The Research Packet For THE SNAP TASK FORCE. Meeting of May, 2017

Transcription

1 The Research Packet For THE SNAP TASK FORCE Meeting of May, Prepared by the staff of Benefits Access, Food Bank For New York City 39 Broadway, 10th Fl. New York NY Tel: Fax:

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1. Questions and Answers Concerning SNAP: Eligibility, Certification, and Employment and Training Provisions FY SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants... New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).. 1. General Information System 17 TA/DC018: Redesigned I-551 Permanent Resident Green Card and I-766 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Press Release: Governor Cuomo Announces $3 Million in Federal Funding Available to New Yorkers To Receive Cooling Assistance New York State SNAP Participation and Benefit Value in February New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA).. 1. Policy Bulletins and Directives.. Policy Directive #17-09-OPE: Requests for Replacement of Stolen SNAP Benefits and/or Cash Assistance.. Policy Bulletin #17-44-OPE: Protecting Common Benefit Identification Card (CBIC) Information.. Policy Bulletin #17-46-OPE: Revisions to the Fair Hearing Resolution Notice Reports and Notable Items from Other Sources. 1. Reports From Food Research and Action Center.. SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More Than 2 Million People in February, the Lowest Level in Six Years SNAP Helps Millions of Low-Wage Workers, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities Hunger and Poverty in the Media Local News... Fewer New Yorkers Living In Near-Poverty For First Time Since Great Recession: Mayor, Metro US How New York City is Solving the Puzzle of Out-of-Work Youth, Crain s NY Business. 2. National News.. Shaming Children So Parents Will Pay the School Lunch Bill, New York Times. More Salt in School Lunch, Less Nutrition Info on Menus: Trump Rolls Back Food Rules, NPR 3. International News. Obama Comes Out of Hiding to Talk Food and Climate Change, Eater.. Worsening Hunger Crises Stoke Global Migration U.N. Study, Thomson Reuters APPENDICES Appendix A: EBT Customer Service ARU PIN Restriction Permission Form (EBT-64).. Appendix B: Request for Replacement of SNAP Benefits Stolen from the EBT System (W130B). Appendix C: Fair Hearing Resolution Notice (FHA-1) Page 2

3 I. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CONCERNING SNAP: ELIGIBILITY, CERTIFICATION, AND EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROVISIONS, MAY 3, < USDA FNS published final rulemaking 1 earlier this year titled Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Eligibility, Certification, and Employment and Training Provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of This memorandum provides a number of questions and answers related to this rule. Dependent Care Cap Removal USDA FNS eliminated the cap for dependent care expenses on October 1, Regulatory changes are effective May 8, Transportation to and from dependent care facilities may be allowable as a part of a household s total dependent care costs o Verification of these expenses is not required unless the amount is considered questionable Dependent care expenses are allowable as a SNAP deduction if they are necessary for a household member to search for employment, or to accept or continue employment, training, or education in preparation for a job. Activity fees (i.e. fees necessary for household to participate in care) may be deductible if they are specific and identifiable. Examples include, but are not limited to: o Class fees for an after-school program or adult day care program o Equipment fees for attending a sports camp o The cost of field trips sponsored by summer camps Dependent care costs are allowed for all children under the age of 18, or adults who are incapcitated Incapacitation refers to a permanent or temporary condition that prevents an individual from participating fully in normal activities without supervision [ ] and that required the care of another person to ensure that individual s health and safety 1 Page 3

4 Copies of applications in electronic formats State agencies must offer households a copy of their completed applications, regardless of the application method The copy may be requested and provided in a paper or electronic format by the state agency to the client Administrative waivers The final rule enables State agencies to use a telephone interview rather than a face-to-face interview without the need for a hardship waiver A face-to-face interview must still be made available to households who request one at application or recertification A home-based interview may only be provided to households who request one and meet established hardship criteria 2. FY SNAP PROCESS AND TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS, APRIL 18, < The application submission period is now open for State agencies and their community-/faith-based partners to apply for Process and Technology Grants for the SNAP program. These grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to fund efforts to develop and implement: Simple SNAP application and eligibility determination systems; or, Measures to improve access to SNAP benefits by eligible applicants USDA FNS aims to award $5 million in funding over a three-year project period. The agency seeks diverse proposals that increase ease of access and efficiency for SNAP applicants and participants. Recommended methodologies include new or improved technologies, data analytics, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), and community partnerships. Projects that serve traditionally underserved populations are highly encouraged. The grants will focus on the following priority areas: Modernization and innovation of office operations Improved customer service Increased efficiencies in case management Applications are due to Grants.gov by June 19,. Page 4

