Transcript Colorado`s Food Stamp Program

Welcome to Colorado’s Food
Assistance Program
October 8, 2010
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Colorado’s Food Assistance
Program
• Nationally, the food assistance
program is administered under the
United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), Food and
Nutrition Services Program (FNS).
• In Colorado the program is a state
run, county administered program.
The Program is Nationally known as the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP). Colorado chose to continue
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utilizing the title of Food Assistance.
Program Administration
•At the state level, the program is part of
the State Department of Human Services.
The state monitors and provides
support to county offices.
•At the county level, the program is found
in the Social or Human Services office.
The county offices determine
eligibility.
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Program Statistics
Year
Avg #
Persons/
Month
Avg #
Households
/Month
2008
252,933
109,405
2009
320,298
138,657
2010
409,088
estimated
Average 2%
increase in
recipients
per month
178,075
estimated
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Individuals applying for
benefits:
Get an application – either in person, by
mail, or through state website
•
• Complete the application and return it to
their local FA office in person, mail, dropoff or fax (the first page with name,
address and signature can be turned in to
secure the application date, and the rest
of the application can be completed and
submitted at the time of interview).
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Applicants, continued
• Get an appointment (you can request
a telephone or face-to-face
interview).
• Gather documents and other
necessary information. Go through
the interview process.
• Benefits are either approved or
denied
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Documents that may be needed to
determine eligibility:
• Proof of identity (i.e. Driver's license or birth
certificate– A Photo ID is not required for Food
Assistance);
• Proof of Residency (bills, lease, letter, driver’s
license, etc. unless client declares homeless)
• Proof of household’s income (i.e. pay stubs, letter
showing money received from social security, VA,
child support, unemployment, gifts, etc);
• Proof of resources (bank accounts, real estate, etc.)
• Proof of Non-citizen status (LPR card, etc.)
• Social Security number (a social security card is not
required as long as the number is provided.
Application for a SSN is acceptable).
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Documents that may help increase your
benefit amount:
¤Most recent mortgage statement or rental
agreement (or letter from your landlord/
roommate, receipts);
¤Verification of day care obligation or
payments for your child;
¤Medical bills or receipts for prescriptions
that you are obligated to pay (if you are 60
or older, or disabled);
¤Court order or cancelled checks for child
support payments.
¤Utilities (clients can declare the amount
they are obligated to pay for water, gas/
propane, electric, trash, telephone, etc.)
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How is the information used?
Most people have to meet gross and net
income guidelines.
If there is a person 60 years or older
or disabled in the household, only net
has to be met.
The Steps are:
Determine household size.....
Add gross monthly income...
If gross monthly income is less than the
limit for household size, determine net
income (using allowable deductions).
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Who Qualifies, Who Doesn’t
Households that passed the income tests may be
required to meet resource tests in order to be eligible
for benefits.
Resources
Households may have up to $2,000 in countable
resources (cash, bank account, CDs, stocks/bonds)
 Households with someone aged 60 or older, or is
disabled, may have resources up to $3,000
Home and vehicle are not counted for these
households
People receiving SSI, TANF, AND, or OAP don’t
have their resources looked at.
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Legal Immigrants may qualify for Food
Assistance.
 Most legal immigrants must wait 5 years
before being eligible.
 There is no wait for children under 18yrs,
some elderly and disabled, or for some
refugees and asylees.
 Some non-citizens may be eligible if they have
enough work quarters.
 Legal immigrant or citizen children can still
qualify even if their parents/guardians don’t.
*Eligible household members can get benefits
even if there are other members of the
household that are not eligible.
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Income Test
Households without Elderly/Disabled members must
have a gross income under 130% of the Federal Poverty
level for their household size.
# People in HH Gross Monthly
Income Limit
Net Monthly
Income Limit
1
$1,174
$903
2
$1,579
$1,215
3
$1,984
$1,526
4
$2,389
$1,838
5
$2,794
$2,150
6
$3,200
$2,461
7
$3,605
$2,773
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$4,010
$3,085
Each Add’l
Person
+ $406
+ $312
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Amount of Benefits a Household May Be Eligible
For:
# People in Household
Maximum Monthly
Allotment
1
$200
2
$367
3
$526
4
$668
5
$793
6
$952
7
$1,052
8
$1,202
Each add’l person
+ $150
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Did I Qualify?
Approved
•Food assistance
recipients utilize
their benefits to buy
eligible food at
authorized retail
food stores through
the use of an
electronic benefit
card (EBT card).
Cases are approved
for 3, 6 or 24
months depending
on who is in the
Food Assistance
Household.
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Did I Qualify?, continued
Denied
A letter is sent
telling the reason
the applicants did
not qualify for
benefits.
The county can be
contacted if more
explanation is
needed/wanted.
They are the best
source of
information for
your case.
A Fair Hearing can be requested if the client doesn’t
agree with the benefit amount or denial.
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Resources and Contacts
State Website:http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/fap/
Federal Website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp
PEAK(Program Eligibility and Application Kit):
http://www.colorado.gov/benefits/
These websites provide information regarding the
program, eligibility and contacts, and have downloadable
materials such as applications. A pre-screening tool and
a “Check my benefits” feature are also available.
Food Assistance Customer Service (utilized
mainly for out of state verifications and
client’s issues regarding untimely processing of
benefits). 1-800-536-5298
Quest Card Customer Service www.coloquestcard.com
1-888-328-2656 or 1-800-659-2656 (TTY)
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Contacts
To request a Fair Hearing, clients may mail, fax or
call in a request.
Office Of Administrative Hearings
633 17th st. Ste. 1300 Denver 80202
303-866-2000
303-866-5909 fax
To file a complaint of discrimination, write or call
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room
326-W, Whitten Building,
14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410
(202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD).
1-866-632-9992 toll free
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Food Assistance Policy Staff Contact
Information
[email protected] (Utilized by
county staff and community partners for
Food Assistance policy questions).
Audrey Garcia (State Policy)
303-866-4748
[email protected]
Connie Bley (State Policy)
303-866-4748
[email protected]
Mary Lu Lechuga (Adams County Director)
303-277-2329
[email protected]
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