Field Ops Memo 2009-22: Spring 2009 SNAP Heat and Eat (H-EAT) Program Update

To date, approximately 98,000 SNAP households have received increased SNAP benefits as a result of the H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program. On the evening of April 24, 2009, approximately 62,000 SNAP households were selected for 2009 H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program  benefits. Approximately 38,000 are households who received the April 2008  H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program benefit. These households are eligible for a 2009 $1.00 H-EAT benefit. They will not see an increase in SNAP benefits because the Heating/Cooling Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) is already on file. Approximately 24,000 are newly eligible H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program households. For these households, May 2009 SNAP benefits will be recalculated using the Heating/Cooling SUA as anticipated recipients of the H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program. DHCD will enroll all households in the 2009 H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program and make $1.00 H-EAT fuel assistance benefits available. This memo will review H-EAT Fuel Assistance Program criteria, explain the responsibilities of DTA and DHCD, discuss notices to H-EAT clients, provide instructions for restoring lost SNAP benefits to H-EAT households and describe the DHCD client brochure. Note that certain households, including Bay State CAP cases, do not get the heating/cooling SUA.