5 II. NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE 1. GENERAL INFORMATION SYSTEM 17 TA/DC018: REDESIGNED I-551 PERMANENT RESIDENT GREEN CARD AND I-766 EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION DOCUMENT (EAD) < Effective May 1,, USCIS began issuing new versions of the I-551 Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) and I-766 Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). New features have been added to make the cards more secure and tamper-resistant. Some Green Cards and EADs will continue to be issued in the previous design until existing supplies of card stock run out. Both versions of the cards are valid until the expiration date on the card. I-551 New Design (effective May 1, ) I-551 Existing Design (valid until expiration) Page 5

6 I-766 New Design (effective May 1, ) I-766 Existing Design (valid until expiration) 2. PRESS RELEASE: GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING AVAILABLE TO NEW YORKERS TO RECEIVE COOLING ASSISTANCE, MAY 1, < The HEAP Cooling Assistance Program began accepting applications on May 1,. The program provides eligible households with a one-time benefit for the purchase and installation (up to $800) of an air conditioner or fan. HEAP Cooling Assistance is not a cash benefit. Eligible households include those who received a HEAP benefit during the current program year, or are currently receiving SNAP To qualify for a Cooling Assistance HEAP benefit, a household must meet the following criteria: Include an individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by heat. Does not have a working air conditioner that is five years old or older Did not receive a HEAP-funded air conditioner within the past ten years or Temporary Assistance. Applications are available on NYC HRA s website at < Page 6

7 JANUARY FEBRUARY PERCENT CHANGE JANUARY FEBRUARY PERCENT CHANGE JANUARY FEBRUARY PERCENT CHANGE JANUARY FEBRUARY PERCENT CHANGE JANUARY FEBRUARY PERCENT CHANGE FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY Assistance is available on a first-come, first-served basis until August 31, or until funding runs out. The application should be mailed to the following address: Home Energy Assistance Program/HEAP P.O. Box 1401 Church Street Station New York, NY NEW YORK STATE SNAP PARTICIPATION AND BENEFIT VALUE IN FEBRUARY According to the latest data from OTDA, SNAP participation in New York State decreased from January to February. The number of persons, households, and benefits all showed a decrease of nearly one percentage point. However, the average household size and benefits awarded to each household were largely unchanged over the month. The dip in SNAP participation was most notable in NYC, where SNAP participants and benefits decreased by more than a percentage point. Overall, 1,678,623 individuals participated in SNAP citywide in February, receiving $244,560,042 in benefits. PERSONS HOUSEHOLDS BENEFITS New York State New York City Rest of State 2,944,348 2,922, % 1,625,767 1,614, % $403,624,829 $400,209, % 1,696,761 1,678, % 955, , % $247,470,663 $244,560, % 1,247,587 1,243, % 670, , % $156,154,166 $155,649, % AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE AVERAGE BENEFITS PER HOUSEHOLD New York State % $ $ % New York City % $ $ % Rest of State % $ $ % Page 7

8 III. NEW YORK CITY HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION 1. POLICY BULLETINS AND DIRECTIVES POLICY DIRECTIVE #17-09-OPE: REQUESTS FOR REPLACEMENT OF STOLEN SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS AND/OR CASH ASSISTANCE, MAY 5, This directive provides updated instructions on how to process a request a replacement of stolen SNAP benefits or Cash Assistance. SNAP benefits that were allegedly stolen may only be replaced if: SNAP participants are reminded to keep their PIN number confidential, and never allow anyone (even store cashiers) to see them enter their PIN. The client contacted EBT Customer Service to report a lost, stolen or compromised EBT card and request a deactivation of their EBT card and/or PIN restriction; AND, EBT Customer Service or HRA failed to take the necessary steps to deactivate the card or process the PIN restriction SNAP participants who report that their EBT card was lost, stolen or compromised, are advised to call EBT Customer Service, which is responsible for disabling the card. The participant will then be instructed to come into the SNAP Center to fill out a Restriction Permission Form (See Appendix A), a Request for Replacement of SNAP Benefits (See Appendix B), and request a new EBT card and PIN number. The PIN should be restricted within one hour of submitting the permission form, and one hour prior to requesting a new EBT card. HRA will make a determination if EBT Customer Service or HRA failed to take the necessary steps to deactivate/restrict the existing card/pin number, and issue replacement benefits if eligible. POLICY BULLETIN #17-44-OPE: PROTECTING COMMON BENEFIT IDENTIFICATION CARD (CBIC) INFORMATION, APRIL 14, This bulletin instructs HRA staff to protect the confidentiality of applicant/participation information and records, including the Common Benefit Identity Card (CBIC) / EBT number and PIN access code. To this end, staff will discontinue the practice of scanning and indexing a CBIC into the HRA OneViewer. In addition, CBIC card information should not be added to any record. Whenever an applicant/participant reports suspicious activity, HRA will refer the client to contact HRA s Bureau of Fraud Investigation Hotline at (718) or the NYC Department of Investigation at (212) to report the activity. HRA will also report the claims independently, and allow the individual to add a pin restriction, and/or add a security password to prevent unauthorized users from changing the PIN. Page 8

