Definitions 430-05-10
(Revised 07/01/05 ML2972)
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The following is a partial list of specialized words or phrases used throughout the Food Stamp Certification Manual. Each word or phrase is followed by an explanation.
Abuse Shelter
A public or private non-profit abuse shelter that serves abused individuals. If such a facility serves other individuals, a portion of the facility must be set aside on a long-term basis to serve only abused individuals.
Active Case Definition
Cases that receive food stamp benefits during a reporting month.
Adequate Notice
A written notice sent to a household informing them that their benefits will be reduced, suspended or terminated. The household must receive this notice no later than the date the household receives or would have received their benefit. This notice must be mailed no later than the regular issuance deadline (second to the last working day of each month).
Adult
An individual age 18 and older.
Advance Notice
A notice that must be sent to a household at least 10 days before the effective date of an action that reduces, suspends or terminates a household’s benefit.
Alien
An individual who is still a subject or citizen of a foreign country and who has not been granted U.S. citizenship.
Allotment
The total value of food stamp benefits a household is authorized to receive.
Applicant
An individual who submits a written application.
Application
Filing a signed form SFN 405 - Application for Assistance to establish eligibility and assign a certification period.
Authorized Representative
A responsible adult non-household member authorized in writing by the household to make application, receive food stamp benefits and/or purchase food for the household.
Base Month
The calendar month prior to the processing month.
BENDEX - Beneficiary Data Exchange
A system interface with the Social Security Administration that verifies social security benefits (not SSI) for North Dakota residents.
Benefit
The allotment authorized for use by a household for the purchase of eligible foods.
Benefit Month
The calendar month for which eligibility and benefits are computed.
BEST - Basic Employment Skills Training Program
A program intended to expose participating individuals to job seeking and retention skills.
Boarders
Individuals or groups of individuals residing with others and paying reasonable compensation for lodging and meals.
Categorical Eligibility
TANF and SSI households are income and asset eligible. TANF Information and Referral Service households are asset eligible and must meet the net income test.
Categorically Eligible Households
Any household in which all members receive or are authorized to receive TANF Information and Referral Services (the household is notified that if eligible, the household is authorized by signing the application/recertification), or any household in which all members receive or are authorized to receive TANF and/or SSI.
Certification
Approval of a household to participate in the Food Stamp Program.
Certification Period
A period of time a household is approved to participate in the Food Stamp Program.
Change
Information that is different from what is currently used to determine eligibility and/or benefits.
Change Report Form
A form provided to all households that may be used to report changes.
Collateral Contact
Knowledgeable individuals or sources who can support or verify information.
Commodities (Food Distribution Program)
A food distribution program for households on or near Indian Reservations.
Communal Dining Facility
An FNS approved public or non-profit private establishment that prepares and serves meals for elderly persons or for SSI recipients, and their spouses and federally subsidized housing for the elderly where meals are prepared and served to the residents (i.e. senior citizen center, elderly housing complex).
It also includes private establishments that contract with an appropriate State or local agency to offer meals at reduced prices to elderly persons or SSI recipients and their spouses.
Companion Household
The household the elderly and disabled household member lives with when they are unable to purchase and prepare their own meals.
Date of Entry
The date established by Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) as the date an alien was admitted to the United States.
Destitute Household
A migrant or seasonal worker household whose:
- Income for the month of application was received before the date of application and was from a terminated source.
- Only income for the month of application is from a new source and the new source income of more than $25 will not be received by the 10th calendar day after the date of application.
- Terminated source income is received before the date of application and new source income of more than $25 will not be received before the 10th day after the date of application.
Disabled
A member of a household who meets one of the following criteria:
- Eligible to receive SSI benefits, including presumptive SSI payments, or is eligible as a 1619B under SSI criteria.
- Is determined disabled by SSA and in receipt of disability payments.
- Is a recipient of disability related medical assistance under Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act). Eligibility to receive these benefits must be based on disability or blindness criteria, which is at least as stringent as SSI regulations.
- Is in receipt of disability retirement benefits from a government agency because of a disability considered permanent under Social Security disability criteria.
Example:
In order to collect Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) disability benefits, the Social Security definition of permanent disability must be met.
