Background
On August 3, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the 2010 poverty guidelines in the Federal Register. Publication of the poverty guidelines usually occurs in late January each year.

The 2010 poverty guidelines were delayed due to several federal legislations requiring that the poverty guidelines remain at the 2009 levels to prevent a reduction in the number of individuals eligible for certain public assistance programs, including TAFDC and SNAP.

Based on the way HHS calculated the 2010 poverty guidelines, the 2010 guideline amounts are the same as the 2009 amounts.

Eligibility Standards Affected by the Poverty Guidelines
For DTA, the poverty guidelines are used to calculate the eligibility standards for the TAFDC and SNAP programs as follows:

• TAFDC: Income from the Parent(s) of a Teen Parent Under Age 18 (200 per cent of the poverty guideline); and
• SNAP: Gross Monthly Categorical Eligibility Income Standards (200 per cent of the poverty guideline).

Obsoleted by Ops Memo 2011-05.