10/31/2023
Policy Memo
Summary
- The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127; the Act) as amended by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L 116-159) authorized the continuation of a temporary assistance program for families with children affected by school closures during the public health emergency that was declared on January 27, 2020. This policy memo provides information on Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits for the 2022-2023 School Year.
- The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will issue Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to families with eligible school children for the 2022-2023 school year through May 11, 2023. Families receiving regular SNAP and non-SNAP households can qualify for P-EBT benefits.
- School-aged children who are enrolled in free or reduced-price meals at a school operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and children enrolled in a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) which offers breakfast and lunch free qualify for P-EBT benefits for approved absences due to COVID-related reasons.
- P-EBT benefits will be systematically issued for approved absences that are assumed COVID-related, including 5 or more days in a single month and Remote Learning days.
- P-EBT benefits will not be systematically issued for absences that IDHS could not assume were COVID-related. For these absences, parent attestations are required.
- Parent attestations for children that were enrolled in SY22-23 can be submitted online at www.dhs.illinois.gov/PEBT School Year 2022-2023 COVID-Related Absence Attestation found on right-hand of screen; by telephone through P-EBT Hotline 1-833-621-0737; by mailing attestation to P-EBT, P.O. Box 19401, Springfield, IL 62762; or in person at a FCRC.
- IDHS will issue P-EBT benefits to school children enrolled in a home-school/virtual learning program who were eligible for free or reduced priced school meals at a school participating in the NSLP beginning 01/2020 and were changed to home school/virtual learning due to a COVID-19 pandemic related reason. Households must apply for school children enrolled in home school/virtual learning and must meet certain criteria to be eligible.
- Application For Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Benefits for Home School /Virtual Learning Children can be located online at www.dhs.illinois.gov/PEBT. The application and, if needed, any income verifications can be submitted either via email at DHS.FCS.PEBT@Illinois.gov, Fax 217-524-0474, mail to P-EBT, P.O. Box 19401 Springfield, IL 62762, or in person at a Family Community Resource Center. Application deadline is 11/30/2023.
- P-EBT benefits that cannot be systematically issued will have to be manually authorized by staff once the required information is received.
- P-EBT benefit issuances will be available beginning 09/13/2023 through 09/24/2023.
- P-EBT benefits for the 2022-2023 school year (August 2022 through May 11, 2023) are based on eligible attendance days multiplied by the daily rate of $8.18.
- No action is required from the Family Community Resource Centers (FCRCs), however, FCRCs should direct customers to the IDHS website where they can find the home school/virtual learning application, or complete the electronic attestation, or assist in completing the paper attestation form to be forwarded to the PEBT Unit. Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is available on www.dhs.illinois.gov/PEBT to assist both customers and staff.
- Client notice CN 23.04/CN 23.04 S Notice of Eligibility for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Benefits and Using Your P-EBT Card will be sent to households with eligible children.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127; the Act) as amended by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L 116-159) authorized the continuation of a temporary assistance program for families with children affected by school and daycare closures during the public health emergency that was declared on January 27, 2020. This policy memo provides information on Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits for the 2022-2023 School Year for school children.
NOTE: Due to the PHE ending, only attendance days on or prior to May 11, 2023 will be considered.
Who is Eligible for P-EBT benefits?
To qualify for P-EBT benefits, the school, child and attendance day must meet certain criteria:
The school:
- Must operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); and
- Must have been closed or operating Remote Learning for at least 5 consecutive days at some point during the 2022-2023 school. Illinois has established statewide eligibility for this criterium for the 2022-2023 school year.
The child:
- Must be eligible to receive free or reduced-price school meals; or
- Must be enrolled in a school that participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which offers breakfast and lunch free to all students.
The attendance day:
- Must be an approved absence without access to an in-school provided meal (attendance status of Excused Absence, E-Learning, or Remote Learning); and
- The missed access was due to a COVID-related reason.
- COVID-related reason (assumed COVID-related):
- If student missed 5 or more days in a single month, IDHS may assume all missed days in that month are due to a COVID-related reason and IDHS would systematically issue benefits for all days in that month.
- If a student has a "Remote Learning" attendance day, IDHS may assume that missed day is due to a COVID-related reason and IDHS will systematically issue benefits for all Remote Learning attendance days for eligible students.
- COVID-related reason (not assumed COVID-related):
- If IDHS is unable to assume the missed access attendance day is due to a COVID-related reason as described above, then customer attestation is required to verify those missed access days are COVID-related.
