Policy Memo
10/23/2025
Summary
- This Policy Memo reintroduces and provides guidance on the 6-month certification period and provides a brief overview of the EZ redetermination (REDE) process for SNAP cases.
- In an effort to reduce SNAP payment error rates, effective 10/22/2025, Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) will reinstate the 6-month redetermination process and the EZ redetermination process for SNAP.
- All SNAP households, except those receiving SNAP under the Elderly Disabled Redetermination Project (EDSRP), will be assigned 6-month certification periods.
- SNAP households assigned 6-month certification periods will be converted to Simplified Reporting (SR) households.
- For the first 6-month certification REDE an interview will be required. For the next 6-month certification period (EZ REDE), an interview will not be required.
- EDSRP households will continue to have a 24-month certification period unless they no longer meet the eligibility criteria for EDSRP.
- Systematic updates to the Integrated Eligibility System (IES) will be made for the new 6-month certification period and for the 6-month EZ REDE for SNAP households.
- Forms and correspondence updates are forthcoming and will be available upon completion.
- A Manual Release will be forthcoming with changes to the Policy Manual in OneNet.
SNAP Six-Month Redetermination Process
All initial SNAP applications and SNAP redeterminations processed by IDHS on or after 10/22/2025 will receive a 6-month certification period.
- Note: This does not apply to EDSRP households.
Interviews will be required at initial SNAP application, at the first SNAP redetermination, and at every other SNAP redetermination for ongoing SNAP households.
Non-EDSRP SNAP households will be assigned a Simplified Reporting status. SNAP & TANF Mid-Point Report (MPR) (IL444-2890) will be phased out.
During the certification period SNAP households in Simplified Reporting status will be required to report:
- when their gross monthly income exceeds the Gross Monthly Income Standard for the household size; and
- when an Able-Bodied Adult without Dependents (ABAWD) who is subject to the SNAP Work Requirement time limit has work hours that fall below 20 hours per week; and
- when a substantial lottery or gambling winning is won as a cash prize of more than $4,500 won in a single game:
- at REDE; and
- by the 10th calendar day of the month after the month that the income or winnings are received during the certification period.
Reintroduction of the SNAP EZ REDE Process
IDHS will be reintroducing the EZ redetermination (REDE) process for SNAP cases. EZ REDE applications for SNAP will not require interviews. More information and instructions on this process will be published in an upcoming release.
SNAP Cases Changed from Mid-Point Report Status to Simplified Reporting Status
Active SNAP cases in Mid-Point Report (MPR) status will convert to Simplified Reporting at their first redetermination processed on or after 10/22/2025.
Workers must explain to the Simplified Reporting households of their new 6-month certification period. They must also explain that they will no longer receive or be expected to complete the SNAP & TANF Mid-Point Report.
They will only continue to be required to complete the Medical, Cash and SNAP Redetermination Notice (IES) (IL444-1893). That notice will be mailed on the 1st day of the month prior to the last month of the 6-month certification period.
SNAP households in Simplified Reporting status will be required to report:
- when their gross monthly income exceeds the Gross Monthly Income Standard for the household size; and
- when an Able-bodied Adult without Dependents (ABAWD) who is subject to the SNAP Work Requirement time limit has work hours that fall below 20 hours per week; and
- when a substantial lottery or gambling winning is won as a cash prize of more than $4,500 won in a single game:
- at REDE; and
- by the 10th calendar day of the month after the month that the income or winnings are received during the certification period.
Unwinding of Mid-Point Report Process and Obsoleting of Form IL444-2890
With the implementation of the 6-month certification period, the MPR process will be discontinued. SNAP households that are still due for an MPR on or after 10/22/2025 will still receive one more MPR prior to their next redetermination. In order for SNAP benefits to continue this MPR is required to be completed and submitted to IDHS.
Example: An initial SNAP application was received and approved on 08/01/2025 with an MPR Status and a 12-month certification period. This household will still receive an MPR in December 2025 that will be due on 01/02/2026. This MPR must be completed and submitted in order for the SNAP household to continue to receive benefits. The current MPR process still applies, see PM 19-07-07.
Elderly Disabled Redetermination Project (EDSRP) Households
EDSRP households will continue to have a 24-month certification period. EDSRP households that, at redetermination, are found to be no longer eligible for EDSRP will be changed to Simplified Reporting status and given a 6-month certification period. See PM 06-31-00.
State Food
State Food households will follow the same policy as SNAP households regarding the 6-month certification period and EZ REDE.
For all applications received on or after 10/22/2025, State Food households will be certified as Simplified Reporting households. For all redeterminations processed on or after 10/22/2025, State Food households will be converted from Change Reporters to Simplified Reporting households and will follow those reporting requirements.
Correspondence
Forms will be updated to reflect the new 6-month certification period and reporting requirements for households subject to Simplified Reporting.
- Medical, Cash and SNAP Redetermination Notice (IES) (IL444-1893) will be mailed on the 1st day of the month prior to the last month of the 6-month certification period.
- Notice of Decision (IL444-0360 C) will be updated to remove Mid-Point Reporting language.
- Redetermination Fact Sheet (IL444-4769) will be systematically suppressed as updates are being made to the document in relation to the reinstatement of the 6-month EZ REDE.
- SNAP & TANF Mid-Point Report (IL444-2890) will no longer be generated or mailed out to SNAP households and will be phased out.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) CHANGE REPORT FORM (IL444-1978) will be updated to include reporting requirements for both Simplified Reporting and Change Reporting SNAP households.
IES System Updates
- Systematic updates will be made to the Integrated Eligibility System (IES) and Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) to implement a 6-month certification period to SNAP EDGs for non-EDSRP households.
- This update will affect all SNAP applications and redeterminations processed on or after 10/22/2025.
- SNAP cases in Mid-Point Reporting status, that are active as of 10/22/2025, will continue in Mid-Point Reporting status until their next redetermination.
- IES will be updated to assign non-EDSRP SNAP households to Simplified Reporting Status.
- IES system generated notices will be updated with a 6-month certification period for households in Simplified Reporting status.
- IES will discontinue the auto generation/issuance of the SNAP & TANF Mid-Point Report (IL444-2890) on a rolling basis as SNAP cases are removed from MPR status at redetermination.
FCRC Action
- Workers processing initial applications and redeterminations should explain to non-EDSRP SNAP households that they will be put into a 6-month certification period.
- Workers must explain to affected SNAP households:
- the interview process for 6-month redeterminations and EZ REDEs and advise that more information regarding the EZ REDE process will be provided at a later date;
- the reporting requirements for Simplified Reporting households; and
- that after they are in Simplified Reporting they will no longer receive the SNAP & TANF Mid-Point Report.
- Workers are required to review the Certification Period and the Review Due Date found in IES in the Food Assistance - EDG Summary page.
[signed copy on file]
Dulce M. Quintero
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
Forms Referenced:
IL444-0360 C
IL444-1893
IL444-1978
IL444-2378 B
IL444-2890
IL444-4796
