Overview

The Department of Social Services is pleased to announce a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) demonstration project for older adults and those with disabilities.  Once enrolled in SNAP, eligible households qualifying for the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) will experience additional flexibilities to support continued enrollment.

 Flexibilities in ESAP include:

• An expanded three-year SNAP certification period of eligibility;
• No periodic report form will be due halfway through the certification cycle, as is usually the case for SNAP enrollees;
• Revised reporting requirements (explained in greater detail below); and
• The opportunity for some relaxed renewal flexibilities, when households meet additional requirements.

 Revised Reporting Requirements:

Please note that ESAP-eligible SNAP households need to report information to DSS before their renewal is due if they experience a household change that would disqualify them from ESAP (for example, if the household no longer includes an older adult or adult with disability, or if they start working).  All SNAP households must report if they receive lotto/gambling winnings equal to or in excess of $3,500.   

 ESAP is designed to increase the efficiency of SNAP and reduce food insecurity among a population whose household circumstances generally stay the same and can have additional barriers associated with age or disability, such as transportation or mobility. The Connecticut Department of Social Services was approved for this demonstration project by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, the agency that administers and funds SNAP nationwide.   We look forward to serving you!