Section 218-RICR-20-00-1.19 - SNAP Assistance in Disasters (D-SNAP)A. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Pub. Law 100-707), and the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (as amended through Pub. Law 116-94), provides the authority to establish temporary emergency standards of eligibility for households who are survivors of a disaster that disrupts commercial channels of food distribution after those channels have been restored.1. During a Presidential or an FNS declared disaster where a quick response is needed to meet sudden heavy demand at the SNAP offices and the on-going program cannot meet the food needs of afflicted households, the approach to be used is emergency SNAP issuance.2. The Department of Human Services will seek approval for authorization to implement Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) procedures if, after consultation with officials in the disaster area, it is determined that it is necessary.3. Households affected by the disaster are certified by the procedures outlined in this Section.4. FNS will specify the period of authorization which cannot be more than one (1) month. a. If necessary, the State may apply for extension of the one (1) month period.B. Certification Points 1. Normally, certification is handled in the DHS offices but, if necessary, to the extent possible, certification locations convenient to disaster victims should be established.2. In the event of a Presidential-declared disaster, there will be cooperation with FEMA in establishing certification points in Disaster Assistance Centers.C. Eligibility and Certification 1. D-SNAP provides a full month's allotment to households who may not normally qualify for or participate in SNAP. a. The allotment for a household is equal to the maximum monthly allotment for the household size provided under regular SNAP.2. As part of a D-SNAP, DHS may also automatically or individually supplement the regular SNAP benefits of ongoing households affected by the disaster to bring them up to the maximum allotment or replace benefits for food that was lost during the disaster.3. To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must live in the identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet the following D-SNAP eligibility criteria: a. Household Composition (1) Household composition is established as of the date the disaster struck;(2) A household includes those people living together, purchasing and preparing food together at the time of a disaster and(3) A D-SNAP household does not include those people with whom applicants are temporarily staying due to the disaster.b. Residency (1) The household must have lived or worked in the disaster area at the time of the disaster.c. Purchase Food (1) The household must plan on purchasing food during the disaster benefit period or have purchased food during that time if the benefit period has passed.d. Adverse Effects (1) The household must have experienced at least one (1) of the following adverse effects in order to be eligible: (AA) Lost or inaccessible income, which includes reduction or termination of income, or a delay in receipt of income during the benefit period due to the disaster.(BB) Inaccessible liquid resources (e.g., banks are closed due to the disaster) during the benefit period.(CC) Deductible disaster-related expenses: Out of pocket disaster-related expenses paid (not only incurred) by the household that are not expected to be reimbursed during the thirty (30) day benefit period, including damage to or destruction of the household's home or self-employment business.4. A household is not eligible for D-SNAP if it is already being served by the disaster household distribution of USDA Foods, which is separately authorized under disaster Regulations. a. This disaster household distribution program is distinct from the normally operating Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) (7 C.F.R. Parts 250, 253, and 254) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) ( 7 C.F.R. Part 251 ).5. Disaster Gross Income Limit a. D-SNAP groups income and resources together under one (1) test.b. The household's take-home income received (or expected to be received) during the benefit period plus its accessible liquid resources minus disaster-related expenses (unreimbursed disaster-related expenses paid or anticipated to be paid out of pocket during the disaster benefit period) shall not exceed the Disaster Gross Income Limit (DGIL).c. Resources are determined on the first (1st) day of the benefit period; anything received during the remainder of the benefit period would be counted as income.6. Interview Requirementa. All D-SNAP applicants must have a face-to-face interview.b. All interviews must be conducted at the D-SNAP site, except in extraordinary circumstances.c. As in the regular program, households unable to apply in person may choose to designate an authorized representative to apply on their behalf.7. If the household fails to meet the above eligibility requirements, eligibility for SNAP assistance is determined in accordance with ongoing program requirements.D. Application Processing 1. The agency may accept applications for D-SNAP benefits from new households and requests for supplements from ongoing households only during the application period which is approved by FNS.2. Verification Rules are eased during a disaster.a. Verification requirements in D-SNAP are three (3) tiered: (1) Identity must be verified;(2) Residency and household composition should be verified where possible; and(3) Loss/inaccessibility of income or liquid resources and food loss can be verified if questionable.E. Benefit Period and Issuance1. The benefit period approved by FNS for each D-SNAP is thirty (30) days, except in extraordinary circumstances.2. The benefit period begins on the date of the disaster or the date of any mandatory evacuation preceding the disaster.a. This date is generally the first (1st) day of the "Incident Period" provided by the Presidential Disaster Declaration.3. SNAP benefits may be issued to the head of the household, the spouse, or an authorized representative. a. D-SNAP benefits will be issued on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and will be made available as soon as possible and no later than three (3) calendar days (except in questionable cases in which issuance may be delayed up to seven (7) days) from the date the application was filed.F. Quality Control Provisions 1. Quality Control is an administrative system for documenting the extent of and reasons for errors in the eligibility and basis of issuance of participating households receiving federally funded SNAP benefits.a. Based on this documentation, action must be taken to reduce the incidence of these errors below pre-established tolerance limits.b. Cases which are receiving federally funded SNAP benefits continue to be subject to review under normal quality control procedures to determine the accuracy of the Federal SNAP.218 R.I. Code R. 218-RICR-20-00-1.19
Amended effective 4/4/2019
Amended effective 12/24/2019
Amended effective 8/1/2021
Amended effective 9/23/2021
Amended Effective 12/4/2021
Amended effective 11/10/2022
Amended effective 1/1/2023
Amended effective 5/14/2023
Amended effective 10/1/2023
Amended effective 12/15/2023
Amended effective 9/22/2024