From the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (http://www.thecaap.org):
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as “food stamps”) is the nation’s most effective tool to combat food insecurity. The program provides nutrition assistance for millions of eligible low-income individuals and families every year. Of those who received SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2015, approximately 4.4 million households, or 20%, were households with elderly individuals (age 60 and older). 4.4 million may seem like a lot of people until you consider that an additional 5.2 million households with elderly individuals were eligible to receive SNAP benefits.
The primary reasons elderly individuals are not taking advantage of these resources are a lack of access to technology, a stigma about public benefits, and the onerous application process.
To help those eligible obtain SNAP benefits and reduce administrative burden, eight states, including Pennsylvania, instituted a pilot project called the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP). ESAP is designed to streamline the application process for individuals over the age of 60, and, if the state elects, those with disabilities, who have no earned income. Each state’s policies and processes for ESAP vary, but the program starts with the following “waiver” options.
- 36 Month Certification Period: Most SNAP recipients are only certified for 6-12 months at a time, but for populations whose eligibility is unlikely to change, a 36-month period is a more progressive way to economize state resources and limits “churn.” Churn refers to recipients who cycle on and off benefits due to circumstances other than eligibility.
- Recertification Interview Waiver: This waiver allows recipients to continue receiving benefits without the hassle of the full interview most recipients are required to attend at the time of recertification.
- Simplified Verification: Since ESAP recipients have no earned income, most of their eligibility information is already electronically accessible by the state; therefore, they are not required to provide verification for things like household size or unearned income. This shortens the application from 24 to 2 pages.
Pennsylvania’s ESAP program began in June of 2016 as a part of Governor Wolf’s blueprint for a Hunger-Free PA. The program aims to ensure Pennsylvania’s older adults have access to the nutritious food they require to lead a healthy life. For more information on ESAP and how states are utilizing the program, see An Advocate’s Guide to the Elderly Simplified Application Project by the National Council on Aging.
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