Mississippi Administrative Code

A. An interim contact form is mailed to every ESAP household on an annual basis. Note: The household will be under no obligation to respond if there have been no changes in circumstances and the household wishes to continue to receive SNAP benefits. B. The Interim Contact Form is…

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…

MSCAP is a demonstration project and a cooperative effort between MDHS, FNS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to streamline the application procedures for individuals who are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and choose to apply for SNAP benefits. N…

The MSCAP Unit will receive information from SSA regarding persons in the state who meet MSCAP criteria and are not currently receiving SNAP benefits. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-29.10 7 U.S.C. 2026; MS Waiver Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/202…

A. MSCAP recipients are required to report changes through the proper SSI change reporting mechanism. B. No contact is required with the local county MDHS office. However, there will be times when changes are reported directly to the MDHS state or local office, such as changes in…

A. To be determined MSCAP eligible, an individual must meet all of the following requirements:1. Must be SSI eligible and receiving the maximum SSI benefit or SSI and any other combined form of unearned income (such as SSA benefits, Veteran's benefits, interest income, cash gifts…

A. An individual will apply for MSCAP through the SSA office or the local county MDHS office. B. The MSCAP Unit in State Office will handle processing of MSCAP cases that are identified as MSCAP mandatory, or if an individual is eligible to opt out but chooses to participate in M…

SSA will screen an applicant for SSI for MSCAP eligibility during the intake process. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-29.4 7 U.S.C. 2026; MS Waiver Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

A. MSCAP verification requirements will be fulfilled through the use of the SDX data received under SSI regulations. B. Any household that meets the verification criteria for the SSI program will be considered to have met the verification criteria for MSCAP eligibility. Notes 18 …

A. Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements for MSCAP may participate in the regular SNAP instead of MSCAP if they can verify one or more of the following: 1. Out-of-pocket medical expenses exceed a monthly average of $35.00; 2. Shelter and utility expenses exceed a mont…

A. The MSCAP participant will receive a standard SNAP benefit amount based on the monthly representative income consistent with the SSI or SSI/SSA federal benefit rate and the appropriate standard shelter deduction. B. MSCAP eligibility and benefit levels are automatically determ…

All MSCAP households are assigned a thirty-six (36) month certification period at the time of approval. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-29.8 7 U.S.C. 2026; MS Waiver Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 7/1/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

A. SSI recipients will begin receiving SNAP benefits the month following notification of approval for SSI. B. When the individual is already an SSI recipient, SNAP benefits begin the month following the date of the application. C. There are no expedited SNAP services for MSCAP. N…

Verification is documentation and the use of third party contacts to confirm the accuracy of statements or information. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-3.1 7 CFR §273.2(f) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

A. Households have the primary responsibility to provide documentary evidence to support statements on the application and to resolve any questionable information. B. MDHS is responsible for acquiring verification from acceptable collateral contact or substituting a home visit wh…

A. IEVS uses the SSN of an applicant or a recipient to collect and exchange income and resource data from other federal and state agencies to be used in verifying eligibility for benefits for eligible households. B. This must be done in accordance with the disclosure safeguards a…

A. SAVE is a program that verifies immigration status. B. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) maintains the SAVE system to conduct this verification. C. Each household member that is a non-citizen must be submitted to SAVE. D. Non-citizen Applicants are given at lea…

A. SSI benefits may be verified through the State Data Exchange (SDX) and Social Security benefits information through the Beneficiary Data Exchange (BENDEX), or through verification provided by the household. B. SDX and BENDEX data may be used to verify other SNAP eligibility cr…

A. This system is used to ensure benefits are not issued to individuals who are deceased. B. The deceased person match is completed through an automated match using the State Verification and Exchange System (SVES), SSA Beneficiary and Earnings Data Exchange (BENDEX), and State D…

A. EDRS is a nationwide database of persons disqualified for an Intentional Program Violation (IPV), which must be searched each time an initial application or recertification application is registered to prevent participation of individuals found guilty of an IPV by another stat…

A. MDHS routinely enters into a computer matching agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) to participate in the federal matching program. B. OCSE provides MDHS with new h…

A. Wage information is reported to the NDNH by state and federal agencies. B. OCSE provides MDHS with quarterly wage match data (QWMD) from NDNH. C. MDHS must independently verify QWMD and households must be provided with an opportunity to respond to the match prior to an adverse…

A. This is information pertaining to benefits paid under state unemployment compensation programs and reported to the NDNH. B. OCSE provides MDHS with unemployment insurance data from NDNH. C. MDHS must independently verify unemployment insurance information and households must b…