- Is a veteran with a service connected or non-service connected disability rated or paid by the Veteran's Administration (VA) at a 100% rate under Title 38 of the United States Code.
- Is a veteran considered by the VA in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently house bound under Title 38 of the United States Code.
- Is a surviving spouse of a veteran and considered by the VA in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently house bound or a surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA as permanently incapable of self-support under Title 38 of the United States Code.
- Is a surviving spouse or surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA entitled to compensation for a service-connected death or pension benefits for a non-service-connected death under Title 38 of the United States Code and has a disability considered permanent.
Entitled refers to a surviving spouse and surviving children who are receiving the compensation or pension benefits stated or have been approved for such payments, but are not yet receiving them.
- Is in receipt of a Railroad Retirement disability annuity and has been determined to qualify for Medicare.
- Is in receipt of SSI optional or mandatory supplementation.
(North Dakota does not have SSI optional or mandatory supplementation. However, someone moving to North Dakota may have received this benefit from another state.)
- Is in receipt of disability-based State general assistance benefits, provided that the eligibility to receive any of these benefits is based upon disability or blindness criteria established by the state they receive the benefit from, which are at least as stringent as those used under SSI regulations.
(North Dakota does not have disability-based State general assistance benefits. However, someone moving to North Dakota may have received this benefit from another state.)
Drug Addiction or Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Program
Any drug addiction or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program conducted by a private, non-profit organization or institution, which is certified by the North Dakota Department of Human Services, Substance Abuse Services Unit, for the administration of programs for alcoholics and drug addicts. Alcohol treatment and rehabilitation programs located on an Indian Reservation that are not certified by the Substance Abuse Services Unit may be approved to participate by FNS.
Drug Felon
An individual convicted of a Federal or State felony for possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs.
EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) Account
A household’s electronic account where authorized benefits are sent.
EBT Card
A North Dakota Department of Human Services and South Dakota Department of Social Services debit card issued to access food stamp benefits from EBT accounts.
Elderly Individual
An individual 60 years of age or older. If an individual is 59 years old on the date of application, but will become 60 before the end of the month of application, the individual is considered elderly.
Equity Value
The fair market value less amount owed.
Excluded Household Member
An individual who resides with a food stamp household who cannot be included in the household size but whose income and assets must be used to determine eligibility and benefit level.
FACSES - Fully Automated Child Support Enforcement System
A system interface with North Dakota Child Support Enforcement Unit.
Fair Hearings
A formal hearing process conducted by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in which a household or its representatives have the right to further review any action taken on their case. A hearing is conducted, a decision is reached by an ALJ and the household and worker are notified of the decision within prescribed timeframes.
Fair Market Value
The value established by the current market.
Fleeing Felon
An individual charged or convicted of any felony that has left the jurisdiction of the charging authorities. An individual charged or convicted of any felony in North Dakota who moves within the State of North Dakota is not a fleeing felon.
Exception:
A Native American individual charged or convicted of any felony that flees to or from an Indian Reservation within North Dakota is considered a fleeing felon.
FNS - Food and Nutrition Services
A federal agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that, among other duties, administers the Food Stamp Program.
Food Distribution Program (Commodities)
A food distribution program for households on or near Indian Reservations.
Food Stamp Household
Individuals living together who buy and prepare food together.
Foster Care Individuals
Adults or children in a licensed foster care home.
Funeral Agreement
A bona fide funeral agreement is a pre-paid written agreement between a household member and the funeral home/director to provide burial services/merchandise.
Group Home Living Arrangement
A public or private non-profit residential setting that serves no more than 16 residents, is authorized by FNS as a retailer, and is certified or licensed by Developmental Disabilities, or Regional Human Service Centers, including a determination that the Center is a nonprofit organization.
Head of Household
Any adult household member designated by the household. If there is no adult household member, an individual under age 18 may be designated as the head of household.
Homeless Meal Provider
A public or private non-profit establishment (i.e. soup kitchen, temporary shelter) approved to feed homeless individuals.
This also includes meals prepared by an authorized restaurant.
House Arrest/Confinement
An individual ordered by the court to serve their sentence through house arrest/confinement. The individual is allowed to live in the community, is not considered a resident of an institution and may be eligible for food stamps.
