System Changes to Accommodate Applications Received Prior to an Individual's Release from Certain Department of Correction or State Mental Health Facilities - Phase 1

Illinois Department of Human Services logo

10/20/2021

Policy memo

Summary

  • Effective 10/07/2021, this policy memorandum implements Phase 1 of 2 design changes to the Integrated Eligibility System (IES) which allows applications received from individuals in certain Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC) facilities and a State Mental Health facility to be systematically processed when the discharge date is within 10 days of the application date.
  • This pilot project approved under a Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) waiver allows individuals in the facilities listed below to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits before being discharged.  Only one individual can apply on an application. This SNAP application process is not intended for individuals that will be released and added to another existing active SNAP household. 
  • The approved participating facilities are: 
    • Logan Correctional Center in Logan County
    • Illinois River Correctional Center in Fulton County
    • Kewanee Correctional Center in Henry County
    • Madden Mental Health Center
  • Under regular SNAP rules, an individual in this type of living arrangement would be denied benefits.  As a result, accepting SNAP applications from these facilities has been a manual process while system programming in IES could be modified to prevent an automatic denial of the SNAP application.
  • The following changes will occur in Phase 1 effective 10/07/2021:
    • IES will now process applications received from individuals in an approved participating facility without triggering an automatic denial based on the Living Arrangement. The individual's eligibility is determined based on Expected Release Date, Actual Release Date, and other applicable program eligibility rules.
    • If discharged within 10 days of the Date of Application, benefits will be approved on the date of discharge and an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card will be manually issued to the individual prior to discharge. 
    • The Eligibility Determination Management (EDM) Inbox is updated to include two new Special Accommodations and one new Special Indicator.
    • When a case has one of the two new Special Accommodations, a scheduled interview should be conducted by telephone before the individual is discharged. If the individual is discharged before the interview is conducted and the FCRC was not notified, the application will continue to pend and IES will auto-deny on the 30th after the application date.
    • A change has been made to Application Registration to accommodate applications from these individuals that are submitted requesting SNAP benefits that begin at a later date. The Living Arrangements/Domicile - Details page is changed to accommodate the request for benefits made by the applicant.
    • When an individual has an Expected Release Date from the facility that is within 10 days of the application date, the SNAP Eligibility Determination Group (EDG) will pend for a new verification, Actual Release Date from Institution, as well as any other applicable verifications. Verification Checklist (Form 267 VCL) will be generated and mailed to the applicant.
    • A new verification type is created titled 'Actual Release Date from Institution'. When the verification hyperlink is selected, the Human Service Caseworker (HSC) will be routed to the Living Arrangement/Domicile - Summary screen.
    • When an attempt is made to run eligibility, a message displays and will prevent the HSC from proceeding if the Actual Release Date from Institution field is updated but a new record with Circumstance Start/Change Date (CSCD) of the Actual Release Date and a new Living Arrangement Type is not created.
    • If the SNAP EDG is denied due to the Expected or Actual Discharge Date being more than 10 days from the application date, or the Actual Discharge does not occur, a new EDG Notice Reason will display.
    • A new Special Approval Type, 'DOC/MH Waiver', will be populated on the first SNAP EDM and will be used to identify EDMs from this population and to modify reports.
    • The address field is updated to include the value entered in the Attn/Care Of field on the Household Address screen, if applicable. The updated is also made on Form 267 VCL and Notice of Decision (Form 360c).
    • Form 360c is updated with a new notice reason for these individuals.
  • Certain reports have been modified to capture payment accuracy information in Phase 1.  Additional reports will be modified in Phase 2.
  • A Cash application submitted prior to release from IDOC or a State Mental Health facility will be denied due to the individual's living arrangement status. 
  • Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will provide a separate policy memorandum regarding medical eligibility.
  • The Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) and the Provider Portal will be implemented in Phase 2.

Introduction

  • The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is currently operating a pilot project under a FNS waiver that provides individuals in certain IDOC facilities and a State Mental Health facility with food security as they transition back into the community. The FNS waiver allows IDHS to accept and process SNAP applications submitted within 10 days prior to the discharge date and to define the Application Date as the date the individual is released from the facility. The waiver applies to initial SNAP applications that consist of only one person. The waiver does not apply to individuals who are joining an existing SNAP household in the community.

