MFIP:
If an assistance unit applying for both MFIP and SNAP is eligible for expedited SNAP benefits, first determine if MFIP can be approved following all MFIP verification requirements within the expedited SNAP processing standards outlined in the SNAP provisions below. See 0010.18.01 (Mandatory Verifications – Cash Assistance).

If you can approve MFIP cash and food portion within the expedited SNAP processing standards, issue the cash and food benefits through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). This could include Rapid Electronic Issuance (REI). See TE16.04 (Rapid Electronic Issuance (REI)). There is no provision for issuing only the food portion of the MFIP grant on an expedited basis.

NOTE: If there are Uncle Harry Food Support unit members and MFIP can be approved right away, UHFS also needs to be approved right away to meet expedited processing standards.

If you are unable to approve MFIP within the expedited SNAP processing standards, leave MFIP pending and approve stand-alone SNAP for the unit. See the guidance below and 0004.48 (Destitute Units – Migrant/Seasonal Farmworker) for SNAP expedited assistance eligibility.

A unit member is ineligible for the food portion of MFIP for any month in which SNAP benefits have been issued. When you approve the MFIP grant, the amount of the food portion will be subtracted from the grant for any unit member who has already received SNAP benefits. Once expedited SNAP has been issued, MFIP must be reapproved to include both the cash and food portions. Close SNAP for the next available month allowing proper 10-day notice and reapprove MFIP. See 0014.06 (Who Must be Excluded From Assistance Unit) and 0020.09 (MFIP/DWP Assistance Standards) for determining the food portion when members are ineligible for the food portion only.


DWP:
No provisions.


SNAP:
The intent of Expedited SNAP is to approve benefits as soon as possible to help applicants meet their immediate food needs. Because of this, the interview and approval processes follow faster timelines noted under the “Expedited Approval” section in this chapter.

Once an application is received, review to determine if the minimum information is provided to set the date of the application. See 0005.12.09 (Date of Application) and 0005.12.03 (What is a Complete Application).

It is considered best practice for county agencies and Tribal Nations to offer same day interviews to all SNAP applicants.

If a county agency or Tribal Nation does not offer same day interviews to all SNAP applicants, a screening for potential expedited SNAP eligibility must be conducted on applications.

The intent of the expedited SNAP screening process is to identify applicants who may potentially be eligible for expedited SNAP benefits and must be offered a same day interview.

Use all available information to determine if an applicant appears to meet one of the expedited SNAP screening criteria listed below. Available information could include, but is not limited to, page one of the CAF, the entire CAF, the MNbenefits cover page, the MNbenefits application, and any documentation submitted by the applicant.

Criteria for Expedited SNAP Screening

●	Units with less than $150 in monthly countable income and $100 or less in liquid assets. The countable amount of self-employment income is the amount after the 50% of current gross income is subtracted or the amount after the allowable deductions are applied using the taxable method. See 0015 (Assets) and all sections of 0017 (Determining Gross Income) to determine the total monthly income for the unit.
●	Destitute migrant or seasonal farm worker units who have $100 or less in liquid assets. See MIGRANT and MIGRANT FARM WORKER in 0002.41 (Glossary: Medically Necessary…). See DESTITUTE in 0002.15 (Glossary: DEED…). See 0004.48 (Destitute Units--Migrant/Seasonal Farmworker) and 0011.06 (State Residence) for more information.
●	Units whose combined monthly countable income and liquid assets are less than their monthly housing cost(s) and the applicable standard utility deduction. See 0018.15 (Shelter Deductions) and 0018.15.09 (Utility Deductions) for more information on housing costs and the standard utility deduction amounts.

If an applicant appears to meet one of the criteria listed above, or if the available information does not provide a clear picture of potential expedited SNAP eligibility, follow procedures for offering a same day interview.