IEVS - Income Eligibility Verification System
A system interface with other governmental agencies that provides financial information used to determine eligibility such as unemployment benefits and quarterly wages.
Initial Month
Any month in which a new application is required.
Exception:
For migrant and seasonal worker households, initial month means the first month a household is certified following a break of one calendar month or more that a household was not certified.
Institution
A facility which provides an individual with the majority of their meals (over 50% of three meals daily) as part of the facility’s normal services.
Examples:
Hospitals, federally subsidized housing for the elderly, drug/alcohol treatment centers, group living arrangements for blind or disabled individuals, shelters for abused individuals and shelters for the homeless.
Institution of Higher Education
A business, technical, trade, or vocational school that normally requires a high school or equivalency certificate for enrollment in the curriculum, or in a regular college or university that offers degree programs regardless of whether or not a high school diploma is required.
IPV - Intentional Program Violation
An individual(s) determined to have intentionally:
-
Made a false or misleading statement, or misrepresented, concealed, or withheld facts.
-
Committed any act that constitutes a violation of the Food Stamp Act, the Food Stamp Regulations, or any state statute relating to the use, presentation, transfer, acquisition, receipt, or possession of food stamp benefits.
Liquid Assets
An asset easily converted to cash.
Examples:
Money in checking or savings accounts, stocks or bonds, lump-sum payments, funds held in individual retirement accounts (IRA's), or Keogh plans.
Live-in Attendants
Individuals who reside with a household to provide medical, housekeeping, child care or similar personal services.
Mass Change
Government initiated changes affecting significant portions of the caseload. They include annual adjustments to income eligibility standards and shelter/dependent care deductions, annual adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan and shelter deductions, annual and seasonal adjustments to the utility standards, periodic social security cost of living adjustments, SSI and other federal benefit adjustments, adjustments to TANF, adjustments to child care and other changes in the eligibility criteria based on legislative or regulatory action.
Meals-on-Wheels
A non-profit meal delivery service which prepares and delivers meals to individuals. Meals-on-Wheels is authorized by FNS to accept food stamp benefits.
Migrant
An individual that regularly joins the migrant job stream and regularly migrates from one part of the country to another.
Negative Case
Initial applications and recertifications that are denied or cases closed during the certification period.
Non-Household Member
An individual residing with a food stamp household who is not included in determining the household size.
Non-Liquid Assets
Real or personal property.
Examples:
Vehicles, buildings, land, and recreational properties such as boats, campers or lake cabins.
Non-Recurring Lump-Sum
Money, both earned and unearned, received in the form of a one time payment which cannot reasonably be anticipated to occur again.
Examples:
Retroactive salary increases, back wages, income tax refunds, rebates or credits, retroactive lump-sum Social Security, TANF, child support arrearage, SSI, railroad retirement benefits, lump-sum insurance settlements, mineral leasing bonuses, and refunds of security deposits on rental property or utilities.
NUMIDENT - Number Identification
A system interface with the Social Security Administration that verifies social security numbers for North Dakota residents.
Parental Control
A minor(s) under age 18, who is dependent financially or otherwise on a household, as opposed to being an independent unit of the household they are residing in.
Parole/Probation Violator
An individual determined by the court to have violated the terms of their parole or probation.
Proration of Benefits
A partial benefit for the month of application based on the day of the month the household applies for benefits.
Prospective Budgeting
Computation of a household's food stamp benefit based on an estimate of income and circumstances for the benefit month.
Prospective Eligibility
Determination of a household's eligibility to participate for the benefit month based on the household's and worker's best estimate of income and circumstances for the benefit month.
Prudent Person Judgment
Reasonable judgment made by a worker based on experience and knowledge of the program and surrounding community. Documentation must support that judgment.
Public Institution
A facility which provides an individual with the majority of their meals (over 50% of three meals daily) as part of the facility’s normal services, and the facility has not been authorized to accept food stamps benefits.
Examples:
Prisons, jails, work release, state hospitals, developmental centers, individuals on work release or those on approved leave who have not been discharged and residents of the Burdick Job Corp.
QIR - Quality Improvement Review
A review of all counties to determine if the county is administering and operating the food stamp program in accordance with food stamp requirements.
