10/12/2022
Policy Memo
Summary
- Due to a waiver approval from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), this policy memo provides an expansion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) program which allows the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to accept SNAP applications submitted by individuals incarcerated in certain correctional facilities within 10 days of their release date, and defines the application date as the date of discharge.
- Currently, there are 9 participating correctional facilities:
- Decatur Correctional Center in Macon County
- Graham Correctional Center in Montgomery County
- Illinois River Correctional Center in Fulton County
- Jacksonville Correctional Center in Morgan County
- Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center in Henry County
- Lincoln Correctional Center in Logan County
- Logan Correctional Center in Logan County
- Murphysboro Life Skills Re-Entry Center in Jackson County
- Vienna Correctional Center in Johnson County
FNS continues to expand a waiver approval of the SNAP and IDOC program which allows incarcerated individuals to gain access to SNAP benefits upon their release date. Currently, there are 9 participating correctional facilities:
- Decatur Correctional Center in Macon County
- Graham Correctional Center in Montgomery County
- Illinois River Correctional Center in Fulton County
- Jacksonville Correctional Center in Morgan County
- Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center in Henry County
- Lincoln Correctional Center in Logan County
- Logan Correctional Center in Logan County
- Murphysboro Life Skills Re-Entry Center in Jackson County
- Vienna Correctional Center in Johnson County
Effective 09/26/2022, the waiver approval expands to Centralia Correctional Center in Clinton County, Lawrence Correctional Center in Lawrence County, and Western Illinois Correctional Center in Brown County.
SNAP Applications for Centralia Correctional Center, Lawrence Correctional Center, and Western Illinois Correctional Center:
Effective 09/26/2022, individuals incarcerated in Centralia Correctional Center in Clinton County, Lawrence Correctional Center in Lawrence County, and Western Illinois Correctional Center in Brown County may now apply for SNAP benefits within 10 days of their discharge date.
The waiver allows an individual with a pending release date to gain approval and have access to SNAP benefits and food resources upon their release. SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from Logan Correctional Center - PILOT, published 08/05/2020, which introduces the Prisoner Pre-Release Pilot Program and System Changes to Accommodate Applications Received Prior to an Individual's Release from Certain Department of Correction or State Mental Health Facilities - Phase 1, published on 10/20/2021, provides further guidance on Phase 1 changes in IES and how to accommodate SNAP applications prior to discharge.
FCRC Action:
FCRC staff should continue to follow IES application processing procedures when an application for SNAP benefits is received from an individual in one of these approved facilities.
[signed copy on file]
Grace B. Hou
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
Forms Reference:
