Hot off the Press: Local DTA Office Directors Can Now Issue Overnight EBT Cards to Recipients with Deactivated EBT Cards

FoodSNAP
12/11/13

We just received word from the Commissioner's office that they have agreed to issue overnight EBT cards to any SNAP recipients whose EBT photo card did not reach them and their current blue card is not active or the envelope was returned to DTA by the postal service as undeliverable. As you may have learned from clients, local DTA offices have been telling clients to wait "up to 10-12 days" for a replacement card, or to come to the local DTA office in person. For many clients, getting to the local DTA office is a significant cost or hardship.

According to the communication I received this afternoon from DTA Central, special procedures will be used for overnight mailing of a replacement EBT card that can be issued by the local DTA office. Here's the conditions by which a local DTA Office Manager will be authorized to send an overnight EBT card by first class mail:

A client brings to the attention of the case manager that they have not received their bulk replacement photo ID. If the client indicates that they need immediate access to their benefits and is unable to wait for a replacement card to reach them by regular mail is unable to come to the office due to one or more of the following circumstances a card should be overnight mailed to them (approved by the Office Director):

  • • The client's proximity to the local office from either home or work;
  • • The availability and cost of public transportation;
  • • The client's employment situation including work hours and the need to take time off from work in order to pick up the card;
  • • Other circumstances which the manager determines to be relevant to making a decision to overnight mail the card to client.

Let us know if you have any clients situations which warrant overnight issuance but the local Office Director does not agree. 

REMINDERS about who gets an EBT photo card, and who is exempt. There is a lot of confusion about who gets the EBT photo card and whose card is deactivated. This overnight replacement should NOT effect any exempt households. Here's what you need to know.

  • In late November DTA started mailing EBT photo cards to 170K SNAP households (of the 500K SNAP households). These are the households subject to the EBT photo rules under the state law. DTA used the available RMV photos to create the photo cards. The households blue EBT cards were deactivated the night before the December benefits were due.  However, a significant number of recipients did not get the replacement card in time for a number of reasons. These folks can get the overnight EBT replacement if they meet the above criteria.
  • About 50K SNAP households are being scheduled for in-office appointments for a photo, which is then put on the card immediately.  Until they get to the DTA office for the photo, their blue EBT card should still work.  DTA is not terminating SNAP benefits if the person cannot make the appointment at this time.
  • DTA is NOT mailing new EBT photo cards to exempt households - which is about 250K SNAP households. These are SNAP households with case heads are over age 59, under age 19, disabled or a victim of DV.)  These households still have the regular blue EBT card and that card should still work. Those recipients need NOT ask for a EBT photo card or replacement.