604-4 E.      ADDING A MEMBER TO THE HOUSEHOLD

New members entering a participating SNAP household bring their income and resources with them.  When the household reports a new household member, verify the new member's residency, citizenship or alien status, social security number, IPVIntentional Program Violation status, felon status as listed in SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program MS 602-1A(5)(g) and (h), resources, and income following the requirements listed in SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program MS 601-4.  A notice must be sent giving the household at least ten days to provide this information.

Note:

To ensure that applicants, recipients, and newly added household members have not been disqualified for an IPVIntentional Program Violation in another state, Eligibility Technicians must look up the applicant/household members in eDRSElectronic Disqualified Recipient System prior to approving SNAP benefits.

Exception:   

For newborns, obtain verification of citizenship and social security number at the next recertification.

Consider both the new member's and old member's income and resources in determining eligibility.  If eligible, determine the allotment amount.  If ineligible, close the case and send notice of adverse action.

Include the new person as a household member effective the month following the receipt of the report of the new member, provided the person is in the home and all the verification is submitted by the end of the period provided in the notice.

Note:

A person cannot participate as a member of more than one household in any month.

Exception:   

Residents of shelters for battered men, women, and children. See MS 601-1 A.

If the addition of the household member results in an increase in the allotment, the caseworker will make the change effective the month following the month the change was reported.  If the change is reported too late to adjust the following month allotment, the caseworker will issue a supplemental benefit by the 10th of the next month.
 

Example:   

Household reports a new member on July 28.  Verification is requested on August 5, and household provides it on August 15.  August SNAP benefits have already been issued.  A supplemental August benefit for the new member must be issued by September 10.

When a client reports a new household member has joined the household in the month following the original report, the household member is added to the case effective the 1^st of the current month. The earliest the household can report a new household member is in the month prior to the month in which the person arrives in the home.

Example:  

Bryon calls the office on May 20th to report that his 10 year old son, Chris, is moving in with him in June. The caseworker asks Bryon to call and report when Chris is actually in the home. On June 10th, Bryon calls back and reports his son moved in on June 6th and is now living with him. The caseworker will add Chris to the case effective June 1st and issue a supplement to the household.

When it is reported that a SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program household member gives birth to a newborn in the month following the original report, the newborn is added to the case effective the 1st of the current month. The earliest the household can report a child's birth is in the month prior to the month in which the child is born.  

Example:

Leila reports on April 29th that the baby is due on May 25th.  The worker suggests that the client contact the agency again when the baby is born.  The client calls on June 2nd saying the baby was born on May 31st.  The child is added to the household effective June 1st.

Note: 

When a child is born and placed into OCSOffice of Children's Services custody, verification of custody is required before the newborn child can be added to the appropriate household. 

If the addition of the household member results in a decrease in the allotment, the change is effective the issuance month following the expiration of the adverse action notice.

If the addition of the household member results in ineligibility and case closure, the case is closed effective the month following the expiration of the adverse action notice period.

If the household fails to provide the verification needed to add the person to the SNAP case, and the verification is necessary to determine continued eligibility, close the case following adverse action notice requirements.  If eligibility for the remaining household members can be determined without the verification, disqualify the new household member.  Disqualified members cannot be added to the case until the month following receipt of all required verification.