Emergency SNAP Allotments Extended Effective December 2020 and Ongoing Until Further Notice

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12/08/2020

Policy Memo

Summary

  • This policy memo provides an extension of Emergency SNAP Allotments for December 2020 and for each month thereafter until further notice.
  • Due to guidance from Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, supplemental emergency SNAP allotments will be issued for December 2020 and will continue to be issued each month thereafter to SNAP households that are receiving less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size. The Family Community Resource Centers (FCRCs) will be notified when the extension ends.
  • The supplemental emergency SNAP allotment is the difference of the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size minus the regular monthly benefit amount that the client receives in December 2020. A SNAP household that is already receiving the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size is not entitled to a supplement.
  • No additional action is needed by the Human Services Caseworker (HSC) to issue this benefit.
  • Active SNAP households whose regular monthly benefit amount is less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size in December 2020 will receive a supplemental emergency SNAP allotment to bring them to the full maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size.
  • December 2020 emergency allotments will be made available to active SNAP households beginning 12/20/2020 through 12/28/2020.
  • If the SNAP household has an increase in household members during December 2020 or in a subsequent month, the household will be entitled to another supplement. This supplement will be issued either through certification or identified in the weekly process to receive an additional issuance. No additional action is needed from the worker for this scenario.
  • New applications received during December 2020 or in a subsequent month will also receive a supplemental emergency SNAP allotment, if their approved regular benefit amount is less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size even if the initial approval month is prorated.
  • SNAP applications processed during December 2020 will receive the emergency allotment through a weekly process that will identify eligible cases and create the supplemental issuance.
  • SNAP households will not be sent a client notice to inform them of the supplements.
  • Due to COVID-19, the Food and Nutrition Service is allowing SNAP households in Illinois to receive the full maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size for December 2020. This policy memorandum serves as notification to Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) staff that Emergency SNAP Allotments will be issued for the month of December 2020 and for each subsequent month until further notice. FCRC staff will be notified when the emergency SNAP allotments have been discontinued.
  • If a SNAP household applies and is approved to receive SNAP for December 2020 or in a subsequent month, IES will issue a supplemental emergency SNAP allotment, if the regular benefit amount is less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size. The supplement will be issued along with the regular roll approved benefit amount.

Active SNAP Households

Active SNAP households whose regular monthly benefit amount is less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size in December will receive a supplemental emergency SNAP allotment to bring them to the full maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size.

New Approvals

For approved SNAP EDGs, IES will centrally calculate the emergency SNAP supplements, if the approved regular benefit amount is less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size, even if the initial approval month is prorated.

Additional Supplement Issuance

For December 2020, emergency allotments will be made available to active SNAP households beginning 12/20/2020 through 12/28/2020, as follows:

Regular

Availability Date

Availability Date for

Emergency Allotments
12/01/2020 12/20/2020
Case Numbers Starting 1-4
12/01/2020 12/21/2020
Case Numbers Starting 5-9

12/02/2020

12/03/2020

 12/22/2020
12/04/2020 12/23/2020

12/05/2020

12/06/2020

 12/24/2020
12/07/2020 12/25/2020

12/08/2020

12/09/2020

 12/26/2020
12/10/2020 12/27/2020

12/13/2020

12/17/2020

12/20/2020

 12/28/2020
  • The HSC should continue entering case information in data collection as they would normally do. The HSC will see the customer's regular SNAP benefit amount.
  • The supplemental emergency SNAP allotment will be issued centrally and is the difference of the maximum monthly SNAP benefit amount for the household size minus the regular monthly benefit amount that the customer was determined eligible to receive in December 2020. The appropriate supplemental allotment will be issued for each subsequent month, if the customer remains eligible for benefits and is not already receiving the maximum benefit amount for the household size/ The FCRC will be notified when the extension has ended.
    • Example: Mr. A has a household of one and receives $37 per month in SNAP. Due to COVID-19, he will receive an additional supplement of $167 in December to equal the maximum monthly allotment of $204.  If Mr. A qualifies, a supplement will be issued for each subsequent month.

Overpayments and Sanctions

  • SNAP households with active recoupments will only receive an emergency allotment if the SNAP benefit amount plus the recoupment amount is less than the maximum allotment for the household size.
  • SNAP households in sanction status will only receive an emergency allotment up to the maximum allotment for the eligible household size.
  • Potential Overpayments will not be detected by IES for the month of December 2020. If a valid overpayment situation is discovered, a manual overpayment referral should be sent to DHS.BOC.Ovrpmt.Referral@Illinois.gov
  •  For questions regarding overpayments, contact the Bureau of Collections

Client Notice

A client notice will not be mailed to these households.

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services