IM-46 April 22, 2021; IM-27 April 2, 2010; IM-51 May 27, 2004
Use or disclosure of information obtained from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants or households, exclusively for SNAP, is restricted to the following persons:
- persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of the provisions of the Federal Regulations, other federal assistance programs, or federally-assisted state programs which provide assistance, on a means-tested basis, to low-income individuals. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- National School Lunch Program
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
- persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of the programs which are required to participate in the state income and eligibility verification system (IEVS) to the extent SNAP information is useful in establishing or verifying eligibility or benefit amounts under those programs
- persons directly connected with the verification of immigration status of non-citizens applying for SNAP benefits, through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program, to identify the individual for verification purposes
- employees of the Child Support Enforcement Unit are authorized to receive all SNAP case file information upon their request
- employees of the Comptroller General’s Office of the United States for audit examination authorized by any other provision of law
- employees of the Secretary of Health and Human Services are authorized to receive information necessary to establish or verify eligibility or benefits under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act
- federal old-age and survivors benefits (Social Security payments)
- state programs for the aged, blind, and disabled
- local, state, or federal law enforcement personnel, upon their written request, may receive the following information:
- any information provided by the household for the purpose of investigating an alleged violation of the Federal Regulations, or
- the address, social security number, and a photograph of the household member, if available, if the household member is fleeing to avoid prosecution or custody for a crime, or an attempt to commit a crime that is considered a felony, or is violating a condition of probation or parole.
The written request from law enforcement shall include:
- the identity of the individual requesting the information and his/her authority to do so
- the violation being investigated, and
- the identity of the person for whom the information is requested
No information obtained from SNAP applicants or households, exclusively for SNAP, can be given to anyone else outside the household, even with a signed release.