Residents of Shelters for Battered Individuals and Their Children

106 CMR 365.550 and the special provisions it contains, apply only to individuals residing in shelters for battered individuals and their children to whom the shelters provide meals. (A) Definition. A shelter for battered individuals and their children is defined as a public or private nonprofit facility that provides meals and lodging to battered individuals and their children. If a facility also serves other individuals, a portion of that facility must be set aside on a long-term basis to house only battered individuals and their children. Shelters that are authorized by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of USDA to redeem SNAP benefits at a wholesale food store meet this definition. No further assessment of the eligibility of these centers is necessary. (B) Household Definition. Individuals or individuals with their children residing in a shelter shall be considered individual household units for the purpose of applying for and participating in the program. (C) Residency and Participation. The restrictions in 106 CMR 362.100: Residency which prohibit an individual from participating as a member of more than one household or in more than one state in any given month do not apply to certain shelter residents. A shelter resident certified as a member of a household that contains the person who subjected him or her to abuse may apply for and, if eligible, receive an additional SNAP allotment as a separate household. Residents may receive an additional allotment as a separate household only once a month. The Department shall take action to adjust the benefits of the resident's former SNAP household either by shortening that household's certification period and issuing a Notice of SNAP Termination (106 CMR 364.840: Notice of SNAP Termination) or by acting on the reported change and issuing a Notice of Adverse Action (106 CMR 364.860: Notice of Adverse Action). (D) Financial Eligibility and Deductible Expenses. Shelter residents who apply as separate households shall be certified solely on the basis of their income, assets, and the shelter expenses for which they are liable. The income, assets, and shelter expenses of their former household shall be disregarded. Assets held jointly with members of the former household shall be handled in accordance with 106 CMR 363.120: Jointly-owned Assets. Room payments to the shelter shall be considered shelter expenses. (E) Expedited Processing. Residents who are otherwise entitled to expedited certification and issuance shall be issued benefits in accordance with expedited issuance standards set forth in 106 CMR 364.900(A): Initial SNAP Benefit Issuance.