Implementation

  • This policy memorandum implements Phase 1 of 2 IES system changes that allows SNAP applications received from individuals in the following facilities to be systematically processed when the discharge date is within 10 days of the application date:
    • Illinois River Correctional Center in Fulton County
    • Logan Correctional Center in Logan County
    • Kewanee Correctional Center in Henry County
    • Madden Mental Health Center 

SNAP Application 

  • IDOC and State Mental Health staff may assist an individual with the application process via ABE, mail, or fax.
  • The HSC will attempt to interview the individual via telephone. The application must be screened for expedited benefits. The individual must meet the expedited service criteria before allowing verifications to be postponed until after issuance. Identity must be verified. Verification of identity from the facility is acceptable.
  • Once the interview is complete and the individual is otherwise eligible, the application will be held until the individual is released and then processed to issue benefits.

Cash Applications

 A Cash application submitted prior to release from IDOC and State Mental Health Facility will be denied due to the individual's living arrangement status. 

System Changes

Changes to ABE, the Provider Portal and to the Bureau of SNAP Integrity (BSNAPI) reports will be implemented in Phase 2. The SNAP Timeliness Dashboard along with the following changes are part of the Phase 1 implementation.

Request Date

  • Instead of calculating SNAP eligibility from the application received date, the SNAP EDG will build and calculate benefits based on the date of discharge from the institution.
  • The individual will provide an Expected Release Date from Institution when they apply for benefits. The HSC should conduct an interview with the applicant by telephone before the individual is discharged. An individual who is discharged within 10 days of the Date of Application will be approved for SNAP benefits and given an EBT card on the date of discharge.
    • If the Expected Release Date from the Institution is more than 10 days from the Application Date, the SNAP EDG will build beginning with the Application Date and will be denied. The waiver only allows for a 10-day timeframe between the individual's application date and the date the individual is discharged to the community; or
    • If the Expected or Actual Release Date is not provided, the SNAP EDG will build from the Application Date and will be denied. The individual is not eligible to receive benefits while incarcerated or an inpatient; or
    • If the Expected Release Date from Institution is less than or equal to 10 days from the Application Date, the SNAP EDG will pend for verification of an Actual Release Date from Institution.  A 267 VCL will be sent to the applicant and will follow the current VCL logic.
  • When the applicant is released from the facility, the individual and/or staff of the facility will inform IDHS of the release. The HSC will update the release date in the Actual Release Date from Institution and re-run eligibility. At this time, if the Actual Release Date is less than 10 days from the application date, the SNAP EDG will rebuild beginning with the Actual Release Date and will be approved or denied based on SNAP eligibility rules. If the Actual Release Date from Institution is more than 10 days from the Application Date, the SNAP EDG will rebuild beginning with the Application Date and will deny application.
  • If the individual is not discharged on the Expected Release Date or the Expected Date has passed and an update has not been received related to the individual's discharge status, normal non-response to VCL processing will move the task to the Ready to Certify queue. The HSC will start the task, run eligibility, and the SNAP EDG will be denied. When the case is certified, Form 360c will be generated and mailed to the applicant.

EDM Inbox - Special Accommodations and Special Indicator

The EDM Inbox is updated to include two new Special Accommodations and one new Special Indicator. When the HSC selects one of the two new Special Accommodations and completes Application Registration, the Special Indicator will be assigned to the task.

  • Special Accommodations:

    • The two Special Accommodations are 'IDOC' and 'State Mental Health Institution'.
  • Special Indicator:
    • A new Special Indicator, 'DOC/MH SNAP' is assigned when one of the two new Special Accommodations is selected during the process of application registration. The Special Indicator will appear in the Special Indicator column of the EDM Inbox and will attach to tasks associated with the application so that the HSC may filter by Special Indicator. The Special Indicator 'DOC/MH SNAP' will have the following queue priorities:
      • Changes/Misc. Queue - 1
      • Screen New Application Queue - 1
      • Ready to Certify Queue-1

EDM Inbox - Re-index Details

Tasks with the Special Indicator 'DOC/MH SNAP' will not be routed to the Non-Expedited Cold Call queue. The error message below will be received if the HSC attempts to Re-index the task to the Non-Expedited Cold Call queue. The HSC will not be able to move forward with the update.

"You cannot Re-index this task to the Non-Expedited Cold Call queue. Please select another queue or cancel."

EDM Task Creation

The Special Indicator 'DOC/MH SNAP' will have priority 1 in the EDM Inbox Queues as listed below:

  • Ready to Certify
  • Screen New Application
  • Changes/Misc. 

Change to EDM Inbox Task Routing - Non-Expedited Cold Call Queue

Since these individuals will not receive Cold Call attempts, tasks with Special Indicator 'DOC/MH SNAP' will not be routed to the Non-Expedited Cold Call queue, regardless of whether a phone number exists.

Application Registration

Changes have been made to Application Registration to accommodate applications received from these individuals that are submitted requesting SNAP benefits that start at a later date.

