OLGT 2019-77: SNAP: Department Responsibility to Take Timely Action

Just as the Department provides immediate relief at application for SNAP applicants who qualify for expedited benefits, the Department also considers the emergency needs of clients who already receive SNAP benefits.  A SNAP client who experiences an exponential decrease in income and/or increase in expenses may be unable to wait until his/her next cyclical month to receive the benefit increase.
 
If a SNAP household verifies a decrease in income or an increase in expenses that reduces the net income in the SNAP benefit calculation to $0, the household is entitled to a related benefit for the cyclical month in which the change was reported.  Additionally, if the change is reported too late into the month to increase the benefits for the next cyclical period, the household must be issued a related benefit for the cyclical month in which the change was reported and also the subsequent month.