The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions implementing the Supplemental Nutrition Benefit (SNB) Program. SNB is part of the end of SSI cash-out. As a result of eligibility of previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients, some households will have their CalFresh reduced. SNB will provide state-funded nutrition benefits for households that include at least one SSI/SSP recipient and will have their CalFresh benefits reduced when the SSI/SSP recipient is added to the household to compensate for this CalFresh benefit reduction.
SNB eligibility is determined on the effective date of the addition of the SSI/SSP recipient to the CalFresh household.
SNB eligibility will remain linked to the household. The exception is SNB eligibility transfers to a new household for a domestic violence survivor who creates a separate household.
Transitional CalFresh recipients may be eligibile for SNB if their benefits are reduced by adding a previously excluded SSI/SSP recipient to the household.
Pending CalFresh applications with a beginning date of aid in the month prior to the implementation date of CalFresh eligibility for SSI/SSP recipients can be eligible for SNB.
SNB eligibility will continue as long as the household continues to receive CalFresh and the at least one of the previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients remains in the household.
SNB eligibility will be redetermined at the household’s CalFresh recertification. Counties must give separate notices of action regarding the SNB program. Form notices for the SNB program are attached to ACL 18-108.
Because SNB are nutrition benefits, they are not considered income for purposes of other means-tested programs. (ACL 18-91, July 31, 2018.)