MEMORANDUM

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you of a Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) clarification and a new procedure for deleting incorrect claim members.

Clarification from FNS states if a responsible member of the claim can verify he/she was not in the Food Stamp eligibility unit (EU) during the claim period they are not responsible for the debt.

EXAMPLE: Ms. A applies for Food Stamp benefits for herself and her adult sister. Ms. A fails to report the EU income increased to over 130% of poverty, a claim is established including Ms. A's adult sister. Ms. A's adult sister states she did not live with Ms. A during the claim period and provides verification. The adult sister is not responsible for the debt.

Mandatory adult members of the EU, age 18 or over who was not reported in the Food Stamp household are responsible members of a claim.

EXAMPLE: Mr. B applied for himself and his three children. It is discovered his wife has been living in the home since the time of application and has income over the 130% of poverty making the EU ineligible for Food Stamp benefits.

Since the wife is a mandatory EU member she is also a responsible member of the Food Stamp claim.

NOTE: To add a responsible member to a Food Stamp claim follow instructions found in the CARS User Guide REGISTERING A DISCOVERY CLAIM REFERRAL AND ESTABLISHING A CLAIM.

At this time incorrect claim members cannot be deleted at the local level. When an incorrect claim member is discovered on an established claim, contact the Food Stamp Program and Policy Unit at ColeFSPolicy@dss.mo.gov to have the incorrect member deleted.

The CARS User Guide REMOVING RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS FROM AN ESTABLISHED CLAIM is obsolete.

NECESSARY ACTION:

• Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.

AC/cb