PDFWAC 388-408-0040

How does living in an institution affect my eligibility for basic food?

(1) For basic food, an "institution" means a place where people live that provides residents more than half of three meals daily as a part of their normal services.
(2) Most residents of institutions are not eligible for basic food.
(3) If you live in one of the following institutions, you may be eligible for basic food even if the institution provides the majority of your meals:
(a) Federally subsidized housing for the elderly;
(b) Qualified drug and alcohol treatment centers when an employee of the treatment center is the authorized representative as described under WAC 388-460-0010;
(c) Qualified developmental disabilities administration (DDA) group homes for persons with disabilities;
(d) A shelter for battered women and children when the resident left the home that included the abuser; or
(e) Nonprofit shelters for the homeless.
(4) A qualified DDA group home is a nonprofit residential facility that:
(a) Houses sixteen or fewer persons with disabilities as defined under WAC 388-400-0040(9); and
(b) Is certified by DDA.
(5) A qualified drug and alcohol treatment center is a residential facility that:
(a) Is authorized as a retailer by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service or operated by a private nonprofit organization; and
(b) Meets the department of health (DOH) residential substance use disorder treatment services licensing and certification rules in WAC 246-341-1108.
(6) The qualified drug and alcohol treatment center described in subsection (5) in this section must be:
(a) Receiving funds under part B of Title XIX of the Public Health Service Act;
(b) Eligible to receive funds under part B of Title XIX of the Public Health Service Act, but does not receive these funds; or
(c) Operating to further the purposes of part B of the Public Health Service Act to provide treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts or alcoholics.
(7) Elderly or disabled individuals and their spouses may use basic food benefits to buy meals from the following meal providers if FNS has approved them to accept basic food benefits:
(a) Communal dining facility; or
(b) Nonprofit meal delivery service.
(8) If you are homeless, you may use your basic food benefits to buy prepared meals from nonprofit organizations the department has certified as meal providers for the homeless.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120 and 7 C.F.R. 273.11. WSR 19-19-032, § 388-408-0040, filed 9/11/19, effective 10/12/19. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.500, 74.04.510, and 74.08A.120. WSR 15-16-022, § 388-408-0040, filed 7/24/15, effective 8/24/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090 and 7 C.F.R. 273.11. WSR 14-21-119, § 388-408-0040, filed 10/17/14, effective 11/17/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, 7 U.S.C. 2012 and 7 C.F.R. 273.1. WSR 06-24-024, § 388-408-0040, filed 11/29/06, effective 1/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04,055 [74.04.055], 74.04.057, 74.04.510. WSR 03-19-118, § 388-408-0040, filed 9/16/03, effective 11/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.510. WSR 01-21-060, § 388-408-0040, filed 10/16/01, effective 12/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. WSR 98-16-044, § 388-408-0040, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]