Applicants identified as potentially eligible for expedited SNAP must be offered a same day interview. If the client is not in the office, follow your county agency or Tribal Nation’s procedures to contact them to offer a same day interview. You do not need to offer a same day interview when the application is filed within the last ½ hour of the agency business day. When a same-day interview is not possible, such as the client is not available or files the application within the last ½ hour of the agency business day, CASE/NOTE the reason the same day interview was not completed. Attempt to call the client for an interview the next business day. If you are unable to conduct the interview the next business day, the interview needs to be scheduled and conducted within 5 business days of the date of the application. See 0005.12.12 (Application Interviews) for more information about interview letters and appointments.

The client’s eligibility for expedited SNAP cannot be accurately determined until after the SNAP interview has been conducted and any readily available verifications are gathered and reviewed.

Once information is clarified with the applicant and countable income is determined during the interview, some applicants who were screened as potentially eligible for expedited SNAP will not be eligible for expedited SNAP processing and conversely, some applicants who were screened as not being potentially eligible for expedited SNAP will be eligible for expedited SNAP processing.

After completion of the SNAP interview, use all available information to determine if the applicant meets one of the criteria for expedited SNAP eligibility listed below. Available information could include, but is not limited to, the application, information gathered during the interview, documentation previously submitted by the applicant, any additional readily available verifications.

Criteria for Expedited SNAP

●	Units with less than $150 in monthly countable income and $100 or less in liquid assets. The countable amount of self-employment income is the amount after the 50% of current gross income is subtracted or the amount after the allowable deductions are applied using the taxable method. See 0015 (Assets) and all sections of 0017 (Determining Gross Income) to determine the total monthly income for the unit.
●	Destitute migrant or seasonal farm worker units who have $100 or less in liquid assets. See MIGRANT and MIGRANT FARM WORKER in 0002.41 (Glossary: Medically Necessary…). See DESTITUTE in 0002.15 (Glossary: DEED…). See 0004.48 (Destitute Units--Migrant/Seasonal Farmworker) and 0011.06 (State Residence) for more information.
●	Units whose combined monthly countable income and liquid assets are less than their monthly housing cost(s) and the applicable standard utility deduction. See 0018.15 (Shelter Deductions) and 0018.15.09 (Utility Deductions) for more information on housing costs and the standard utility deduction amounts.

Expedited Approval

If an applicant meets one or more of the criteria listed above, they are eligible for expedited SNAP processing; however, the unit must also meet all other eligibility requirements to be approved.

Before approving expedited SNAP, complete the following steps:

1. Verify the identity of the applicant/member 01 in MAXIS and the Authorized Representative if applying on behalf of the household, when one is designated. See 0010.18.02 (Mandatory Verifications – SNAP) and the “SNAP Identity Verification” document on the SNAP Resources Page of SIR.

2. Make reasonable efforts to get other mandatory and non-mandatory verification right away. Use collateral contacts or readily available documentary evidence. See all sections of 0010 (Verification).

3. If you are not able to obtain the verifications right away, postpone any missing verifications EXCEPT the identity of the applicant to approve benefits as soon as possible. Postpone any missing verifications (including expenses that will not be included in the budget) because the client has not been given a minimum of 10 days to provide these verifications. For MAXIS coding instruction, see TE02.10.01 (Expedited SNAP with Postponed Verifs). Verifications must be requested using the Verification Request Form (DHS-2919) (PDF). See 0010.18 (Mandatory Verifications), 0010.18.02 (Mandatory Verifications – SNAP), and 0010.18.02.03 (Non-Mandatory Verifications – SNAP).

Note: Utility and dependent care costs should never be postponed because these expenses are declaratory, and verification is not required unless questionable.

Determining Expedited Period

The expedited period is the period of time a unit is eligible for expedited SNAP benefits:

●	Units that apply for SNAP on the 15th of the month or before and are eligible for expedited SNAP will be certified (approved) for the month of application. The month of application is the expedited period.
●	Units that apply on the 16th of the month or after and are eligible for expedited SNAP will be certified for expedited SNAP benefits for both the application month and the following month. Both months of benefits will be issued at the same time. The month of application plus the following month is the expedited period.