9 February 2016 January February FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY POLICY BULLETIN #17-46-OPE: REVISIONS TO THE FAIR HEARING RESOLUTION NOTICE, APRIL 26, The Fair Hearing Resolution Notice (FHA-1) informs SNAP applicants/participants of the resolution to a Fair Hearing request and specifies the actions taken by HRA. The notice has been revised to make it easier to read, conforming to HRA s plainlanguage guidelines. See Appendix C for a sample copy. IV. Reports and Notable Items from Other Sources 1. REPORTS FROM FOOD RESEARCH AND ACTION CENTER (FRAC): SNAP OVER-THE-YEAR PARTICIPATION DOWN MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE IN FEBRUARY, THE LOWEST LEVEL IN SIX YEARS < According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), SNAP participation decreased by 421,330 persons nationally from January to February, the last month in which data is available. FRAC attributes the over-the-month decrease to improved economic conditions, coupled with SNAP time limits pushing some jobless adults off of SNAP. Nine of ten states with the highest declines in SNAP participation either had no time limit waivers, or only partial area waivers. Over the same time period, New York State s SNAP participation decreased by less than one percentage point. Meanwhile, over-the-year SNAP participation decreased by 2,119,565 people nationally, and by 49,576 people in New York State. % Change February 2016 to February % Change January to February New York 2,972,012 2,944,348 2,922, % -0.7% Nationwide 44,382,926 42,684,691 42,263, % -1.0% Data source: Page 9

10 2. SNAP HELPS MILLIONS OF LOW-WAGE WORKERS, CENTER FOR BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES, MAY 10, < SNAP provides a critical lifeline to millions of workers who suffer from low and fluctuating pay, unpredictable scheduling, and few benefits. Over the next decade, the number of Americans working in occupation with median wages below the poverty line is expected to rise. A recent analysis that found that 30 percent of Americans work in jobs with pay that would barely lift a family above the poverty line, even if they were working full-time, year-round. This report argues that SNAP not only helps the working poor keep food on the table, but is also structured to support their ongoing participation in work The majority of working SNAP recipients is employed in service, administrative, support, or sales occupations careers which tend to have median wages below the poverty threshold. In some service occupations (e.g. personal care aides, food prep workers, dishwashers, etc.,) at least one-quarter of all workers receive SNAP. Furthermore, these jobs tend to be part-time, have irregular scheduling, and lack benefits like sick leave and health insurance. As a result, many low-wage workers struggle to retain employment and advance in their careers. Despite these challenges, the authors note that many low-wage workers cycle in and out of SNAP eligibility. Many receive SNAP for part of the year while they are between jobs or earn less, and stop participating when their work hours and/or pay increases. SNAP provides an immediate, monthly nutrition supplement during unemployment/underemployment spells, unlike other programs which often have a waiting list. The program also supports work by basing eligibility on household income and expenses, and offers an earned income deduction for work-related expenses. Page 10

