This toolkit is intended to clarify the SNAP recertification process, including by identifying ambiguous areas in the regulations and specified areas of state flexibility.
For several years, FNS has focused on the initial application process. This has led to improvements, particularly to initial application processing timeliness.
While these areas remain priorities, state agencies have also raised concerns about the recertification process and FNS understands the need for clarity on this important issue. Throughout fiscal year 2017, FNS reviewed federal SNAP recertification statutory and regulatory requirements and policy guidance and conducted focused Local Program Access Reviews (LPARs) in every state to understand and document how each state agency has implemented the SNAP recertification requirements.
These reviews allowed FNS to gain a more detailed understanding of the recertification process in each state as well as providing a broad perspective across states. Through the reviews and internal workgroups, FNS identified a number of inconsistencies with federal program requirements and implementation of these requirements across states