Providing Postponed Verifications

Units must provide all mandatory postponed verifications by the end of the expedited period in order to continue receiving uninterrupted SNAP benefits. Non-mandatory verifications must be provided by the end of the expedited period to allow a deduction beyond the expedited period.

Shelter costs will be included in the budget at the time of expedited SNAP approval even when postponed. In order to continue receiving a shelter deduction, verification of housing costs must be provided by the end of the expedited period. If verification is not provided, remove the deduction the month following the expedited period. For non-mandatory verifications provided after the end of the expedited period, see 0010.18.02.03 (Non-Mandatory Verifications – SNAP).

Other expenses such as child support and medical deductions will not be allowed in the expedited SNAP budget when they are postponed and have not been verified. When verifications are received within the expedited processing period, allow the reported deduction amount starting with the application month. See 05.12.15.01 (Processing SNAP Application Non-Mandatory Verification) for more information.

Note: Utility and dependent care costs should never be postponed because these expenses are declaratory, and verification is not required unless questionable.

Once postponed verifications are provided, follow the instructions in TE02.10.01 (Expedited SNAP with Postponed Verifs) to update the case.

When verifications are not provided within the expedited period, the case will auto-close.

When verifications are provided outside of the expedited period, but within 30 days of the case closing, reinstate and pro-rate benefits from the date all mandatory verifications were received. See 0005.09.06 (When Not to Require Completion of an Application).

When verifications are provided that are different than the information the unit provided during the interview that was used to determine expedited eligibility, follow the guidance in TE02.10.01 (Expedited SNAP with Postponed Verifs) to update the case. No overpayments exist as long as expedited eligibility was determined based on the best available information at the time and no fraudulent activity exists. See 0025.24 (Fraudulently Obtaining Public Assistance).

New Expedited Application when Previously Approved with Postponed Verifications

If the unit reapplies for SNAP and meets expedited criteria, review the case to determine if the most recent closure was due to not providing postponed verifications. To be approved for expedited again, you must request and the unit must provide the previous postponed verifications. If they are not provided the application must be processed under normal processing standards. For example, if all mandatory verifications for the current application are provided, approve the case without requiring the previous postponed verifications. See 0005.12.15 (Application Processing Standards).

Receiving Food Benefits in Another State

For units that report or provide information that they have received SNAP or food benefits in another state discuss when these benefits ended. They are not eligible for SNAP in Minnesota until the month after benefits have closed in the other state. This needs to be verified. Try to confirm with the other state that the SNAP case is closed using the National Directory of Contacts located on the SNAP Resources Page of SIR. If you are unable to confirm this and the client reports they did not receive benefits in the application month, postpone this verification and issue expedited SNAP based on the unit's verbal statement and that they understand the penalty for fraud. See 0010.03 (Verification – Cooperation and Consent) for more information.

Ineligibility in the Application Month

For units that are not eligible for SNAP in the application month deny benefits for the month of application. Determine expedited SNAP eligibility for the next available month, which may include postponing verifications.

For units who have received SNAP in another state during the month the application is completed, treat the next month as the month of application and use that month as the basis for determining expedited eligibility (including postponed verification requirements).

See 0011.21 (Receipt of Other Assistance) and 0022.03.04 (Ineligibility in a Prospective Month – SNAP) for more information. See TE02.10.79 (Expedited SNAP 2nd Month Eligibility) for instructions on processing cases in these situations.

NOTE: People living in a domestic violence shelter may receive SNAP or the food portion of MFIP twice in a month if the unit that initially received the SNAP or the food portion of MFIP included the alleged abuser. See 0011.21 (Receipt of Other Assistance).


MSA, GA, EGA, GRH:
See 0004.01 (Emergency General Assistance (EGA)).