Revision 13-4; Effective October 1, 2013

 

B—451 Eligibility Requirements

Revision 22-1; Effective January 1, 2022

SNAP

People residing in a family violence shelter may potentially qualify for SNAP, regardless of the number of meals the shelter provides, if the family violence shelter is an approved institution. A family violence shelter is an approved institution if it is a:

• certified SNAP retailer; or
• public or private nonprofit facility.

Residents in family violence shelters that are not approved institutions may potentially qualify for SNAP, only if the facility provides half of their meals or less. Consider this when determining if a person who resides in a facility is institutionalized.

Residents in eligible family violence shelters may receive SNAP benefits as individual household units or as part of a group of individuals like any other household.

Residents in family violence shelters may apply for SNAP and use SNAP benefits on their own behalf. Residents may also appoint a shelter representative or another person to act as AR or secondary cardholder.

Residents in shelters must meet the same income and resource standards as other households. Resources held jointly with the abuser are considered inaccessible. Room payments to the shelter are considered shelter expenses. These households have the same rights to notices of adverse action, fair hearing, and lost benefits as other households. Residents should be registered for work unless otherwise exempt.

Normal processing standards for initial and ongoing eligibility decisions, handling reported changes and other actions and usual verification and documentation requirements apply to residents in shelters for battered persons.

Related Policy

Nonmembers, A-232.1
Determining Whether an Person Who Resides in a Facility Is Institutionalized, B-490

 

B—452 Approved Centers That Provide Meals

Revision 15-4; Effective October 1, 2015

SNAP

Family violence shelters that provide meals must be public or private nonprofit residential facilities that serve victims of family violence. If a facility serves other people, part of the facility must be set aside on a long-term basis to serve only family violence victims.

Advisors must verify the shelter's status as a nonprofit organization by seeing a current certificate from the IRS or a document from the Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts. If the shelter is a USDA-certified retailer, the shelter's eligibility is verified.

 

B—452.1 Buying Meals

Revision 13-4; Effective October 1, 2013

SNAP

Individual households may use their SNAP benefits to buy meals prepared for them at a shelter that is a USDA-certified retailer.

 

B—453 Authorized Representatives

Revision 01-3; Effective April 1, 2001

SNAP

Employees of facilities that are USDA-certified retailers may not be authorized to serve as AR/secondary cardholders unless HHSC decides that there are no other representatives available.

If the shelter is not a USDA-certified retailer, the household may authorize a shelter representative as secondary cardholder.

 

B—454 Participation Twice in Same Month

Revision 10-4; Effective October 1, 2010

SNAP

A shelter resident can qualify for a duplicate SNAP benefit in a single month if:

• the resident's former household already received benefits for the month; and
• the resident's former household was based on a household size that included the resident, any children, and the person who abused or threatened to abuse them.

 

B—454.1 Duplicate Participation Procedures

Revision 22-1; Effective January 1, 2022

SNAP

Remove the resident from the former household's case.

Special certification procedures based on entries made on the Living Arrangements logical unit of work (LUW) allow duplicate participation until the resident is removed from the former household. Establish a new SNAP case and food account if the person is the case name or has a Lone Star Card on the previous case. The person must complete a new Form H1010, Texas Works Application for Assistance — Your Texas Benefits.

If the person has not been removed from the former case:

• complete the certification process;
• issue the person a new Lone Star Card;
• pend card registration to enable the person to select a PIN through the Lone Star Help Desk; and
• issue benefits.

Related Policy

Issuing a Lone Star Card, B-233
Personal Identification Number (PIN) Selection, B-234
Benefit Issuance on Applications, B-252