Mississippi Administrative Code

A. MDHS may provide replacement benefits to a household when the household reports that food purchased with SNAP benefits was destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster. B. When a Federal disaster declaration has been issued and the household is eligible for disaster SNAP be…

A. Households must timely report a loss orally or in writing to MDHS prior to the issuance of replacement benefits. B. A report is considered timely if it is made to MDHS within 10 days of the date food purchased with SNAP benefits is destroyed in a household misfortune. C. Repla…

A. Prior to issuing a replacement, MDHS must obtain from a household member a signed statement attesting to the household's loss. B. The statement of loss will attest to the destruction of food purchased with the original issuance and the reason for the replacement. C. The statem…

A. Replacement benefits will be provided to households within (ten) 10 days after report of loss or within (two) 2 working days of receiving the signed household statement of loss, whichever date is later. B. MDHS will deny or delay replacement benefits if there is an indication …

A. Upon receiving a request for replacement benefits for food destroyed in a household misfortune, MDHS must determine if the issuance was validly issued. B. Prior to replacing the destroyed food that was purchased with SNAP benefits, MDHS must verify that the destruction occurre…

A. MDHS must document in the household's case record the following information: 1. Each request for replacement; 2. The date of the request for replacement; 3. The reason for the replacement; and 4. Whether or not the replacement was provided. B. If a request for replacement is m…

A. EBT card replacement occurs when a household member reports their card was: 1. Lost; 2. Stolen; or 3. Damaged. B. MDHS, through the EBT Vendor, must place the replacement EBT card in the mail within (two) 2 business day following notice from the household of the loss, thief or…

A. Households requesting (four) 4 or more card replacements in a 12-month period must receive an Excessive Card Replacement Notice. B. Excess Card Replacement Notices must: 1. Be written in clear and simple language; 2. Meet bilingual requirements; 3. Specify the number of cards …

A. Individuals who reside in a disaster area and suffered damage may be eligible for emergency disaster SNAP assistance (D-SNAP). B. D-SNAP uses different standards of eligibility than SNAP. C. Currently participating SNAP recipients are not eligible to receive D-SNAP benefits. D…

A household is not eligible to participate in D-SNAP if it is already being served by another disaster household distribution of USDA Foods, such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-35.10 7 CFR §250.69(b); 7 CFR §250.70(b); Adopted 3/15/20…

To be eligible for D-SNAP: A. A household must live in the identified disaster area; B. A household must be affected by the disaster; and C. A household must meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria such as: 1. The household must not be a current recipient of SNAP; 2. The applica…

Each state agency must annually submit a State Plan of Operation to FNS that includes a required Disaster (D-SNAP) Plan to be approved by FNS. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-35.3 7 CFR §272.2(a)(2); 7 CFR §272.2(d)(1)(ii) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024 Amended…

A. MDHS has the leading role in planning, requesting and operating a D-SNAP. B. FNS must approve MDHS' request to operate a D-SNAP. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-35.4 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (as amended) Adopted…

Once a D-SNAP operation is authorized, there will be a specific application period, approved by FNS, for MDHS to accept applications from new households and requests for supplements from currently participating SNAP households. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-35.5 Robert T. Stafford D…

Households must have experienced one of the following adverse effects as a result from the disaster: A. Loss of income; B. Inaccessible liquid resources; or C. Suffered a deductible disaster-related expense. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-35.6 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and E…

A. Once a D-SNAP operation is authorized, there will be a benefit period approved by FNS. B. The benefit period generally begins on the date of the disaster or the date of any mandatory evacuations following the disaster. C. Disaster-related expenses may be counted during this pe…

A. Verification rules are relaxed during D-SNAP to ease administrative burden. B. However, identity must be verified. C. Residency and loss or inaccessibility to liquid resources or income should be verified when possible. D. Household composition and food loss can be verified if…

A. Households that may not normally be eligible to participate in SNAP may be eligible for D-SNAP. B. Eligible households will receive a full month's benefits equal to the maximum benefit for the household size. C. The benefit amount for D-SNAP is updated annually and is publishe…

A. Expedited services are allowed for those in immediate need. B. Households must be screened at the time of application to determine eligibility for expedited services whether requested by the applicant or not. C. Expedited services allow households to quickly receive an initial…

A. At a minimum, an applicant for expedited service must register for work unless exempt. B. Exception: Work registration does not need to be completed at the interview for: 1. Household members who are exempt or claiming an exemption, or 2. When an authorized representative appl…

The Electronic Disqualified Recipient System (eDRS) must be used to screen each adult household member to ensure they are not disqualified for an intentional program violation (IPV). Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-4.11 7 CFR §273.2(f)(11) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended …

A. Case closure is required if the household fails to complete the postponed verification within thirty (30) days of the application date. B. Notice is not required as long as the household had received a prior notice advising it that benefits would end if all postponed actions w…

A. The seven (7) day timeframe begins the day after the application date. B. Do not delay issuing expedited benefits if the household has applied for other programs still pending. C. For households entitled to expedited service, benefits must be made available to the recipient no…

