IM-046 2018 SUMMER ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER FOR CHILDREN (SEBTC) PROJECT

DISCUSSION:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) a demonstration grant to allow DSS to continue and expand the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children (SEBTC) project. Income Maintenance 2011 IM Memorandum #5, dated January 21, 2011, introduced the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children (SEBTC) demonstration grant. 2012 IM Memorandum #90, dated 11/16/2012, provides a summary of the 2012 SEBTC Demonstration Project. IM-51 May 24, 2013, dated May 24, 2013, discussed the 2013 Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children (SEBTC) demonstration project and Memorandum IM-# 47 dated 05/20/15 expanded the project into Mississippi County in 2015. The project expanded to include Shannon County and the city of Ferguson in 2016, introduced in 2016 IM Memorandum #31. In 2017, the project expanded to include New Madrid County, as introduced in Memorandum IM-#63, dated June 7, 2017.

2018 Eligibility

The children in Kansas City (Center School District, Hickman Mills C-I School District, and Kansas City Public School District) and St Louis Public School District who received SEBTC benefits in 2017 will be eligible to receive benefits in 2018, as long as they:

• attended school during the 2017-2018 school year,
• are still eligible for free/reduced meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and
• still reside in the project area.

Siblings of these children who met the requirements above will also be eligible to receive benefits in 2018.

In Mississippi County, all children in Charleston R-1 School District and all children who received free and reduced school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in East Prairie R-II School District are eligible to receive SEBTC benefits.

Children who attend school in the Ferguson-Florissant School District and receive Food Stamp benefits are eligible to receive SEBTC benefits.

Children who attend school in the seven school districts that serve Shannon County or the four school districts that serve New Madrid County AND receive Food Stamp benefits are eligible to receive SEBTC benefits.

2018 Expansion

In 2018, the SEBTC project is expanded to seven school districts in Pemiscot County. The following school districts are included in the expansion:

• North Pemiscot County R-I School District;
• Hayti R-II School District;
• Pemiscot County R-III School District;
• Cooter R-IV School District;
• South Pemiscot County R-V School District;
• Delta C-7 School District; and
• Caruthersville School District.

Children in the North Pemiscot County R-I, South Pemiscot County R-V, and Caruthersville School Districts who also receive Food Stamp benefits are eligible to receive SEBTC benefits. All children in the Hayti R-II School District are eligible to receive. Children in the other school districts are eligible if they receive free or reduced school lunches.

FAMIS Screens

With the exception of payroll types for Mississippi County (SFM) added in 2015, Shannon County (SFS) and Ferguson (SFF) added in 2016, and New Madrid (SNM) no additional changes were made to FAMIS screens. See detailed information provided in 2012 IM Memorandum #25, dated 03/15/2012 about FAMIS screens related to SEBTC.

Pemiscot County cases will be entered as SFN payroll type, but will be distinguished as Pemiscot County cases by the school district codes.

SEBTC Benefit Issuance

The additional summer benefit provides qualifying children with additional funds to use for their nutritional needs during the summertime. On May 25, 2018 the first payroll for SEBTC ran. Households will receive the following issuances for each eligible child:

• $45 per child for May – June 2018, available on June 1, 2018
• $45 per child for July – August 2018, available on July 1, 2018.

SEBTC benefits that have not been used will be removed at 11:59 p.m. on August 14, 2018. Once the SEBTC benefits are removed, they cannot be restored.

EBT Cards

SEBTC benefits that are lost due to household misfortune or a lost/stolen EBT card cannot be reissued.

If an SEBTC-only household no longer has an EBT card, they may call either 1-800-997-7777 or the community partner/county office number for their region below. If the household needs to report an address change, the household should call the community partner/county office associated with the target geographical area:

ARCHS 1-314-289-5631 (for St. Louis)
LINC 1-816-410-8367 (for Kansas City)
MCCC 1-573-683-7551 (for Mississippi County)
FSD 1-573-226-3295, Ext. 231 (for Shannon County)
UL 1-314-261-7880 (for Ferguson)
NMCFRC 1-573-748-2708 (for New Madrid County)
PIN 1-573-333-5301 (for Pemiscot County)

Priority SEBTC Benefits

SEBTC benefits are priority benefits again in 2018. This means that the SEBTC benefits can be accessed and used before the Food Stamp benefits, even if there are still Food Stamp benefits available on the card. Families who prefer to save Food Stamp benefits will no longer have to spend the Food Stamp benefits before they access the SEBTC benefits. This allows households to utilize the SEBTC benefits by August 14, 2018, and still save the Food Stamp benefits.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

PL/rt