HAR §17-663-92. Participation of SSI households

(a) SSI applicants or recipients who have not applied for SNAP benefits in the thirty preceding days, or who do not have applications pending may apply for and participate in SNAP as SNAP only households. Households applying simultaneously for SSI and SNAP benefits shall be subject to SNAP eligibility criteria, and benefit levels shall be based solely on SNAP eligibility criteria until the household is considered categorically eligible. However, households in which all members are either TANF or SSI recipients or authorized to receive TANF or SSI benefits shall be SNAP eligible based on their TANF/SSI status. (b) Households in which all members are partici- pating in the SSI program shall have the option of applying for SNAP benefits at the Social Security Administration (SSA) office. (c) Except for applications for residents of public institutions who apply jointly for SSI and SNAP benefits prior to their release from the institution, the departmental office receiving SSA forwarded appli- cations shall make an eligibility determination and issue SNAP benefits to eligible SSI households within thirty days following the date the applications were received by the SSA office. (1) Applications shall be considered filed for normal processing purposes when the signed applications are received by the SSA. (2) Expedited processing time standards shall begin on the date the appropriate SNAP application office receives a signed SNAP application. (A) The department shall prescreen all applications received from the SSA for entitlement to expedited services on the day the applications are received at the correct SNAP office. (B) All SSI households entitled to expedited service shall be certified in accordance §17-663-92 663-57 with established procedures for expedited services. (3) SNAP applications and supporting documents sent to an incorrect office shall be sent to the correct office by the receiving unit on the same day. (d) For residents of public institutions who apply for benefits prior to their release from the institution, the filing date of their application shall be the date of their release from the institution. (1) The department shall make an eligibility determination and issue SNAP benefits to the residents of public institutions within thirty days following the date of the applicant's release from the institution. (2) Expedited processing time standards for an applicant who has applied for SNAP benefits and SSI prior to release shall also begin on the date of the applicant's release from the institution. (3) The SSA shall notify the department of the date of release of the applicant from the institution. If, for any reason, the department is not notified on a timely basis of the applicant's release date, the department shall restore benefits to the applicant back to the date of release. (e) Households in which all members are applying for or participating in SSI shall not be subjected to an office interview at the SNAP office. (1) The department’s eligibility worker shall not contact the household further in order to obtain information for certification for SNAP benefits unless: (A) The application is improperly completed; (B) Mandatory verification required by chapter 17-647 is missing; or (C) The eligibility worker determines that certain information on the application is questionable. (2) Any additional contact with the household shall be by telephone or mail. (f) The SSA shall refer non-SSI households and households in which not all members have applied for or §17-663-92 663-58 received SSI to the correct office. These applications shall be processed in accordance with procedures for regular applications for SNAP benefits. [Eff 3/19/93; am and comp 11/19/05; am and comp 10/07/10] (Auth: HRS §346- 14) (Imp: 7 C.F.R. §273.2(j) and (k))