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Overview
There are
two Food Stamp programs in Connecticut. One is federally funded by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and
locally by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). This program is for
U.S. citizens who are Connecticut residents.
The second program is state funded and
administered by DSS for legal immigrants who do not qualify for federally funded Food
Stamps solely because of their immigration status. These non-citizens entering the U.S. on
or after 4/1/98 must reside in Connecticut at least six months.
The benefits are the same in both programs.
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Application Process
Seniors
(age 60 and older) may apply for food stamps at their local DSS office or through the mail
and qualify through a telephone interview. SSI recipients can apply for Food Stamps
and receive help with the application process at their local Social Security office.
Seniors may designate in writing an authorized representative to apply and be
interviewed on their behalf. (This authorized representative may also purchase food
with the senior's EBT card.) The general application processing time is 30
days. If the senior's monthly income is less than $150 and assets less than $100, or
the senior's liquid assets are less than rent (or mortgage) plus utilities, Food Stamps
are to be provided within 7 calendar days of the application.
For more information or to apply for food stamps, contact your
local regional
office of the Department of Social Services.
To obtain a food stamp application (W-1FOOD) in English click here.
To obtain a food stamp application (W-1FOOD) in Spanish click here.
To obtain a 16-page combined application (W1-F) for food stamps,
state supplement, Medicaid, SAGA, and home care for elders, click here.
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Eligibility
Household composition
Food stamp households (also called "assistant units")
consist of one or more persons who live and prepare meals together, whether or not they
are related. In general, income and assets from all household members count in
determining food stamp eligibility.
An
elderly individual and his or her spouse may choose to be a separate
food stamp assistant unit from the rest of the household if the senior
is incapable of preparing meals or
buying food due to disability and gross household income (excluding the
income of the elderly/disabled individual and spouse) is less than
165% of the Food Stamp Adjusted
Income Limit (e.g., $1490 for household of one, $2004 for household of
two - changes every October 1st).
Categorical eligibility
If an
elderly individual receives or is authorized to receive benefits from another welfare
program such as the State Supplement and SSI programs, the elderly FS household is not
subject to the Food Stamp gross and net income tests.
Assets
The asset limit is $3000 for households with at least one elderly
or disabled member (limit is $2000 for non-elderly or non-disabled households).
Assets not counted towards the $3000 asset limit
include: home property used as principal residence by the senior, all essential
household items, all personal effects, one burial fund per household member up to $1500
value, one burial plot per household member, irrevocable burial fund up to $5400, cash
value of life insurance policies, cash value of pension plans, an automobile, other
inaccessible assets, and assets owned by an assistant unit member who receives SSI or
State Supplement.
Transfer of Assets
An
elderly individual is ineligible for food stamps if he transfers an asset in the three
months prior to application in order to get Food Stamps. The same is true if one
transfers an asset after receiving Food Stamps. This look-back period also applies to
ineligible members of food stamp household whose assets are counted in determining
eligibility.
Transfers of assets that do not count
against the person's eligibility: transfer of an excluded asset; transfer of an
asset whose value is below the asset limit; or a transfer for which fair market value was
received.
Applicants can avoid a penalty by waiting to
apply for Food Stamps for three months after any transfer has been made.
The maximum penalty is ineligibility for one year and the
minimum is ineligibility for one month. The penalty depends upon how much the amount
of the uncompensated asset plus other household assets exceeds the $3000 asset limit.
Income
Countable income in the Food Stamp program is earned income, such
as wages from employment, and unearned income, such as Social Security benefits, pensions,
interest, etc.
Excluded income examples are RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) and Foster
Grandparent payments.
S ome
monthly income disregards, deductions and allowances are a $141 standard
deduction from total earned and unearned income in households of
one to three, a 20% earned income
deduction, a portion of medical expense in excess of $35 (including the
cost of postage for mail order prescription drugs), all shelter costs
(maximum of $459) over half of the
household's income after other deductions, and a utility allowance of
either $720, $316 or $23 depending what utilities you are paying
for other special allowances. These
reduce one's income in the eligibility and benefit calculation.
Documentation of medical expenses must be provided before a
deduction can be applied.
Income eligibility
For households where one or more members is elderly
(60 or older) or disabled, there is no gross monthly income limit
for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP - previously
the Food Stamp program).
There is only an "applied income" test. This means that
the elderly or disabled person may qualify for food stamps if his or
her income is at or below
100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) after deductions for earned
income, medical expenses, shelter hardship, and the standard deduction
of $141.00
are
taken.
The applied monthly income limits after deductions for households
can be found at the USDA
Food and Nutrition web site.
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Benefits
Food stamp benefits are provided in the form of an electronic benefits card
(commonly known as an "EBT" card) that may be used to buy food items in most
retail food stores.
Food stamps can be used to buy food but not
alcohol, tobacco, paper supplies, pet food, toothpaste or soap. No sales tax can be
charged on anything purchased with food stamps.
Effective April 1, 2009,
the maximum benefit is $200 per month for a household of one, $367
for
a household of two, $526 for a
household of three, $668 for a household of four, $793 for a household
of five, and $952 for a household of six.
The minimum benefit is $10 per month.
Calculation of Benefits
Click here for an on-line food stamp calculator run by End
Hunger Connecticut!
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Appeal Rights
Hearing requests must be filed with DSS within 90 days of the
notice of action date. Benefits continue if the hearing request is filed within 10 days of
the notice of action. Hearing requests can be in
writing or by telephone to the address or telephone number below.
Department of Social Services
Office of
Legal Counsel, Regulations, and Administrative Hearings
25 Sigourney Street
Hartford, CT 06106
1-800-462-0134 (phone)
(860) 424-5729 (fax)
Unfavorable hearing decisions can be appealed to Connecticut
Superior Court.
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More Food Stamp
Information
To learn more about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
(food stamps) and hunger in general, visit the comprehensive Food
Research and Action Center website, the USDA
Food and Nutrition Service SNAP website (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program) and the End Hunger Connecticut! website that has a food
stamp calculator.
Read more about food stamp special rules for the elderly
and legal immigrants.
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Other Food Programs
Other DSS Benefits
State Supplement recipients can receive
increased benefits if a doctor prescribes a therapeutic diet.
State Supplement recipients can receive
additional cash benefits for restaurant meals under limited circumstances such as having a
disability that prevents meal preparation, lack of cooking facilities or living in a
shelter in which you are required to get meals out.
Elderly Nutrition Projects
In
addition to Food Stamps, the federal government funds Elderly Nutrition Projects that
provide at least one hot meal a day on weekdays. Those age 60 and over and their
spouses are eligible. These meals are provided at many different sites around the state
including senior centers, churches and elderly housing projects. Transportation to the
meal sites is available in some towns. There is no cost for this service, although
donations are encouraged.
Meals on Wheels
Meals are delivered to homebound elderly under the Meals on Wheels
program operated by the five Senior Resources agencies that serve Connecticut. There
is no charge for this program, but donations are encouraged.
Grocery Services
Several towns have Friendly Shopper programs. Trained
volunteers will take frail and isolated elderly persons grocery shopping or will pick up
groceries for them.
For more information on any of these programs, contact:
InfoLine by calling 211 or your local Senior Resources at
1-800-994-9422.
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