Transitional Nutrition Benefit Program
The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions implementing the Transitional Nutrition Benefit (SNB) Program. TNB 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 terminated. TNB will provide state-funded nutrition benefits for households that include at least one SSI/SSP recipient and will become ineligible for CalFresh benefits when the SSI/SSP recipient is added to the household. A household that becomes ineligible for CalFresh for any other reason is not eligible for TNB.
TNB eligibility is determined on the effective date of the addition of the SSI/SSP recipient to the CalFresh household.
Households will be certified for TNB for one 12-month period, and then may be recertified for additional six month periods.
Transitional CalFresh recipients may be eligible for TNB if their benefits are terminated 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 TNB.
TNB eligibility will continue as long as the household continues to include at least one of the previously excluded SSI/SSP recipients, the same individual continues to receive SSI/SSP and the household is ineligible for CalFresh. When TNB is terminated it cannot be reestablished except for when documentation required for redetermination is provided within 30 days of the discontinuance.
Counties are not required to act on information received during the TNB certification period except for the household being granted CalFresh.
Form notices for the TNB program are attached to ACL 18-107.
Because TNB are nutrition benefits, they are not considered income for purposes of other means-tested programs.
TNB are subject to intercounty transfer policies and procedures. (ACL 18-92, July 31, 2018.)