  • Register Application - Application Screen
    • The Special Accommodation drop down will have two new values: 'IDOC' and 'State Mental Health Institution'
  • Register Individual - Summary Screen
    • The Register Individual - Individual screen will not allow the HSC to add another individual to the application if the Special Accommodations are 'IDOC' or 'State Mental Health Institution'
    • When the HSC has saved the first individual's information record, the HSC will be routed to the Register Individual - Summary screen and the 'Add Individual' button will be disabled. Additionally, an informational message will display stating "The Special Accommodations chosen only allow one individual to apply on this application."
  • Register Program - Program Screen
    • When either Special Accommodation 'IDOC' or 'State Mental Health Institution' is selected, the Presumptive Eligibility (PE) screens will not be queued, regardless of whether another individual is listed on the application with a different living arrangement.
  • Register Application - Summary Screen
    • For applications with Special Accommodations 'IDOC' or 'State Mental Health Institution', the question "Do you wish to schedule an appointment in IES?" will default to "YES" and the 'Assign' button will be made available. After the HSC selects 'Assign' and the page reloads, the 'Submit' button will be enabled, and the 'Submit and Go to Data Collection' button will be disabled.
    • If the application has 'IDOC' or 'State Mental Health Institution' Special Accommodations, and the HSC updates the question "Do you wish to schedule an appointment in IES?" to "NO", the 'Assign' button will be made available. After the HSC selects 'Assign' and the page reloads, the 'Submit and Go to Data Collection' button will be enabled, and the 'Submit' button will be disabled.
    • The cold call attempt fields will be disabled when Special Accommodations 'IDOC' or 'State Mental Health Institution' are selected.
    • The system will assign the new Special Indicator 'DOC/MH SNAP' when the application indicates one of the new Special Accommodations 'IDOC' or "State Mental Health Institution' once the application is complete and submitted.

Scheduling

  • When the application or case has one of the two new Special Accommodations, the scheduled interview should be made by telephone before the individual is discharged.  If the individual is discharged before the interview is conducted and the FCRC was not notified, the application will continue to pend and IES will auto-deny on the 30th day after the application date.
  • The Schedule Appointment page will not display the message "Schedule the eligibility interview as soon as possible but no later than 14 days from the application date." Instead, the page will display the following message and will not prevent the HSC from proceeding "Interview should be attempted before the individual is discharged."
  • If the HSC attempts to schedule an appointment that is not Interview Mode 'Telephone', the following message will display, but will not prevent the HSC from proceeding "Interview for this application should be held before the discharge date by Telephone. Please update the Interview Mode if the individual is still institutionalized."

Data Collection - Living Arrangement

  • Changes have been made to the Living Arrangements/Domicile - Details page to accommodate the early request for benefits made by the applicant.
  • Two new Living Arrangement Types have been added to the Living Arrangement Type dropdown: 
    • State Mental Health Institution
    • Private Mental Health Institution
      • Note: (Although Private Mental Health Institution is added to Living Arrangement Types, individuals do not qualify for SNAP under the waiver).
  • A new field titled Expected Release Date from Institution and a new date field titled Actual Release Date from Institution has been added.
  • The Expected Release Date from Institution field will only be enabled when Illinois State Prison/State Juvenile Detention (current functionality), State Department of Correction (current functionality), Federal Prison (current functionality), State Mental Health Institution, or Private Mental Health Institution Living Arrangement types are selected.
  • The Actual Release Date from Institution field will only be enabled when Illinois State Prison/State Juvenile Detention (current functionality), State Department of Corrections (current functionality),  Federal Prison (current functionality), State Mental Health Institution" or Private Mental Health Institution Living Arrangement types are selected.
  • When the HSC receives and enters an Actual Release Date and selects the Save + Continue button, the reloaded page will display a message:
    • "The individual has been released from the institution. Update the Living Arrangement record for individual (name) including the Reported On Date and the new Living Arrangement Type, then run eligibility."
  • An error message will display to prevent the HSC from proceeding when attempting to add a future date in the Actual Release Date from Institution field stating, "Actual Release Date from Institution cannot be a future date."
  • An error message will display to prevent the HSC from proceeding when the Living Arrangement record has an Expected Date of Release from institution value, and the HSC is attempting to change the Living Arrangement Type without updating the Actual Release Date from institution field stating, "Actual Release Date from institution must be entered before the Living Arrangement Type can be changed." System will also default the living arrangement type back to the committed living arrangement type.
  • The current functionality of the Living Arrangements/Domicile - Details page that fills the Expected Release Date from the Institution with the system date when the HSC does not enter a date in the field and the record is saved has been disabled. 

Data Collection - Run Eligibility

If the HSC updates the Actual Release Date from Institution field and does not create a new record with a CSCD of the Actual Release Date and a new Living Arrangement Type, when an attempt is made to run eligibility, an error message will display and will prevent the HSC from proceeding.

"The individual has been released from the institution. Return to the Living Arrangement record for individual (Individual's Name), update the CSCD and Reported On dates, and update the new Living Arrangement type, then run eligibility."

Eligibility - Building First SNAP EDM

SNAP EDM will build following logic below:

  • When an Actual Release Date value does not exist, but an Expected Release Date from the institution is populated:.
    • The first EDM will build starting with the Expected Release Date if the Expected Release Date is less than or equal to 10 days from the Application Date.
    • If the Expected Release Date is greater than 10 days from the application date, the first EDM will build starting with the Application Date.
  • An Actual Release Date from Institution is populated
    • If the Actual Release Date is less than or equal to 10 days from the application date, the first EDM will build starting with the Actual Release Date.
    • If the Actual Release Date is greater than 10 days from the application date, the first EDM will build starting with the application date.
  • If an Actual or Expected Release Date does not exist, then the first EDM will build starting with the Application Date.

Eligibility - Pend SNAP EDG for Actual Release Date

  • When an individual has an Expected Release Date from the Institution that is within 10 days of the application date, the SNAP EDG will pend for a new verification, Actual Release Date from Institution, as well as any other applicable verifications. If the verification type is Actual Release Date from Institution and the EDG is expedited, the EDG will pend regardless of the expedited assignment as the expedited rules will be bypassed. A 267 VCL will be generated and mailed to the applicant. The 267 VCL should be addressed to the mailing address of the facility and not the actual physical address of the facility. The 267 VCL will include "Attn of" and the inmates ID number.

Eligibility - Verification Checklist

  • A new verification type has been created and is titled Actual Release Date from Institution. When the verification hyperlink is selected, the HSC will be routed to the Living Arrangement/Domicile - Summary screen. This new verification type is not eligible for extension.
  • Since verification type Actual Release Date from Institution is not eligible for extension if the HSC attempts to extend the verification type, when 'Next' is selected, an error message will display, and the HSC will not be able to perform the action. 

Eligibility - Notice Reasons

  • If the SNAP EDG is denied due to the Expected or Actual Discharge Dates being more than 10 days from the Application Date, or the Actual Discharge does not occur, a new EDG Notice Reason will display on the first EDM stating "Expected/Actual Discharge date is more than 10 days from Application Date. Individual must reapply."
  • If the living arrangement type is 'Illinois State Prison/State Juvenile Detention', the individual notice reason will display as "Individual is in Prison/Jail." If the living arrangement type is 'State Mental Health Institution', the individual notice reason will display as "Individual does not reside in a valid institution."

Eligibility - Special Approval Type Code

A new Special Approval Type, 'DOC/MH Waiver', will be populated on the first SNAP EDM and will be used to identify EDMs from this population and to modify reports.

VCL Logic

If an Actual Release Date from Institution is added and eligibility is re-run, the VCL for the actual release date will be satisfied. If the SNAP EDG is pending for an Actual Release Date but the date is not entered, follow the usual VCL logic where the task will be moved to the Ready to Certify queue and the HSC will re-run eligibility and the EDM will be denied.

Correspondence - Address Field to include Attention/Care Of Line

The address field is updated to include the value entered in the Attn/Care of field on the Household Address screen, if applicable. The update is for Form 267 VCL and Form 360c.

Correspondence - Update to Notice Reasons on 360C

The new notices reasons will appear on the Form 360c when the individual is not discharged within 10 days of the application date.

  • "You are currently in an institution and not expected to be released within 10 days from the date of application."
  • "Actualmente se encuentra en una institución y no se espera que lo den de alta dentro de los 10 días posteriores a la fecha de solicitud."

Reports

  • The Request Date for the individual applications cannot be in the future. The system will build the EDMs based on the Expected or Actual Release Date to accommodate the date of potential/actual eligibility. Modifications have been made to build EDMs beginning with the Payment Begin Date, which is the Expected or Actual Release Date saved in the Living Arrangements/Domicile - Details page.
  • The following reports have been modified in Phase 1 to consider the Special Approval Type indicator 'DOC/MH Waiver', and if that Special Approval Type exists, the report will use the PAYMENT_BEG_DT rather than the REQUEST_DT when building the report.
Report ID Report Name
Ad-hoc SNAP Timeliness Dashboard Daily
Ad-hoc SNAP Timeliness Dashboard FNS Daily
Ad-hoc SNAP Timeliness Dashboard FNS Monthly
Ad-hoc SNAP Timeliness Dashboard Monthly

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced:

Form 267 VCL

Form 360c

Form 2890