A. A match to identify individuals who have been or are currently incarcerated. B. This is used to monitor and prevent individuals being detained for more than 30 days from being included in a SNAP household. C. Households must be provided with an opportunity to respond to the ma…

A. MDHS must notify households in writing of any verification documents required to verify the information written on the application (initial or recertification) or discussed during the interview. B. MDHS must allow the household ten (10) days to provide the required verificatio…

A. Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) is a quarterly data match to identify individuals receiving both federal compensation or pension benefits and public assistance benefits under federal programs administered by states. B. The matching program will compare D…

A. The household must be given ten (10) days to provide information when unverified information from the household or another source contradicts statements made by the household. B. The worker may verify the information directly and contact the household only if such direct verif…

The case must contain documentation to support eligibility, ineligibility, and benefit level determinations. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-3.22 7 CFR §273.2(f)(6) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

The following information must be verified prior to certification for households at the initial application: A. Gross nonexempt income - Gross nonexempt income, both earned and unearned, must be verified for all household members prior to certification. B. Citizenship and/or Non-…

The required verifications at recertification are located in Rule 33.10 Recertification Verification. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-3.4 7 CFR §273.14(b)(4); 7 CFR §273.2(f)(8)(i) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

A. MDHS must verify all other factors of eligibility it deems questionable and affect the household's eligibility and benefit level prior to certification of the household. B. To be considered questionable, the information on the application must be inconsistent with statements m…

A. States may elect to mandate verification for factors besides those in Rule 3.3 Mandatory Verification at Initial Application that affect household eligibility and benefit levels. Statute has set Mississippi's option. B. MDHS also requires verification of household size, resour…

A. The worker shall use documentary evidence as the primary source of verification of the household's circumstances besides residency and household size. B. Although documentary evidence shall be the primary source of verification," the household cannot be limited to a specific t…

A. Collateral contact is an acceptable form of verification if written evidence cannot be obtained or is insufficient to make a firm determination of eligibility or benefit level. B. A collateral contact is a verbal confirmation of the household's circumstances by a person outsid…

A. Home visits are also an acceptable form of verification if written evidence is insufficient to make an eligibility determination. B. Home visits must always be scheduled in advance with the household. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-3.9 7 CFR §273.2(f)(4)(iii); 7 CFR §273.2(f)(5)(i…

A. A household's eligibility will be determined for the entire month of the application date and that month's circumstances will be considered. B. Eligibility for recertification will be determined based on circumstances anticipated for the certification period starting the month…

A. A household's expenses will be calculated based on the expenses the household expects to be billed for during the certification period. B. Anticipation of the expenses will be based on the most recent month's bills unless the household is reasonably certain a change will occur…

The income conversion procedures also apply to expenses billed on a weekly or biweekly basis. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-30.11 7 CFR §273.10(d)(5) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended 2/17/2025

Except for payments made under the Low Income Energy Assistance Act of 1981, MDHS will prorate energy assistance payments over the entire heating or cooling season the payment is intended to cover. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-30.12 7 CFR §273.10(d)(6) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/…

A. In determining net income, MDHS will:1. Add the gross monthly earned and unearned income of all household members minus the income exclusions to determine the household's total gross income. 2. Multiply the total gross earned income by 20 percent and subtract that amount to de…

A. Households must certify each eligible household for a set period of time for the longest possible period of time based on the predicted household circumstances. B. Households with all adult members elderly or disabled will be certified for up to 24 months. (contact must be mad…

A. No later than 30 days after the date of the initial application, applicants must receive either: 1. Notice of eligibility; 2. Notice of denial; or 3. Notice of pending status. B. Notice of eligibility: If an application is approved, MDHS will notify the household in writing of…

A. Whenever an individual is determined to be ineligible within the certification period, MDHS must determine the eligibility or ineligibility of the remaining household members based on as much as possible the information in the case record. B. Excluded for an IPV: If a househol…

A. A household may be eligible for the month of application, but not eligible for the subsequent month due to anticipated changes in circumstances. B. A household's benefit amount may vary month to month based on changes anticipated at the time of certification. Notes 18 Miss. Co…

A. Available resources at the time of the household's interview will be used to determine the household's eligibility. B. Nonrecurring lump sum payments will be counted as a resource starting in the month received and will not be counted as income. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-30.3…

A. MDHS will count the income already received by the household and income that is reasonably anticipated to be received during the remainder of the certification period. B. Anticipated income will only be counted if there is reasonable certainty regarding the month in which the …

A. Income anticipated during the certification period will only be counted in the month that it is expected to be received unless the income is averaged. B. Advances on wages will count as income in the month received only if reasonably anticipated. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-30.…