School Year 2022-2023 COVID-Related Attestation for Children Enrolled in School
For attendance days that IDHS was unable to assume missed access was due to COVID-related reason, customer attestation is required. Attestations for the 2022-2023 School year will only be accepted through 10/31/2023. Households will receive a notice detailing any additional attendance days by month that they may attest are COVID-related. Attestation can be accepted via:
School Year 2022-2023 Application for Home School/Virtual Learning Children
IDHS will issue P-EBT benefits to school children enrolled in a home-school/virtual learning program who were eligible for free or reduced priced school meals at a school participating in the NSLP beginning 01/2020 and were changed to home school/virtual learning due to a COVID-19 pandemic related reason. School children that attend home school/virtual learning must complete the Application For Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Benefits for Home School /Virtual Learning Children online that can be found on the IDHS website at www.dhs.illinois.gov/PEBT.
- The application deadline is 11/30/2023 and will follow the same format as a free/reduced meal application provided to students.
- Income factors will be used to determine eligibility for homeschooled/virtual learning students.
- IDHS will verify if the school is eligible for CEP, or if the student is receiving SNAP.
- If the student does not qualify for direct certification through a CEP School or participation in SNAP, then income verification will be required.
- The application and income verifications can be submitted via:
- Email: DHS.FCS.PEBT@Illinois.gov
- Fax: 217-524-0474
- Mail in: P-EBT, P.O. Box 19401 Springfield, IL 62762
- In Person at a Family Community Resource Center (FCRC)
P-EBT Benefit Amount, Issuances, and Availability Dates
- P-EBT benefits for children enrolled in school will be issued based on eligible attendance days missed multiplied by the daily rate of $8.18.
- P-EBT benefits for eligible home school/virtual learning children will be based on the standard estimate of 18 days per month (180 school days divided by 10 months) for the benefit months of August 2022 through April 2023. The benefit month of May 2023 will only be 9 days, as the PHE has ended May 11th, 2023. The daily rate of $8.18 will be multiplied by the number of days in the month to calculate the benefit.
- Monthly benefit for homeschooled/virtual learning children:
| Benefit Month |
Monthly Benefit Amount |
| August 2022 - April 2023 |
$147.24 |
| May 2023 |
$73.62 |
- P-EBT benefits will be issued on P-EBT only accounts.
- Existing students will receive 2022-2023 benefits on their existing P-EBT only account.
- First time eligible students will have a new P-EBT only account established.
- Additional P-EBT benefits that are authorized by workers after attestation will be issued according to the regular SNAP schedule.
- Systematic P-EBT benefits will be issued between 09/13/2023 through 09/24/2023 according to the first letter of the eligible student's last name:
|
Availability
Date
|
First Letter of
Last Name
|
| 13th |
A |
| 14th |
B |
| 15th |
C |
| 16th |
D,E,F |
| 17th |
G |
| 18th |
H,I |
| 19th |
J,K,L |
| 20th |
M |
| 21st |
N,O,P |
| 22nd |
Q,R |
| 23rd |
S,T |
| 24th |
U,V,W,X,Y,Z |
Processing Manual P-EBT Issuances
- P-EBT benefits that cannot be systematically issued will have to be manually authorized by staff once the required information is received.
- All homeschooled P-EBT applications will be manually reviewed for eligibility.
- Attestations will not be accepted after 10/31/2023, but processing will continue through completion. All P-EBT benefits for the 2022-2023 school year must be available to the customer no later than 12/31/2023. No P-EBT benefits can be issued after 12/31/2023.
- Workers can only authorize benefits for attendance days that the in-school meal is missed due to a COVID-related reason and the school has reported are potentially eligible.
- When processing customer attestations for children enrolled in school, the worker will authorize benefits separately for each benefit month. The total number of days in a month the worker will authorize P-EBT benefits will be the lesser of:
- Number of days the household has attested are COVID related missed access for the month in addition to any Remote Learning days for that month; or
- Number of days the school, via ISBE, has reported are potentially eligible attendance days.
FCRC Action
No action is required from the Family Community Resource Centers (FCRCs), however, FCRCs should direct customers to the IDHS website where they can complete the electronic attestation or assist in completing the paper attestation form to be forwarded to the PEBT Unit. Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is available on www.dhs.illinois.gov/PEBT to assist both customers and staff.
Client Notice
School Children
Client Notice CN 23.04 and CN 23.04 S Notice of Eligibility for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Benefits and Using Your P-EBT Card will be sent to households with eligible children. Again, customers that have questions or concerns regarding P-EBT benefits should be referred to the P-EBT Hotline or can review commonly asked questions on the IDHS website Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) available on www.dhs.illinois.gov/PEBT .
[signed copy on file]
Dulce M. Quintero
Secretary Designate, Illinois Department of Human Services
Forms Referenced
CN 23.04/CN 23.04 S Notice of Eligibility for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Benefits and Using Your P-EBT Card
IL444-5290 School Year 2022-2023 COVID-Related Absence Attestation
IL44-5290S: Ano Escolar 2022-2023 COVID - Certificacion De Ausencia Relacionada
IL444-5239: School Year 2022-2023 Application for Home Schooled/Virtual Learning School Children
IL444-5239S: Solicitud P-EBT Para Ninos Escolarizados Ern Casa/Aprendizaje Virtual