A. Households lose their entitlement to expedited service if they fail to complete the minimum actions within the seven (7) day timeframe. See Rule 4.4 Expedited Service Minimum Actions. B. Process the application under normal thirty (30) day timeframes. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 1…

A. Application Date for Joint SSI and SNAP Applications Completed at SSA: The application date for expedited service SNAP applications received at SSA is the date the application is received in the correct MDHS county office. SSA will forward SNAP applications within one day of r…

A. The longest benefit period possible based on the household's situation should be provided. B. Households that are certified on an expedited basis and have provided all necessary verifications prior to certification shall be assigned normal certification periods. C. Households …

A. Eligible households receive benefits for the initial month of eligibility. B. Benefits are not issued for future months until all postponed verifications are completed. C. Exception: Do not issue migrant or seasonal farmworker households:1. Second month's benefits until any po…

A. When a household that failed to complete a postponed verification reapplies for benefits, the 30-day application processing timeframe applies. B. Exception: Provide expedited service if the household completes the postponed verification and qualifies for expedited service agai…

The following households are entitled to expedited service: A. Households with less than $150 in monthly gross income and liquid resources of $100 or less; B. Migrant or seasonal farmworker households who are destitute and have liquid resources of $100 or less; or C. Households w…

A. Social Security Administration (SSA) will pre-screen all applications on the day it is received at SSA for expedited services. B. SSA will advise the household of the option to:1. Take the application to the appropriate county office for screening and an interview, or 2. The a…

A. Households must complete the following minimum actions for expedited service: 1. Complete the application (this may be done during the interview), 2. Complete the interview, and 3. Prove identity. B. See Rule 4.8 Postponed Verification or actions the household must complete in…

A. Households must complete an interview before benefits are issued. B. Exception: A second interview is not required if SSA completed the interview and provided a complete application and verification of identity (if required), unless information is incomplete or questionable. C…

A. Households qualifying for expedited service must prove the identity of the person applying. B. Where an authorized representative applies on behalf of the household, the identity of both the authorized representative and the head of household must be verified. Notes 18 Miss. C…

A. Reasonable efforts should be made to verify residency, expenses, income and resources within the expedited service timeframes. B. However, do not delay benefits once the expedited service minimum actions are completed. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-4.7 7 CFR §273.2(i)(4)(i)(B) Ad…

All required SNAP verification requirements not completed during expedited service processing must be submitted and completed before the second month's benefits are issued. Notes 18 Miss. Code. R. 14-4.8 7 CFR §273.2(i)(4)(A) Adopted 3/15/2022 Amended 10/20/2023 Amended 12/9/2024…

A. Eligible expedited households must furnish a social security number for each applicant or apply for one for those applicants before the second (2nd) full month of participation. B. Exception: Households with newborns have up to 6 months following the month of the child's birth…

A household is comprised of one of the following: A. An individual living alone; B. A group of individuals living together who routinely purchase and prepare food together; or C. An individual (or group of individuals) living with others who purchase and prepare food separately. …

A. Live-in attendants live with the household to provide medical, housekeeping, dependent care or other similar personal services. B. Live-in attendants may be eligible for SNAP as a separate household. C. Individuals in required households who do not have an SSN (see Rule 6.2 In…

A. Individuals who receive over 50% of three (3) meals daily from an institution where they live are residents of institutions. B. Residents of institutions are not eligible for SNAP. C. Note: There are five exceptions to this rule listed in Rule 5.12 Residents of Institutions Ex…

Individuals who receive more than 50% of their meals while living in the following institutions may be eligible for SNAP if they meet program requirements: A. Addiction Treatment Centers: Individuals participating in a public or private nonprofit residential treatment facility fo…

A. A striker includes anyone involved in a strike or the planned stoppage of work by employees and any other concerted interruption of operations by employees. B. Households with a striking member are not eligible to participate in SNAP unless the household was eligible for benef…

Individuals identified below must be included in the same SNAP household with the other people they live with, even if they purchase and prepare food separately: A. Spouses: Individuals must be legally married. B. Parents and Children: An individual under 22 years of age living w…

A. The household may select an adult parent of children (of any age) living in the household or an adult who has parental control over children under 18 years of age as the head of household provided that all adult members of said household are in agreement. B. Each household wil…

A. If, because of a loss of income, or loss or damage to a home as the result of a disaster, a household is forced to temporarily move in with other individual(s) or groups, the household may continue to participate as a separate household. However, if the household temporarily m…

An individual and spouse living together may be a separate household even if they purchase and prepare meals with others if all of the following are true: A. One of them is sixty (60) years or older; B. That person cannot purchase and prepare meals because of: 1. A disability con…

The following, in addition to other individuals within this chapter, are not eligible to participate as separate households or as a member of any household: A. Disqualified Members: These are individuals who would be household members, but are not allowed to be:1. Individuals who…

A. Residents of Commercial Boarding Houses: Individuals or groups who reside in a commercial boarding house, regardless of the number of residents, are not eligible for SNAP. Commercial boarding houses are businesses that are licensed to offer meals and lodging for payment with t…