SNAP Certification Periods Ending in September 2020 will be Extended

Illinois Department of Human Services Logo

09/22/2020

Policy Memo

  • Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has granted approval to allow the Department of Human Services (IDHS) to extend approval periods an additional 6 months for SNAP households whose benefits are due to expire September 2020. This extension does not apply to SNAP households whose certification periods were expiring in March 2020 and a 6-month extension was previously granted to those households through September 2020. See Policy Memo, Select SNAP Certification Periods Extended for 6-Months Due to COVID-19, dated 04/18/2020. These households will receive a REDE application and must be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.
  • The waiver approval allows IDHS to extend certification periods for both Change Reporting households and Mid-Point Reporting households with an adjustment to the Mid-Point Reporting requirement. This 6-month extension applies only to Change Reporting and Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households that were approved for SNAP with a 12-month certification period effective October 2019 to September 2020 and are now coming due for a REDE in September 2020. Mid-Point Reporting households will remain in Mid-Point Reporting status during the 6-month extension period.
  • The Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) will not have to process REDEs or Mid-Point Reports for the affected cases. IES will systematically extend the certification periods of the applicable cases. This action is being handled by Central Office staff. FCRC staff should not leave cases in Change Mode as this will prevent the extension from occurring. No action is required by the FCRC staff for this extension process.
  • Redetermination Application (Form 1893) and TANF and SNAP Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) that have previously been issued, received and processed for the affected cases require no additional action by the HSC under the waiver.
  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been issued to the client and have been or will be returned by the SNAP households receiving the extension, the FCRC is not required to process those that are pending and have not yet been acted upon. However, for those Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been processed, the processing and any resulting changes remain in effect.
  • For those Mid-Point Reports and REDEs received with reported information or attached verifications, the FCRC is not required to process or take any action on the information reported on or provided with a Mid-Point Report and REDE application.
  • Mid-Point Report and REDE tasks will be closed for the affected cases being extended and any scheduled REDE interviews will be removed systematically by IES.
  • SNAP households whose certification period expires at the end September (except those previously given an extension in March 2020) due to not returning a REDE application will have their case reinstated with a 6-month extension. This will be done centrally and will not require any action by the FCRC.
  • Mid-Point Reports due in September 2020 will be marked as received. SNAP households who did not return a Mid-Point Report in September will be reinstated and benefits will continue for 6-months. This will be done systematically by IES and will not require any action by the FCRC.
  • CN20 23/CN 20.23S will be mailed to Change Reporting households and CN 20.24/CN 20.24S will be mailed to Mid-Point Reporting households to inform them of the extension and their reporting requirements.
  • In a continued effort to provide uninterrupted benefits to SNAP recipients and ensure the health and safety of both clients and FCRC staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) requested waiver approval to extend the certification period of SNAP households whose benefits will expire at the end of September 2020 for an additional 6-months.
  • Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted approval to allow IDHS to extend SNAP certification periods ending September 2020 for an additional 6 months. In addition, SNAP households with Mid-Point Reports due September 2020 will continue to receive benefits without interruption.
  • The Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) will not have to process REDEs or Mid-Point Reports for the affected cases. This will allow staff to focus on the timely processing of initial SNAP applications ensuring that applicants receive the help they need with food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. SNAP applications must be approved and if eligible SNAP applicants must have their SNAP benefits by the 30th day from the date of application. If ineligible, SNAP applications must be denied by the 30th day from the date of application.

SNAP Households Previously Granted an Extension

This extension does not apply to SNAP households who had a certification period expiring in March 2020 and were granted a 6-month extension which will now expire in September 2020. See Policy Memo, Select SNAP Certification Periods Extended for 6-Months Due to COVID-19, dated 04/18/2020. These households will receive a REDE application and must be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.

What Households are getting the Extension?

