There are two Food Stamps regulation packets up for comment. The packets are: Restaurant Meals for the Homeless, Elderly and Disabled and Food Stamp Program Recertification Simplification and Statewide Finger Imaging System Exemptions. Comments are due November 14, 2007.

Another oops. Last August, CDSS provided instructions on the changes made to align Food Stamps with CalWORKs. This included how to treat the $50 child/spousal support pass-through and student income. Only problem was that the Food Nutrition Services said the state misinterpreted federal law, and got those two areas of instructions wrong. So, here are the corrected instructions. Can’t disregard legally obligated support. And, the student exemption is for children under 18, not 19. The correct policy is effective immediately and to be implemented no later than November 1, 2007, with encouragement to do it early to avoid QC issue and overissuances. (Although there is a “hold harmless” provision for following prior policy, and no need to do a retroactive case review.) [Download]

Food Stamp Simplification changes the rules re: utilities. Now, the SAWS2 (application) has been changed to reflect those new rules. However, CDSS has advised counties they may use existing form stock until depleted, as long as they are “vigilant” about applying current policy. Which will be tricky since it’s not specifically on the form…. But heh, the new policy has been effective since 11/1/06, so hopefully they are used to working off an incorrect application! [Download]

More of those pressing Food Stamps questions answered. Useful stuff like sponsored immigrant eligibility when the sponsor won’t cooperate (12 months through CalWORKs, before the immigrant is cut off, but FS can continue); Transitional Food Stamps (TFS) when there is Aid Paid Pending (no); TFS when there is a proposed sanction, but before it could be imposed, the family was discontinued from CalWORKs for QR 7 (yes); exempting as income contributions (any purpose) from a 3rd party, as long as used for the specified purpose, but the shelter allowance will be based on what the recipient actually pays (i.e. less the contribution towards rent); clarification that CalWORKs workstudy, in its entirety, is excluded as income for food stamps. [Download]