Effective Date - July 1, 2006

1205 Establishing a Food Stamp Certification period         

Food Stamps – 7 CFR 273.2; 273.10

A.    Establish a definite period of time within which an Assistance unit is eligible to receive benefits.

B.       DO NOT change the Certification period once it is set except:

1.    By termination when the Assistance unit becomes Ineligible, or

2.    By increasing the certification period up to the maximum allowed when an expedited assistance unit has provided requested verifications within the 30-day processing period.

C.   DO NOT require a face-to-face interview when circumstances change during the certification period, a worker may request a face-to-face interview.

D.   Base the certification period:

1.    On calendar months never to exceed 12 months; and

2.    From date of Application; or

3.        From the Date of eligibility if the assistance unit is not eligible from the date of application, including the special considerations for an institutionalized individual (Section 401), migrant farmworker (Section 406) or a striker (Section 504).

E.    DO NOT count a Prorated benefit Month when determining the length of the certification period.

F.    Certify the assistance unit for only the month of application when:

1.    Entitled to benefits in the initial month but not in subsequent months; or

2.    Verification has been postponed due to expedited services, including migrant and seasonal farmworkers (see Sections 401, 405 and 406).

G.   Certify the assistance unit for the month of application and the following full month when:

1.    The assistance unit has applied after the 15th of the month and verification has been postponed due to expedited services.

H.       Certify an assistance unit described below for no less than three months:

1. An assistance unit with fluctuating income;
2. An assistance unit with zero income;
3. A homeless assistance unit;
4. An assistance unit containing an ABAWD (see Sections 706 and 707); or
5. An assistance unit whose only earned income is exempt, i.e. wages of a full-time high school student.

I. Certify assistance units with stable earned/unearned income for six months.

J. Certify assistance units described below for up to 12 months:
1. A self-employed assistance unit:
a. Base the certification period on the predictability of the circumstances of the assistance unit;
b. Match the certification period with filing of tax returns if annualized income is used.

K. Certify assistance units described below for up to 24 months:
1. All adult members are elderly or disabled and have no earned income providing other circumstances appear stable;
2. Contact the assistance unit every 12 months to verify eligibility information;
3. Contact can be defined as, but not limited to, telephone interview, home visit, authorized representative, in-office face-to-face, change report, or written correspondence.

L. Certify the following for the period specified:
1. For the period of time a migrant farmworker assistance unit anticipates being in Wyoming;
2. For the semester or school term when a student assistance unit has no countable earned income;
3. For up to six months when a POWER, TANF or Tribal TANF assistance unit has no countable earned income.