11 V. Hunger and Poverty in the Media 1. LOCAL NEWS FEWER NEW YORKERS LIVING IN NEAR-POVERTY FOR FIRST TIME SINCE GREAT RECESSION: MAYOR, METRO US, MAY 16, < The Mayor s Office for Economic Opportunity predicts that 281,000 New Yorkers will be lifted out of poverty/near-poverty by the end of. The agency released a new report which looks at trends in the city poverty rate from 2005 to In 2015, the near-poverty rate (percentage of those living below 150 percent of the poverty line) declined to 44.2 percent in 2015 from 45.1 percent in This drop represents the first significant drop in the near-poverty rate since the Great Recession, and was consistent among demographic groups like men, women, childless families, single parents, Hispanics, non-hispanic whites, and African-Americans. Furthermore, the amount of New Yorkers making more than $50,000 annually reached its highest level in 10 years. HOW NEW YORK CITY IS SOLVING THE PUZZLE OF OUT-OF-WORK YOUTH, CRAIN S NEW YORK BUSINESS, MAY 17, < New York City ranks near the bottom of 100 large U.S. cities in its youth employment rate. Gabrielle Fialkoff, director of the city s Center for Youth Employment, argues that are not enough work opportunities for the city s youth. As a result, teens and young adults miss out on opportunities to explore career interests, develop mentors, and learn job skills that can set them on a path towards a fulfilling career. Furthermore, the city estimates that it loses $1 million in tax revenues and added social spending for disconnected youth who are neither in school nor working over their lifetimes. Fialkoff s office is partnering with employers, city agencies, and foundations to increase capacity in the city s youth workforce programs, prioritizing support for youth in low-income families. Though the office only opened in 2014, the number of organizations hiring high school/college graduates as summer interns has grown to more than 600 in from just 87 in Page 11

12 2. NATIONAL SHAMING CHILDREN SO PARENTS WILL PAY THE SCHOOL LUNCH BILL, NEW YORK TIMES, APRIL 30, < Parents and students have criticized the common school practice of holding children publicly accountable for their school lunch debt. They have accused cafeteria workers of engaging in lunch shaming, such as throwing away their food, providing an alternative cold lunch, or branding the meals with markers. Former Agriculture Under Secretary Kevin Concannon notes that meal debt has been a longstanding school issue for decades. A School Nutrition Association report found that nearly 75 percent of school lunch programs had unpaid meal debt. The Department of Agriculture has required schools to establish a formal policy on how to treat children with unpaid meal debt. The agency provided a list of preferred alternatives such as working out payment plans with parents and allowing children to eat hot meals, even if they have an unpaid balance. In a guidance document, the department offered suggestions like school fund-raisers and random acts of kindness funding. MORE SALT IN SCHOOL LUNCH, LESS NUTRITION INFO ON MENUS: TRUMP ROLLS BACK FOOD RULES, NPR, MAY 2, < The Trump administration will delay a mandate requiring schools to continue reducing sodium levels in the meals they serve, as well as a rule requiring restaurants and food retailers to post calorie information on menus. According to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue, the decision will give school cafeterias more flexibility to meet the federal nutrition standards set by the Obama administration. The move was cheered by the School Nutrition Association, which lobbies for school cafeteria administrators nationwide. However, nutrition and child welfare advocates argue that delaying the mandate rolls back standards championed by former first lady Michelle Obama. Howell Wechsler is the CEO of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which worked with more than 35,000 to implement healthier meal standards. In a statement, he commented: We would not lower standards for reading, writing and arithmetic just because students found them challenging subjects, and we should not do it for school nutrition either. Page 12

13 3. INTERNATIONAL OBAMA COMES OUT OF HIDING TO TALK FOOD AND CLIMATE CHANGE, EATER, MAY 9, < In one of his first public events since the 2016 presidential election, former President Barack Obama emphasized the importance of addressing climate change and food security in the 21 st century. Obama shared the stage with his former chef and current food policy advocate Sam Kass at a Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan. The discussion topics ranged from the politics of food and agriculture, the convergence of food and healthcare, to the role of science in generating a sustainable food future. In his comments, the President noted the impact of food production on climate change. He cited the challenge of educating the public about greenhouse gas emissions, while respecting their individual choice on what to eat and what to grow. WORSENING HUNGER CRISES STOKE GLOBAL MIGRATION U.N. STUDY, THOMSON REUTERS, MAY 5, < A United Nations report finds that hunger and conflict are driving forces for mass migration, as 20 million people risk dying of starvation in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan, and Nigeria. The U.N s World Food Program notes that each percentage increase of food security causes the number of people to flee a country to by 1.9 percent. Furthermore, each year of prolonged conflict leads to refugee outflows increasing by 0.4 percent for each additional year of war. Approximately 65.3 million people were uprooted from their homes in 2015, and an estimated 1.6 million refugees and migrants fled to the European Union between Page 13

14 APPENDIX A Page 14

15 APPENDIX B Page 15

16 APPENDIX C Page 16

17 Page 17

18 Page 18

19 Page 19

20 FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY Page 20