MEMORANDUM

2011 Memorandums

IM-#29      05/31/11

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION
P.O. BOX 2320
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI
TO:
ALL COUNTY OFFICES
FROM:
ALYSON CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:
DISASTER FOOD ASSISTANCE

DISCUSSION:

On May 23, 2011, President Obama declared Jasper and Newton Counties to be major disaster areas due to the severe storms and tornadoes which struck the town of Joplin on May 22, 2011.  Missouri has been given approval to run a Disaster Food Assistance program in Joplin for zip codes 64801, 64802, 64803, and 64804.

This memorandum addresses:

DISASTER FOOD ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS

To apply for the Disaster Food Assistance program, households must complete a Disaster application.  This is a separate application from the regular Food Stamp Program.  These applications are available at the Missouri Southern State University application site, or by contacting the Food Stamp Program and Policy Unit at 573-751-3178.

Benefit Period/Disaster Period

The benefit period is the period of time a benefit is intended to cover.  The benefit period for the Joplin disaster is May 22, 2011 – June 20, 2011.  For purposes of this memorandum, the benefit period is also called the disaster period.

Application period

The application period is the period of time applications for Disaster Food Assistance are accepted.  The application period for the Joplin disaster is May 31, 2011 – June 9, 2011, including Saturday and Sunday.  Applications will be accepted from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day.

Applications will be accepted at the Justice Center on the Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) campus, located at 3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin.  If a household goes into the Jasper County FSD office to apply, applications may be accepted.  Applications may be accepted in other locations in Missouri if a former Joplin resident has moved to another area of the state.  Contact the Food Stamp Program and Policy Unit at 573-751-3178 for information on how to accept these applications.

Applications for Disaster Food Assistance must be processed and the benefits available in 3 calendar days.

Disaster Area

The disaster area is the area in which the disaster occurred and Disaster Food Assistance covers.  The disaster area for the Joplin disaster is the Joplin area within zip codes 64801, 64802, 64803, and 64804.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Eligibility for Disaster Food Assistance is determined by:

No other eligibility criteria apply to the Disaster Food Assistance Program, such as student criteria, work requirements, sanctions or disqualifications, noncitizen status, etc.

Disaster Criteria

To be eligible for Disaster Food Assistance, a household must meet one of the following criteria:

Net (take-home) Pay

The net income expected to be received during the Disaster period is counted.  Do not use gross income, but ask the amount of income they expect to bring home during the Disaster period, May 22 – June 20.  Do not include income received in May prior to May 22.

Accessible Liquid Resources

Only liquid resources that are readily accessible are counted.  This includes cash on hand, and funds in accessible checking and saving accounts. Do not count savings bonds, stocks, or CDs, installment or sales contracts, or notes receivables/deeds that are not readily accessible.  Exclude from resources disaster insurance payments, or disaster assistance received or expected to be received during the benefit period, and payments from Federal, state or county/local government agencies or disaster assistance organizations.

NOTE: The inaccessibility of resources must be carefully determined.  In this day of electronic banking and ATMs, the closure of a bank may not mean a household cannot access bank accounts.

Household Composition

A household consists of persons living and eating together prior to the tornado on May 22, 2011.  The household does not include individuals with whom the applicants are temporarily staying during the disaster.

Disaster Related Expenses

Disaster related expenses are expenses that the household has paid or expects to pay out-of-pocket during the disaster period.  If the household has received or anticipates receiving a reimbursement for these expenses during the disaster period, only the net expense is counted.

EXAMPLE: A household has an expense of $1000 but is going to be reimbursed $750 within the 30 day period.  The net $250 expense qualifies as a disaster related expense.

Disaster related expenses include:

Disaster related expenses are not the same as a household’s total loss.

If a household has net disaster related expenses greater than zero, allow the disaster expense standard.  The standards are included in the Joplin Disaster Expense Standard May 2011 chart.  The disaster standard is entered in the Total Disaster Expense field in the Disaster WIBCA.

Calculation

The calculation for Disaster Food Assistance is as follows:

The net income received or expected to be received, plus accessible liquid resources, minus disaster related expenses.  If the net amount is under the disaster gross income limit, the household is eligible for the maximum allotment for that household size.

EXAMPLE: A household of 5 has $1000 in net income for the disaster period, $250 in liquid resources, and $600 in disaster related expenses.

$1000 + $250 = $1250 - $600 = $650

The disaster gross income limit for a household of 5 is $2787, so this household qualifies for a disaster benefit of $793.

VERIFICATION

Identity

Verification of identity is mandatory.  A Disaster Food Assistance application cannot be approved until identity is verified.  Identity may be verified through one of the following sources:

A collateral contact statement will be provided to households who have no other sources of identification.

Other Verification

When possible, verify residency in the disaster area, loss of income, or inaccessibility of resources.  If it is not possible to verify these and they are not questionable, do not hold the Disaster Food Assistance application.

Verify household composition only if questionable.

A blank FA-325 form is being provided for staff to write in the information that the household needs to provide so staff can complete the Disaster Food Assistance application.

Replacement of Food Stamp benefits request

Follow normal policy for the replacement of Food Stamp benefits when food purchased with Food Stamp benefits is destroyed.  Missouri received a waiver to extend the time period to request Food Stamp replacement benefits to June 22, 2011. Refer to Email Memorandum IM-#29, dated May 26, 2011.

Simplified Reporting

If a household moves out of state due to the disaster, it is not required to be reported.  If a report is made that the household has moved, do not take action unless the household has applied for benefits in the other state.

If the household reports during the mid-certification review (MCR) that s/he has moved out of state, take the following action.

NECESSARY ACTION:

RT

2011 Memorandums