EMERGENCY RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Date of Adoption: April 27, 2004.
Purpose: Amend WAC 388-414-0001 Do I have to meet all eligibility requirements for Basic Food? The change to this rule is necessary to adopt federal requirements for the food stamp program related to income and resource eligibility for clients who are eligible for another department benefit or service.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-414-0001 Do I have to meet all eligibility requirements for Basic Food?
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510.
Other Authority: 7 C.F.R. 273.2(j).
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest; and that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.
Reasons for this Finding: The United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) publishes regulations related to the food stamp program administered by DSHS under the Washington Basic Food program. In accordance with 7 C.F.R. 273.2(j), this rule change in this filing is necessary to extend categorical eligibility to Washington residents who meet the gross income test for the food stamp program. If the changes were not adopted, some income-eligible clients would be prevented from participating in the Basic Food program.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
Pilot Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
or Other Alternative Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 1,
Repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule:
May 1, 2004.
April 27, 2004
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
3392.1(a) Categorical eligibility (CE) means that you have already met requirements for a program. If you are CE, you do not have to meet every program requirement to be eligible for Basic Food. If your assistance unit (AU) is CE, you automatically meet the following requirements for Basic Food:
(i) Countable resource limit under WAC 388-470-0005;
(ii) Maximum gross monthly income under WAC 388-478-0060; and
(iii) Maximum net monthly income under WAC 388-478-0060.
(b) Being CE does not mean that your AU is guaranteed to get Basic Food benefits. If your AU is CE:
(i) You must still meet the other Basic Food program requirements under WAC 388-400-0040; and
(ii) If you meet the other program requirements, we must budget your AU's income to determine the amount of benefits your AU will receive.
(2) Who is categorically eligible for Basic Food?
Your Basic Food AU is CE when:
(a) Every member of your AU gets either general assistance (GA), Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Support Act (ADATSA), or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cash benefits on their own behalf;
(b) Any member of your AU gets or is authorized to get payments from the following programs because we have determined that the entire AU benefits from someone receiving the assistance:
(i) Temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) cash assistance;
(ii) State family assistance (SFA); or
(iii) Diversion cash assistance (DCA). You are CE for the month you receive DCA and the three following months as long as you have one adult relative caretaker with a dependent child in the Basic Food AU.
(c) Your AU's income that we don't exclude under WAC 388-450-0015 is not over the maximum gross monthly income under WAC 388-478-0060. If your income is not over the gross monthly income limit, we provide your AU information about department programs and referral to resources in the community.
(3) Who is not CE even if my AU meets the above criteria?
(a) Even if your AU is CE, members of your AU are not eligible for Basic Food if they:
(i) Are not eligible because of their alien or student status;
(ii) Were disqualified from Basic Food under WAC 388-444-0055 for failing work requirements;
(iii) Are not eligible for failing to provide or apply for a Social Security number;
(iv) Receive SSI in a cash-out state (state where SSI payments are increased to include the value of the client's food stamp allotment); or
(v) Live in an institution not eligible for Basic Food under WAC 388-408-0040.
(b) If a person in your AU is not eligible for Basic Food, we do not include them as an eligible member of your CE AU.
(c) Your AU is not CE if:
(i) Your AU is not eligible because of striker requirements under WAC 388-480-0001;
(ii) Your AU is ineligible for knowingly transferring resources in order to qualify for benefits under WAC 388-488-0010;
(iii) Your AU refused to cooperate in providing information that is needed to determine your eligibility;
(iv) The head of household for your AU failed to meet work requirements; or
(v) Anyone in your AU is disqualified because of an intentional program violation under WAC 388-446-0015; or
(vi) Anyone in your AU is ineligible for Basic Food under WAC 388-442-0010 because of a conviction for a drug-related felony.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510. 04-07-139, § 388-414-0001, filed 3/22/04, effective 5/1/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.510. 01-07-054, § 388-414-0001, filed 3/16/01, effective 3/29/01; 00-11-035, § 388-414-0001, filed 5/10/00, effective 8/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-414-0001, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]