MR #22.15: SNAP Eligibility for Residents in Certain Supportive Living Facilities Extended to December 31, 2022

08/02/2022

Summary

• This manual release provides an update on the eligibility of residents in certain Illinois Supportive Living Facilities (SLFs) for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Due to the signing of federal legislation, the Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) waiver approval granted by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has been extended through December 31, 2022. The extension of the waiver will help these elderly and disabled SNAP households maintain food security during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
• Federal legislation, H.J. Res. 75, 117th Cong. (2022) (enacted) was signed into law March 11, 2022, to amend Section 106 (3) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2022 (Division A of Pub. L. 117-43), extending the limitation clause in Section 9(i)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 from March 11, 2022, to March 15, 2022. At this time, IDHS' waiver was approved through March 15, 2022.
• On March 15, 2022, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill was signed into law and includes an additional extension of the waiver that allows residents living in SLF facilities in WAG 04-05-04 to continue to qualify for SNAP participation through December 31, 2022, if all other eligibility requirements are met. 
• The Office of Long Term Care - Medical Field Operations (MFOs) handles all SNAP applications filed by SLF residents. This manual release only provides an update on the extension date for these residents in certain SLFs and does not change any other eligibility factors or application processing procedures. The MFOs should continue to accept and make the appropriate eligibility determination for all SNAP initial applications and redeterminations (REDEs) received from SLF residents. See PM 05-11-02-a  and WAG 05-11-02-a. Only residents who reside in SLF facilities listed in WAG 04-05-04 qualify to participate in SNAP.

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This manual release provides an update on the eligibility of residents in certain Illinois Supportive Living Facilities (SLFs) for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Eligibility for these residents continues through December 31, 2022, due to the signing of recent federal legislation, which provides for an extension of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) waiver granted to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).

Background

• On December 19, 2019, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) approved a limited waiver to protect the status quo of residents living in already approved SLFs in Illinois. The protected status allowed these residents to not be considered residents of an institution for SNAP eligibility purposes.
• On December 31, 2020, FNS extended the waiver and IDHS was permitted to continue to certify these residents for SNAP as long as all other eligibility requirements were met. The waiver was set to expire on December 31, 2021, but due to the passing of federal legislation, H.R. 6119, Further Extending Government Funding Act, Section 158 of Division A - Further Continuing Appropriation Act, 2022, eligibility for these residents was extended to February 18, 2022. See manual release, MR #21.28: Extension of SNAP Eligibility for Residents of Certain Supportive Living Facilities, dated 12/30/2021.
• An additional extension was provided under HR. 6617, Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act 2022 through March 11, 2022. See MR #22.04: SNAP Eligibility for Residents in Certain Supportive Living Facilities Extended to March 11, 2022, dated 03/08/2022.
• In a continued effort to protect the status quo and ensure food security for these elderly and disabled SNAP households, H.J. Res. 75, 117th Cong. (2022) (enacted), signed into law on March 11, 2022, amended Section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2022 (Division A of Pub. L. 117-43) and extended the limitation clause in Section 9(i)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 from March 11, 2022, to March 15, 2022. At this time, IDHS' waiver was extended to March 15, 2022.

FNS Waiver Extension to December 31, 2022

• On March 15, 2022, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill was signed into law and it includes an additional extension of the waiver that allows these residents living in SLF facilities in WAG 04-05-04 to continue to qualify for SNAP participation through December 31, 2022, if all other eligibility requirements are met.
• The Office of Long Term Care - Medical Field Operations (MFOs) handles all SNAP applications filed by SLF residents. This manual release only provides an update on the extension date and does not change any other eligibility factors or application processing procedures for these residents. The MFOs should continue to accept and make the appropriate eligibility determination on all SNAP initial applications and redeterminations (REDEs) received from SLF residents. See PM 05-11-02-a and WAG 05-11-02-a. 
• Only residents who reside in SLF facilities listed in WAG 04-05-04 qualify to participate in SNAP.

Manual Revisions

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced: