231.01 Categorical Eligibility Criteria SR 09-05, 05/09 (FSM-A)

Categorical eligibility for the Food Stamp Program is offered to households requesting Food Stamp benefits in two ways:

1) Households which purchase and prepare food together are categorically eligible for the Food Stamp Program if all members receive public assistance (PA) or SSI. PA means FANF, OAA, APTD, and ANB financial assistance.

Exception: IV-E foster care and Refugee Cash Assistance are not considered PA for purposes of this category of categorical eligibility.

Households meeting categorical eligibility criteria are not subject to the Food Stamp Program resource test or additional income tests.

Categorical eligibility via receipt of PA or SSI includes households that:

• Have been determined eligible for PA or SSI but whose cash benefits have not yet begun;

• Receive zero PA cash benefits because their PA grant amount is less than $10;

• Receive zero PA or SSI benefits because their payments have been suspended or are being recouped; or

• Have an ineligible alien or student member who does not get PA or SSI.

Exception: Categorical eligibility via receipt of PA or SSI does not apply to households that include the following:

• A member who has been suspended from receiving SSI due to noncompliance with drug and/or alcohol abuse treatment requirements (categorical eligibility does not apply until the suspension ends and the member begins receiving SSI again);

• A medical assistance-only recipient;

• Someone disqualified due to an intentional program violation; or

• Someone disqualified because of noncompliance with work registration requirements.

2) Households may be considered eligible for the Expanded Categorical Food Stamp Program if the household is not already categorically eligible due to receipt of PA or SSI, when:

• there is at least one Food Stamp household member who is a dependent child;

• there is at least one Food Stamp household member who is a specified relative to that dependent child; and

• the household’s gross income is less than or equal to 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines.

Households meeting expanded categorical eligibility criteria are not subject to the Food Stamp Program resource test.

References: RSA 167:4,I(a), RSA 167:7,IV, 7 CFR 273.2(j)(2) & (j)(4), 7 CFR 273.9(a)