Effective Dates: 01/04/2024 - Present Previous | Next

TN 31 (01-24)

SI 01801.150 Expedited Service for Purposes of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits

A household in immediate need of food assistance may be entitled to what the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) calls “expedited service.” For a household entitled to expedited service, the state SNAP office can issue coupons or an authorization-to-participate (ATP) card to the recipient no later than seven days following the application date.

A. Conditions a household must meet for expedited service

Households in “immediate need” are those in which the household:

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    has less than $150 in monthly gross income (earned or unearned) and $100 or less in liquid resources, e.g., cash or money in a checking or savings account (this includes a one-person household);

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    has combined monthly gross income and liquid resources that are less than the household's monthly rent or mortgage and utilities; or

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    is a migrant or seasonal farmworker with little or no income at the time of filing for SNAP benefits (even though they may receive income at some other time during the month of application).

B. Refer qualifying households to the SNAP office for expedited service

Advise an applicant that they may receive faster service by applying for SNAP benefits at the local SNAP office, instead of the Social Security Administration (SSA), only when the applicant:

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    appears to qualify for expedited service; or

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    raises an unsolicited question during the course of a telephone interview (i.e., initial claim or redetermination), which reasonably requires you to refer the applicant to the SNAP office for faster service.

C. How to handle expedited SNAP applications

Advise an applicant who appears to meet the expedited service criteria that they may apply for SNAP benefits at SSA or the local SNAP office.

1. Applicant prefers to apply for benefits at the SNAP office

If the applicant prefers to apply for benefits at the local SNAP office, refer the applicant to the nearest SNAP office. Be sure to give them the address and telephone number of the local SNAP office. Then annotate “SNAP - Dire Need Referral” in the Remarks section on the Supplemental Security Record (SSR).

2. Applicant prefers to apply for benefits at the FO

If the applicant prefers to apply for benefits at the FO, complete the expedited service questions on the SNAP application (see SI 01801.150A) and complete the SSA-4233 (Social Security Administration Transmittal for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Applications).

Be sure to:

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    check the “YES” box for “Expedited Service Requested” and write in bold “EXPEDITED PROCESSING” across the top of first page of the SNAP application.

NOTE: If you mail the paper application to the SNAP office, write “EXPEDITED PROCESSING” in red ink.

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    fax the application and all available or relevant documentation to the local SNAP office to process via the SSA-4233; and

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    annotate “SNAP – Dire Need Referral” in the Remarks section on the SSR.

IMPORTANT: Immediately send the application to the SNAP office. Do not hold the application in the office.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0501801150
SI 01801.150 - Expedited Service for Purposes of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits - 01/04/2024
Batch run: 01/04/2024
Rev:01/04/2024