STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health
Division of Public Assistance
TRANSMITTAL NUMBER: 2025-02
MANUAL: Alaska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
DATE: September 2, 2025
This update includes yearly changes to the income and utility standards that take effect October 1, 2025. We also added extensive revisions to Categorical Eligibility to include Broad Based Categorical Eligibility policy. Other changes are either technical in nature or clarifications that are the results of policy questions or suggestions from the field.
Highlights of these and other policy revisions are described below. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy & Program Development team at hss.dpa.policy@alaska.gov.
OVERVIEW OF CHANGES
MS 600-2 Definitions
- Added definition for Broad Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE).
- Added definition for TANFTemporary Assistance for Needy Families Funded Non-Cash Benefit.
MS 601-5(D) Denying the Application
- Added links to SNAP manual sections for verification requirements at initial application and recertification to determine proper denials of SNAP applications.
MS 602-1(A) Households
- Clarified the notes in sub-sections (5)(g) and (5)(h) for the Drug Felony Qualifying Condition Verification form (GEN 157) and the Felony Qualifying Condition Verification Form (GEN 158) to align with the verification verbiage that these forms are also required for verifying a client is 'satisfactorily serving' a period of probation or parole.
MS 602-1(E) Social Security Numbers
- Clarified further determining good cause for failure to comply with the requirement to apply for or provide a State agency with an SSNSocial Security Number.
MS 602-4(E) Shelter Deduction
- Clarified that a household is eligible for the SUA if the household lives in a multi-unit dwelling or an individual unit and receives a qualifying weatherization program payment per the 11/18/2024 FNS Final Rule.
- Updated the FFY 2026 homeless shelter deduction released by FNSFood and Nutrition Service.
MS 604-2(A) Interim Report
- Revised Note to include link to MS 601-2(A) for acceptable forms that can be used in lieu of the FSP 95SNAP Interim Report.
MS 605-6 Categorical Eligibility
- Added Broad Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) policy.
MS 605-7(L) Permanent Fund Dividend Special Processing
- Replaced link to Addendum 10 EIS Notices for PFD Hold Harmless with link to Admin MS 108-5.
Addendum 1 City and Village Classification
- Removed Geographic Area codes as they pertain to back-end system coding only.
Addendum 4 Program Standards and Maximum Allotments
- Updated the FFYFederal Fiscal Year 2026 maximum allotments and utility standards released by FNSFood and Nutrition Service.
- Added BBCEBroad Based Categorical Eligibility Gross Income Limits.
Addendum 7 SNAP Budget Work Sheets
- Added entry and link to Eforms website for SNAP Budget Worksheet FSP 76 (06-4197) for Broad Based Categorical Eligibility.
Addendum 10 EIS Notices for PFD Hold Harmless
- Removed Addendum 10 as PFD HHPermanent Fund Dividend Hold Harmelss notices are listed in the Admin Manual.
Addendum 11 Countable and Excluded Income for SNAP