Recertification
Filing a signed form SFN 407B - Recertification for Food Stamp Eligibility with the county to determine continuing eligibility and establish a certification period.
Regular Issuance Deadline
The second to the last working day of each month. Any processing done after this date results in an adjustment to the food stamp benefit.
Reservation
The geographically defined area over which an Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) exercises governmental jurisdiction as long as the area is legally recognized by the Federal or State government as being set aside for the use of Indians.
Residents of Institutions
Individuals residing in an institution when the institution provides them with the majority of their meals (over 50% of three meals daily) as part of the institution's normal services.
Roomer
An individual to whom a household furnishes lodging, but no meals, for compensation.
SAVE - Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement
A database that is accessed by a touch tone phone for alien status verification provided by INS.
SDX - State Data Exchange
A system interface with Social Security Administration, which verifies supplemental security income (SSI), for North Dakota residents.
Seasonal Worker
An individual who works in agricultural employment of a seasonal or temporary nature but does not migrate from one part of the country to another seeking employment.
Sponsor
An individual who signs an affidavit or other statement accepted by INS agreeing to support an alien as a condition of the alien's admission into the United States as a permanent resident.
Spouse
Either of two individuals who:
- Are married under applicable State law.
- Are living together and holding themselves out to the community as husband and wife by representing themselves as such to relatives, friends, neighbors, or town’s people.
Striker
An individual involved in an agreed upon stoppage of work by employees including expiration of a collective bargaining agreement and any slowdown or other agreed upon interruption of operations by employees.
Student of Higher Education
An individual who is enrolled in a business, technical, trade, or vocational school that normally requires a high school or equivalency certificate for enrollment in the curriculum, or in a regular college or university that offers degree programs regardless of whether or not a high school diploma is required.
Student Under the Age of 18
An individual who attends elementary or secondary school, General Equivalency Diploma (GED) classes, English classes as a secondary language, or attends elementary or secondary classes through a home-school program recognized or supervised by the student’s state or local school district at least half time (as determined by the school district).
Supplement
An additional benefit issued to a household when there is a decrease in gross monthly income of $50 or more or there is an addition of a new household member.
SVES - State Verification and Exchange System
An online inquiry to the Social Security Administration System to obtain verification of qualifying quarters of work.
TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
North Dakota public assistance program that provides Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
TANF Information and Referral
A county will provide individuals with information and referrals to various other agencies, programs, organizations and community/county resources that could be of benefit to the household (i.e. housing, Child Care Assistance, Salvation Army, Community Action, Job Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs).
10-Day Advance Notice
A notice that must be sent to a household at least 10 days before the effective date of an action that reduces, suspends or terminates a household’s benefit.
10-10-10
A household has 10-days to report mandatory changes, the worker has 10-days to act on the change and the worker must allow for a 10-day advance notice to the household.
TPQY - Third Party Query
Online inquiry to Social Security Administration to obtain verification of social security, SSI benefits or quarters of work information.
Trafficking
The buying or selling of coupons, ATP cards, or other benefit instruments for cash or consideration other than eligible food; or the exchange of firearms, ammunition, explosives, or controlled substances.
Underpayment
A benefit issued to a household, whenever a loss was caused by worker error, when an IPV disqualification is later reversed, or when specifically required by federal regulations.
USCIS - United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
A Federal Agency of the U.S. Department of Justice that, among other duties, registers and monitors non-citizens entering or leaving the U.S.
Vender Payment
A full or partial money payment made by an individual who is not a household member or by a public or private organization directly to a third party for a household expense.
Verification
Third-party information or documentation used to establish the accuracy of statements.
Voluntary Quit
When an individual quits or loses a job through their own actions or reduces their work effort voluntarily and after the reduction is working less then 30 hours per week.
- If the quit occurred within 30 days prior to the date of initial application or anytime prior to the certification of the initial application.
- If the individual was a mandatory work registrant at the time of the quit.
- If the individual was hired for employment of 30 hours or more per week (can be averaged), regardless of the length of employment.
Example:
A mandatory work registrant was hired to work 30 hours per week at minimum wage. The individual quit the second day of employment without good cause. This would be considered a voluntary job quit.
- If the individual received weekly earnings at least equivalent to the federal minimum wage currently in effect multiplied by 30 hours.
- If the quit was without good cause.
