MR #23.16: SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expansion to include remaining Correctional Facilities

Illinois Department of Human Services Logo

05/02/2023

Summary

  • The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) requested waiver approval from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to implement a Prisoner Pre-Release Program that provides food security to inmates in Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC) facilities upon reentry into the community. The program began as a pilot July 1, 2020 with the Logan Correctional Center and was gradually rolled out to other participating correctional facilities within the state. The Prisoner Pre-Release Program allows IDHS to accept SNAP applications submitted by inmates within 5-10 days prior to their release date and define the application date as the date the individual is released from the facility.
  • Individuals being released and added to an existing SNAP household do not qualify to participate in this program.
  • Effective 04/03/2023 with this final expansion, all IDOC facilities are included in the Prisoner Pre-Release Program.

Prisoner Pre-Release Program Overview

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) requested waiver approval from Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to allow SNAP applications to be accepted if submitted by inmates from participating Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC) facilities within 5-10 days prior to their release date. The date of application is the date the individual is released from the facility. When IDHS receives the application from the facility, a caseworker conducts a telephone interview with the inmate. If the individual is eligible, the application is held by the Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) until the inmate has been released. This policy does not apply to individuals being released and added to an existing SNAP household.

Participating Correctional Facilities

The Prisoner Pre-Release Program began as a pilot July 1, 2020 with the Logan Correctional Center and was gradually rolled out to other participating correctional facilities within the state. This manual release includes the final expansion to 13 additional facilities effective 04/03/2023. The list below includes the approved participating facilities and the effective date of their participation. With this final expansion, all IDOC facilities are included in the Prisoner Pre-Release Program.

Effective Date   

Participating

Correctional Facilities

 County/FCRC
07/01/2020 Logan Correctional Center Logan County Logan County
04/01/2021 Illinois River Correctional Center Fulton  County
04/01/2021 Kewanee Correctional Center in Henry County
09/01/2021 Decatur Women's Correctional Center   Macon County
09/01/2021 Lincoln Correctional Center Logan County
09/01/2021 Vienna Correctional Center Johnson County  
07/05/2022 Graham Correctional Center  Montgomery County 
07/05/2022 Murphysboro Life Skills Re-Entry Center  Jackson County
07/11/2022 Jacksonville Correctional Center Morgan County
09/26/2022 Centralia Correctional Center  Clinton County
09/26/2022 Lawrence Correctional Center  Lawrence County
09/26/2022 Western Illinois Correctional Center Brown County
01/03/2023 Danville Correctional Center  Vermillion
01/03/2023 East Moline Correctional Center Rock Island County
01/03/2023 Hill Correctional Facility  Knox County
01/17/2023

Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) facility: Illinois Youth Center Chicago.

Note: Currently there are no other IDJJ facilities participating in the program at this time.

 Cook County
04/03/2023 Big Muddy River Correctional Center Jefferson County
04/03/2023 Dixon Correctional Center Lee County
04/03/2023 Joliet Treatment Center Will County
04/03/2023 Menard Correctional Center Randolph County
04/03/2023 Pinckneyville Correctional Center Jackson FCRC
04/03/2023 Pontiac Correctional Center McClean FCRC
04/03/2023 Robinson Correctional Center Crawford County
04/03/2023 Shawnee Correctional Center Union FCRC
04/03/2023 Sheridan Correctional Center LaSalle County
04/03/2023 Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center St. Clair County/Randolph FCRC
04/03/2023 Stateville Correctional Center Will County
04/03/2023 Taylorville Correctional Center Christian County
04/03/2023 Vandalia Correctional Center Marion FCRC

Obsolete Policy Memos and Manual Release

The following policy memos and a manual release are obsolete:

  • SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from Logan Correctional Center - PILOT, dated 08/05/2020.
  • SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expanded to Kewanee and Illinois River, dated 04/21/2022.
  • SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expanded to Decatur, Lincoln, and Vienna, dated 11/16/2021.
  • SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expanded to Graham and Murphysboro, dated 07/12/2022.
  • SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expanded to Jacksonville, dated 07/13/2022.
  • SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expanded to Centralia, Lawrence, and Western Illinois, dated 10/12/2022.
  • MR #23.04 SNAP Applications for Individuals Being Released from IDOC - Expanded to Danville, East Moline, and Hill, dated 01/23/2023.

Manual Revisions

PM 06-34-00

PM 06-34-01

WAG 06-34-00

WAG 06-34-01

[signed copy on file]

Grace B. Hou

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services

Forms referenced