MR #25.24: Illinois Department of Corrections, Cook County Department of Corrections, County Sheriff Incarceration Data Match Clearance for Cash and SNAP

Illinois Department of Human Services logo

06/26/2025

Summary

  • This manual release adds policy to PM 02-07-01 and WAG 02-07-01 in the Cash, SNAP, and Medical Manual on the Incarceration Data Match clearance implemented 11/09/2023.
  • Pursuant to Public Act, Section 12-4.7b, of the 305 Illinois Complied Statutes (ILCS), the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), the Cook County Department of Corrections (CCDOC) and the sheriff's office in other counties in Illinois to ensure that incarcerated individuals are not actively receiving public assistance while incarcerated.
  • The real-time clearance is not considered information that is verified upon receipt. Workers must reach out to the person identified in the clearance as the contact person to verify the status of the individual. The IDOC website can also be used as a verification source and is considered verified upon receipt.
  • Before denying a SNAP application, workers should ensure that the applicant is not a participant in the Prisoner Pre-Release Program which allows an incarcerated person to apply for benefits within 5-10 days prior to their release date (PM 03-23-01 and PM 06-34-00).

Incarceration Data Match Clearance 

  • Pursuant to Public Act, Section 12-4.7b, of the 305 Illinois Complied Statutes (ILCS), the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), the Cook County Department of Corrections (CCDOC) and the sheriff's office in other Illinois counties to ensure that incarcerated individuals are not actively receiving public assistance in a case of their own or as a member of another household's case while in the facility. 
  • The real-time clearance allows workers to view the results of the Incarceration Clearance in both Data Exchange and Clearance Results pages during the initial application and redetermination (REDE) interview. The Incarceration Data Match can only be retrieved by selecting Retrieve Historical Information radio button on the Data Exchanges page.

FCRC Action to Take

  • At initial application and REDE, workers should review the Incarceration Data Match clearance which provides real-time information on incarcerated individuals. If the worker finds a match on the clearance that an individual is incarcerated, the information should be considered as unverified. The Incarceration Data Match is not considered information that is verified upon receipt. If the clearance returns a match on an individual, the worker should contact the facility person listed on the match to verify the information. The IDOC website can also be used as a verification source and is considered verified upon receipt.
  • Before denying a SNAP application, workers should ensure that the applicant is not a participant in the Prisoner Pre-Release Program which allows an incarcerated person to apply for benefits within 5-10 days prior to their release date (PM 03-23-01 and PM 06-34-00).

IES Data Exchange and Clearance Results Wizards

More information on the Data Exchange Matches and Clearance Results can be found in the IES Wizards listed below:

  • Data Exchanges (INDXR),
  • Clearance Results (DCCIR),
  • Incarceration Data Match Wizard,
  • Clearance Results - Incarceration Wizard.

Manual Revisions

PM 02-07-01
WAG 02-07-01

[signed copy on file]

Dulce M. Quintero

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Form referenced: