyaccountingoftheirnewandunusedexemptions.•AllowstheStatetoextendSNAPeligibility toindividuals whowouldotherwisebeineligiblebecausetheyhadexhaustedtheir3monthsofeligibility.•EachIndividualExemptionisonemonthofbenefitsforoneperson.•Thestatecanalsoaskforawaiverforhighunemployment orhigh laborsurpluscounties/MSA’s. Thishasnotoccurredyet.•Wedonotknowwhatpercentageofour statecangetindividualexemptions.
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COMMUNITYORGANIZATIONSCANHELP
Educateyourclientsandyourcommunityaboutthetimelimitruleanditsimpactsbeforethetimelimitisreinstated.
•Workwithclientsimpactedbythetimelimitsby:•Determiningiftheymeetanexception- obtaindocumentation- explainthe3waystobeconsideredunfitforwork- obtaindocumentationofunfitness•MediatingwiththeSNAPofficeonbehalfofyourclientsthathavebeenwronglymisclassifiedasanABAWD,or•Determiningiftheymeetorhowtheycanmeetaqualifyingworkactivity.-documentingthequalifyingworkactivity
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QUESTIONS?
Wewilltryandkeepyouupdatedonanychangesorimprovements thatwillhelpABAWDS.
SueBerkowitz,[email protected]
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