Food Stamps ( Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program )

1. Food Stamps(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in a Disaster

2. Types ofFood Stamps in a Disaster • Disaster Food Stamps (D-Snap) • Expedited Food Stamps • Replacement Food Stamps

3. DISASTERFOOD STAMPS

4. What areDisaster Food Stamps? Disaster Food Stamps are Food Stamps for persons who weren’t getting benefits when the disaster happened but who are in a disaster designated county and now in need of help for food.

5. Disaster Food Stamps • Authority • 7 C.F.R § 280.1 • Commercial channels of food distribution must have been disrupted by a disaster but must be available again to meet the temporary food needs of families • Link to Allotment Standard for 2009: http://www.fns.usda.gov/disasters/response/D-SNAP_Handbook/2009-income_standards.pdf

6. The Who, WHAT, When, Where, Why and How of D-SNAP • WHAT does D-SNAP do? • It provides up to an entire month’s max allotment of benefits while plan is in place • details of a D-SNAP will vary with each disaster and the State’s desired response

7. The Who, What, WHEN, Where, Why and How of D-SNAP • WHEN can D-SNAP be given? • Presidential declaration of a “Major Disaster” AND • Commercial channels of food distribution are disrupted and subsequently re-established OR • Extraordinary circumstances with state request though no declaration (under Stafford Act)

8. The Who, What, When, Where, WHY and How of D-SNAP • WHY does USDA provide D-SNAP? • Food Stamp Act of 1977 and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 • President also authorized to keep adequate stock of food for mass feeding in a disaster situation

9. The WHO, What, When, Where, Why and How of D-SNAP • WHO implements D-SNAP? • Primary food assistance rests with the State agency. • Design D-SNAP Plan, • Evaluate the need for a D-SNAP should a disaster strike, • Submit to FNS a detailed request for D-SNAP, • Implement the D-SNAP, perform post-disaster reviews, • Report their findings to FNS. • FNS supports the State’s efforts to provide D-SNAP benefits • USDA is the lead agency for Emergency Support Function (ESF)

10. The Who, What, When, WHERE, Why and How of D-SNAP • WHERE is D-SNAP applied? • In households within affected area • WHERE does the food come from? • State and Federal food program stockpiles • Purchased by Individual with EBT Cards

11. The Who, What, When, Where, Why and HOW of D-SNAP • HOW is D-Snap implemented? • Certification process • Qualify under certain income and resource tests for individual households • Verification of certain relaxed parameters • Recipient Application • Issuance/EBT

12. Less Red Tape • To apply • Can pre-register: https://dcf-access.dcf.state.fl.us/FFF/foodforflorida/frmWelcome.do?performAction=init • Need date of birth, SSA #, income, assets and disaster expenses • On-line data matches may verify identify • EBT cards may be issued on-site

13. A Comparison

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17. A Comparison

18. A Comparison *Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Guidance, April 2008

19. REPLACEMENT FOOD STAMPS

20. What areReplacement Food Stamps? Replacement Food Stamps are benefits to replace food that a recipient purchased with Food Stamps but lost or was ruined/spoiled due to a disaster.

21. Replacement Food Stampscan get either under special disaster rules or regular Food Stamp program rules • Authority • 7 C.F.R. § 274.6 (regular program) • ESS Manual at 3210.0213.01 • 7 C.F.R. . § 280.1 (disaster program) gives states lots of discretion)

22. Replacement Stampsfor current recipients losing food in a disaster • Can get replacement Food Stamps for food bought with Food Stamps that is destroyed in a house-hold misfortune (i.e., disaster) • Household must report loss within 10 days of destruction and submit affidavit • Can’t get both replacement and disaster Food Stamps • Get amt lost up to max of 1 month's worth allotment • Normally family gets the maximum allotment for a family of their size • Often done automatically for everyone in the designated area

23. Usually benefits are good for 90 days • Can buy hot prepared foods • Financial requirements set disaster by disaster • In some disasters, everyone living in designated county qualified financially • When income/asset limits apply, unreimbursed disaster-related expenses may be deducted

24. Expedited Stamps

25. What are expedited Food Stamps? • Expedited Food Stamps are benefits you get more quickly than other applicants because your financial situation is so bad

26. Expedited Service:Who’s eligible? • Following households are eligible: • Households with less than $150 in monthly gross income and liquid resources not in excess of $100 • Migrant/seasonal households who are destitute • Households whose combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than the household’s monthly rent or mortgage and utilities

27. Expedited Service • DCF’s application procedures must be designed to identify expedite eligible families • Benefits (EBT card) must be provided within seven calendar days • Verification • Identity • Prove identity through collateral contact or documents • Verification other than identity can be delayed if reasonable efforts to verify are not successful

28. Think outside the box

29. No Disaster Food Stamp Program?Try to make it happen • Although the decision is a joint USDA-FL decision, The ball is in FL’s court • DCF may look at whether a particular area has been without power for 4- 24 hours • But advocacy with local EM agencies is important • Link to contact info for local EM is: http://www.floridadisaster.org/fl_county_em.asp .

30. No Disaster Replacement Food Stamps? • Use existing replacement polices to get food lost in a disaster replaced

31. Client lives outside designated county for Disaster Food Stamps but lost income due to disaster?Evaluate for expedited service.

32. THANK YOU! The END