SNAP Eligibility Ends for all Customers Residing in Certain Supportive Living Facilities (SLF) Effective 12/31/2022

Illinois Department of Human Services logo

12/12/2022

Policy Memo

Obsolete manual releases:

MR #21.21: Change in SNAP Eligibility for Residents of Certain Supportive Living Facilities, dated 09/09/2021.

MR #21.28: Extension of SNAP Eligibility for Residents of Certain Supportive Living Facilities, dated 12/30/2021.

MR #22.04: SNAP Eligibility for Residents in Certain Supportive Living Facilities Extended to March 11, 2022, dated 03/05/2022.

Summary

  • Effective 12/31/2022, eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is ending for all customers residing in certain Supportive Living Facilities (SLFs). The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) waiver that allowed these residents to qualify for SNAP in certain SLFs expires 12/31/2022 and has not been extended.
  • The Office of Long Term Care - Medical Field Offices (MFOs) handles SNAP applications filed by SLF residents. This manual release contains procedures on determining eligibility and processing applications received from SLF residents through 12/31/2022.
    • For initial applications and redeterminations (REDEs) filed in January 2023 and after, eligibility for SNAP does not exist. Deny the SNAP application. Notice of Decision (Form IL444-0360c) will be systematically sent to the applicant with the denial reason: The applicant is considered a resident of an institution (PM 04-05-04).
    • For pending SNAP applications, benefits may be approved for the application month through December 2022 if all other eligibility factors are met. Do not certify SNAP benefits beyond December 2022. Do not approve SNAP applications received after December 2022.
    • Active SNAP households will receive December benefits. IES will centrally cancel SNAP benefits for these residents residing in a SLF effective 01/01/2023. Form IL444-360c will be systematically sent to these SLF SNAP households upon cancellation with the reason: The applicant is considered a resident of an institution (PM 04-05-04).
  • A client notice, Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Ending for Supportive Living Facility (SLF) Residents (CN 21.12), will also be mailed around 12/12/2022 to the affected SLF residents participating in the program. CN 21.12 provides more details to residents on why they no longer qualify for SNAP.
  • Supportive Living Policy for SNAP in PM/WAG 04-05-04 and in the PM/WAG 05-11-00 sections will remain in the Cash, SNAP and Medical Manual until the end of January 2023. This will allow MFO staff to continue to have access to the SLF policy and to the list of SLF facilities. A manual release will be provided to remove these references shortly after it is known that all SLF applications received through 12/31/2022 have been processed.

Background - SNAP Eligibility of Illinois SLF Residents 

  • 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. See MR #21.21: Change in SNAP Eligibility for Residents of Certain Supportive Living Facilities, dated 09/09/2021. 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 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. Then on March 15, 2022, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill was signed into law and provided for an additional extension through December 31, 2022. See MR #22.15: SNAP Eligibility for Residents of Certain Supportive Living Facilities Extended to December 31, 2022. The FNS waiver ends 12/31/2022 and will not be extended.
  • Effective 01/01/2023, all customers living in a SLF are considered residents of an institution and do not qualify for SNAP benefits.

Application Procedures to End Eligibility

  • The Office of Long Term Care - Medical Field Offices (MFOs) handles SNAP applications filed by SLF residents.
  • This manual release does not change any other eligibility factors or application processing procedures for applicants who file an application through December 2022 or have a pending application as of December 2022 and reside in one of the SLF facilities in WAG 04-05-04. The MFOs should continue to accept and make the appropriate eligibility determinations. Only residents who reside in SLF facilities listed in WAG 04-05-04 qualify to participate in SNAP through 12/31/2022.

Initial SNAP Applications and REDEs filed in January 2023 and After

  • For initial applications and redeterminations (REDEs) filed in January 2023 and after, eligibility for SNAP does not exist and the application should be denied. Notice of Decision (Form IL444-0360c) is systematically sent to the applicant with the denial reason: The applicant is considered a resident of an institution (PM 04-05-04).

Pending SNAP Applications as of December 2022

  • Initial SNAP applications and REDEs received from residents residing in certain approved SLF facilities (WAG 04-05-04) that are pending may be approved for the application month through the end of December 2022 if all other eligibility factors are met. Do not certify SNAP benefits beyond December 2022. SNAP applications from SLF residents should not be approved if received after 12/31/2022.

Active SNAP Households as of December 2022

  • Active SNAP households will receive December SNAP benefits. IES will centrally cancel SNAP benefits for these residents effective 01/01/2023.

Client Notice

[Signed copy on file]

Grace B Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced:

CN 21.12

Form IL444-0360c