Mississippi Administrative Code

A. This Act designates all State agencies providing public assistance as voter registration agencies. B. Voter Registration Services: MDHS must provide all applicants and recipients the opportunity to register to vote or update a voter registration record. Provide a voter registr…

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) delegates to the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) the responsibilities of administering the SNAP within the state. These responsibilities include, but not limited to: A. C…

MDHS must provide SNAP applicants and recipients with their rights and responsibilities regarding the program. All program informational materials must be available in other languages and include a statement that the SNAP is available without regard to race, color, sex, age, hand…

A. Federal and state regulations provide certain rights to households applying for or receiving SNAP benefits, including the right to: 1. File an application during working hours on the same day one contacts the office with, at a minimum, a name, address and signature of a respon…

MDHS must provide services (staff or interpreters) for non-English speaking households regarding program information and certification materials based on the estimated total number of low-income households that speak the same non-English language in the state. Notes 18 Miss. Code…

MDHS is required to provide an annual state plan of operation detailing the implementation of its SNAP to FNS. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-1.6 7 CFR §272.2 Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

Only authorized merit personnel will be allowed to conduct certification interviews or certify applicants except for SSI households and USDA declared disaster victims or as otherwise allowed by FNS instruction. Volunteers may be utilized for outreach, prescreening, assisting appl…

The case record provides eligibility data on households applying for or receiving SNAP benefits, validates agency action in the determination of the household's eligibility and benefit level, and provides verification that justifies expending public funds on behalf of needy peopl…

A. MDHS must retain all SNAP records for review and audit purposes for three (3) years from the month of origin of each record. B. These records include applications, income determination for eligibility, verification techniques utilized, correspondence between households and MDH…

A. An individual enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education shall be ineligible to participate in SNAP unless the individual meets one of the student exemptions in Rule 10.4 Eligible Student Exemptions. B. The school defines the number of credit hours to qu…

An Institution of Post-Secondary Education is any public or private educational institution (including distance learning or on-line institutions) which includes: A. A business, technical, trade or vocational school that normally requires a high school diploma or equivalency certi…

A student is considered enrolled on the first day of the school term and such status continues through normal scheduled class periods, vacation, and recess unless he/she: A. Graduates; B. Becomes suspended or expelled; C. Drops out; or D. Does not intend to register for the next …

A student must meet at least one of the following student exemptions to be eligible for SNAP: A. Age (age 17 or younger or age 50 or older); B. Caring for a Dependent Child 1. Responsible for the care of a dependent household member under the age of 6; 2. Responsible for the care…

A. A student who does not meet one of the required exemptions is determined ineligible for SNAP and is considered a non-household member. B. As such, the income and resources of the ineligible student is not considered available to the household with whom the person resides. C. C…

A. The general work requirements and the ABAWD work requirements have their own set of exemptions. B. The general work requirements apply to non-exempt individuals ages 16 through 59. C. The ABAWD time limit and work requirements apply to non-exempt individuals ages 18 to 55. Per…

A. MDHS must register all non-exempt household members for work. 1. Applicants must be allowed to complete a work registration form for each household member required to register for employment. 2. MDHS may also document in the case record that all applicable household members ha…

A. As a condition of eligibility, each non-exempt household member must comply with the following SNAP work requirements:1. Register for work at the time of application and every 12 months after initial registration; 2. Participate in a workfare program if assigned by MDHS; 3. Pa…

A. MDHS provides SNAP applicants and/or recipients an opportunity to appeal adverse administrative decisions and provide supporting documentation challenging the adverse or noncompliant action. Please refer to Title 18 of the Administrative Code, Part 23, Programmatic Administrat…

A. Employment will be considered suitable unless:1. The wage offered is less than the highest of the applicable Federal minimum wage, the applicable State minimum wage or 80% of the Federal minimum wage if neither the Federal nor the State minimum wage is applicable. 2. The emplo…

A. MDHS is responsible for determining good cause when a SNAP recipient fails or refuses to comply with a SNAP work requirement. B. MDHS must consider the individual member's facts and circumstances as well as information from the employer when making a good cause determination. …

A. An individual is ineligible to participate in SNAP if the individual within 60 days prior to the date of application either: 1. Voluntarily and without good cause quits a job of 30 hours a week or more; or 2. Reduces his or her work effort voluntarily and without good cause an…

A. Except in cases of permanent disqualification, participation may resume if the disqualified individual applies after the end of the disqualification period and is determined to be in compliance with the work requirements. B. A disqualified individual may resume participation d…

A. In workfare, nonexempt SNAP recipients may be required to perform work in a public service capacity as a condition of eligibility to receive normal benefit allotments. B. The goal of workfare is to improve employability and move individuals into regular employment. C. A SNAP w…

A. MDHS can establish comparable workfare programs to provide ABAWDs a way to fulfill the work requirements. B. The following conditions must be met in order to establish a comparable workfare program: 1. The maximum number of hours worked weekly in a comparable workfare activity…

A. Workforce partnerships are programs operated by either: 1. A private employer; 2. An organization representing private employers; 3. A nonprofit organization providing services relating to workforce development; or 4. An entity identified as an eligible provider of training se…

Eligible strikers are subject to SNAP work requirements unless he or she is exempt. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-12.2 7 CFR §273.7(a)(4) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

Household members applying for SSI will have the SNAP work requirements waived until he or she is determined eligible for SSI and becomes exempt from SNAP work requirements, or until they are determined ineligible for SSI, at which time their exemptions from SNAP work requirement…

Only the following individuals are exempt from the general work requirements: A. An individual younger than 16 years of age or an individual 60 years of age or older. 1. A person 16 to 17 will also be exempt if he or she is:a) Not the head of household; b) Attending school; or c)…

A. A person losing exemption status because of any change in circumstances that becomes known to MDHS during the certification period must register for employment when the change becomes known to the agency. B. A person losing exemption status due to changes which do not have to …

A. A nonexempt individual who refuses or fails without good cause (as defined in Rule 12.12 Good Cause) to comply with general SNAP work requirements is ineligible to participate in SNAP and will be considered an ineligible household member. B. MDHS must determine if good cause e…

A. An individual exempt from SNAP work requirements because he or she is subject to TWP or unemployment compensation work program who fails to comply with such programs are treated as if he or she failed to comply with SNAP work requirements. B. If the SNAP household reports a lo…

A. MDHS must submit a disqualification plan detailing its disqualification policy as part of the annual State Plan of Operations. B. The disqualification will begin on the first month following the expiration of the 10-day adverse notice period unless a fair hearing is requested.…

A. If the individual who becomes ineligible due to disqualification is the head of household, MDHS will disqualify the entire household from SNAP participation. B. Regarding failure to comply with the work requirements, the head of household will be the principal wage earner unle…

A. An able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) is an individual age 18 but under 55 years old without minor dependents. Per the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA), the age-based modification exception will sunset on October 1, 2030. B. SNAP eligibility for ABAWDs is limi…

A. Individuals denied eligibility under Rule 12.1 General Rule will regain eligibility during any 30 consecutive days if he or she:1. Worked 80 or more hours; 2. Participated in and complied with the work program requirements for 80 or more hours; 3. A combination of work and par…

A. ABAWDs who regain eligibility by meeting an ABAWD work requirement and who are no longer fulling the work requirement may be entitled to three additional countable months. B. The additional months must be used in consecutive order. C. The consecutive months will begin when the…

MDHS may seek a waiver of the ABAWD time limits with the Governor's approval only during a formal state or federal declaration of a natural disaster. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-13.12 7 CFR §273.24(f) and Miss Code Ann. § 43-12-19 Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/…

A. MDHS is allotted a number of exemptions equal to 8 percent of the state's caseload that is ineligible for SNAP due to the ABAWD time limit. B. FNS will calculate and issue a new allotment each federal fiscal year. C. Each discretionary exemption extends eligibility to one ABAW…

A. FNS will adjust the number of exemptions for MDHS if the number of SNAP recipients varies from MDHS' caseload by more than 10 percent. B. If MDHS does not use all of its exemptions by the end of the fiscal year, then FNS will increase the number of exemptions allocated for use…

An ABAWD will comply with the work requirement by either: A. Working 20 hours per week or averaged monthly to 80 hours a month;1. Work in exchange for money; 2. Work in exchange for goods or services, known as "in kind" work; 3. Unpaid work as verified by MDHS; or 4. Any combinat…

An ABAWD qualifying work program can include either: A. A program under Title 1 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA);1. The Adult program; 2. The Dislocated Worker program; and 3. The Youth program. B. A program under section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974; C. An …

Countable months are considered months during which an individual receives SNAP benefits for the full benefit month. A countable month will NOT be: A. When an individual is exempt for meeting the work requirements; B. When an individual is protected by a waiver; C. When an indivi…

A. MDHS measures the three-year period using a fixed clock that begins on the individual's date of initial application. B. The three initial months are not required to be consecutive. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-13.5 7 CFR §273.24(b)(3) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended…

An individual is not subject to the ABAWD time limits if he or she is: A. Under 18 or age 55 or older; B. Determined by MDHS to be mentally or physically unfit for employment; C. Is a parent (natural, adoptive, or step) of a household member under age 18, regardless of that membe…

MDHS will consider an individual to be medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment if he or she: A. Receives temporary or permanent disability benefits issued by the government or private sources; B. Is obviously mentally or physically unfit for employment …

A. MDHS will determine whether an individual has fulfilled the work requirement. B. The individual will be considered as fulfilling the work requirement even though he or she missed some hours for good cause if the absence from work, the work program or the workfare program is te…

ABAWD households must report a change in work hours below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-13.9 7 CFR §273.24(b)(7) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025