  • The waiver approval for this 6-month extension applies only to Change Reporting and Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households that were approved for SNAP with a 12-month certification period effective October 2019 to September 2020 and are now coming due for a REDE in September 2020.
  • Mid-Point Reporting households will remain in Mid-Point Reporting status during the 6-month extension period.
  • SNAP households whose certification period will expire at the end September (except those given a previous extension in March 2020) due to not returning a REDE application will have their case reinstated with a 6-month extension. This will be done systematically by IES and will not require any action by the FCRC.
  • REDEs that have previously been issued, received and processed require no additional action by the FCRC under the waiver.
  • IES will produce the central batch action to extend the certification period for September 2020 (except for those cases that were previously given a 6-month extension). 
  • SNAP households receiving the extension will receive the same regular benefit amount for each month, except households that qualify for an emergency supplemental SNAP allotment for September will receive a supplement. See Policy Memo, Emergency SNAP Allotments Extended for September 2020 Due to COVID-19, dated 09/03/2020.
    • Example 1: Mr. T applied for SNAP on October 01, 2019. He was approved to receive SNAP in the amount of $194 through September 30, 2020 as a Change Reporter. Mr. T did not return his REDE application (Form 1893) and his certification expired at the end of September. Mr. T's SNAP EDG will be systematically reinstated by IES with a 6-month extension from October 2020 through March 2021. His benefit amount will be $204 each month due to the increase in the SNAP standards effective October 2020.  Mr. T will be sent Form 1893 to reapply for SNAP approximately 60 days prior to end of his certification period March 2021.
    • Example 2: Ms. B applied for SNAP on April 01, 2019. She was approved to receive SNAP in the amount of $194 through March 31, 2020 as a Change Reporter. Ms. B did not return her REDE application (Form 1893) and her certification expired at the end of March 2020. Under the initial waiver approval from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Ms. B's SNAP EDG was systematically reinstated by IES with a 6- month certification extension from April 2020 through September 2020. Ms. B received benefits in the amount of $194 each month. Approximately 60 days prior to end of his certification period September 2020 Ms. B is sent Redetermination Application (Form 1893 to reapply for SNAP). Although Ms. B's certification period is expiring at the end of September, she does not qualify for an additional extension under the new waiver. Ms. B must submit a completed REDE application, be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.

Mid-Point Reports

  • TANF and SNAP Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) due September that have previously been issued, received and processed require no additional action by the HSC under the waiver.
  • For pending September Mid-Point Reports, benefits will be systematically continued without interruption. The tasks will be systematically removed by IES. No FCRC action is required.
  • SNAP households that do not return a Mid-Point Report in September will be systematically reinstated. Benefits will continue without interruption. No FCRC action is required.
    • Example: Ms. J applied for SNAP on April 1, 2020 and was approved in Mid-Point Reporting through March 2021. Ms. J was sent  TANF and SNAP Mid-Point Report (Form 2890) in August 2020 that was due September 02, 2020. Ms. J did not return the Mid-Point Report and her SNAP benefits are canceled effective October. Under the FNS waiver, Ms. J's SNAP EDG will be systematically reinstated, and benefits recalculated using the new SNAP standards effective October 2020. Benefits will continue for 6-months (October 2020 - March 2021).

Pending Mid-Point Reports and REDES

  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been processed, the processing and any resulting changes will remain in effect.  
  • Pending Mid-Point Reports and REDEs from SNAP households receiving an extended certification period will have benefits systematically continued with a 6-month extension. All tasks will be closed automatically by IES. No action is required by the FCRC.
  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs that have already been issued to the client and have been or will be returned by the client for September, the FCRC is not required to process those that are pending and have not yet been acted upon. Mid-Point Report and REDE tasks will be closed for the cases being extended and any scheduled REDE interviews will be removed systematically by IES. This does not apply to SNAP households that were previously granted an extension from March 2020 and are now due for a September REDE. These households will receive a REDE application and must be interviewed and have their eligibility determined under regular SNAP policy.
  • For Mid-Point Reports and REDEs received with reported information or attached verifications, the FCRC is not required to process or take any action on the information reported on or provided with a Mid-Point Report and REDE application.

Client Notices

Mid-Point Reporting Households

  • CN 20.24/CN 20.24S will be mailed to Mid-Point Report households certification period ending September 2020, except those SNAP households that were previously granted an extension from March 2020.
  • The notice informs the household to report when the:
    • total gross monthly income exceeds the gross monthly income standard for the household size;
    • household contains an able-bodied adult without dependents who is subject to the time-limits and has work hours that drop below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly.
  • The change must be reported by the 10th day of the calendar month after the calendar month that the income exceeds the Gross Monthly Income Standard for the SNAP household size.

Change Reporting Households

  • CN 20.23/CN 20.23S will be mailed to Change Reporting households with certification periods ending September, except those SNAP households that were previously granted an extension from March 2020.
  • The notice informs the household to report when:
    • someone gets, changes, or loses a job, or when hours of work are reduced;
    • monthly earned income changes by more than $100;
    • the source of unearned income changes, or the amount changes by more than $100;
    • someone moves in or out;
    • a change of address and new shelter costs;
    • the court order to pay child support changes or ends;
    • the household contains an able-bodied adult without dependents who is subject to the time-limits and has work hours that drop below 20 hours per week, averaged monthly.
  • The change must be reported within 10 calendar days of the date they learn of the change.

Note: The entire State is exempt from the SNAP Work Requirement. See Manual Release #20.17, Entire State Exempt from SNAP Time-Limit, dated 09/02/2020. Changes are still required to be reported according to the household's reporting status.

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced:

Form 1893

Form 2890

CN 20.23/CN 20.23S

CN 20.24/CN 20.24S