Information for Vermonters Impacted by Federal Changes to 3SquaresVT

Waterbury, Vt. - The Department for Children and Families (DCF) has implemented federally required changes to 3SquaresVT, Vermont's name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These changes are required by federal law (H.R.1) and took effect October 1. Households began receiving individualized notices in September.

The changes affect two main areas: (1) work requirements for some participants and (2) eligibility rules for certain non-citizens.

Work Requirements

As a result of recent federal changes, just over 4,000 individuals currently receiving 3SquaresVT benefits either lost an existing exemption or became newly subject to federal work requirements.

By standard process, everyone who is subject to work requirements automatically gets three "no cause" months at the start of every three-year cycle. The new cycle begins on November 1.

• The three "no cause" exemption months are used upfront unless someone qualifies for an exemption or reports that they are already meeting the work requirements.

• Households can use the three months now or save them for later in the three-year cycle.

• Impacted individuals can report now any activities that might meet their work requirements.

Notices sent in September explained the new rules, including how the three no cause "work-requirement-free" months work. The notices also include instructions on how to contact the Economic Services Division (ESD) with questions. ESD staff will assess individual circumstances to determine whether an exemption applies or share information about how to comply with the work requirement. In addition, ESD is proactively calling all impacted households to explain the new requirements, help identify potential exemptions, and assist clients in finding appropriate work placements to meet the federal mandate.

Non-Citizenship Eligibility Changes

Federal law changes have also required Vermont to review households with non-citizen members to determine whether they will continue to meet eligibility.

• As of October 1, over 500 households with non-citizen members retained eligibility and were not affected.

• 119 households were impacted; 33 households experienced a partial benefit decrease because some members became ineligible. 86 households lost eligibility for 3SquaresVT benefits entirely.

Current Eligibility for Non-Citizens

Under the updated federal rules, the following categories of non-citizens remain eligible for 3SquaresVT (SNAP) benefits:

• Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders) who meet the five-year bar or other requirements

• Cuban and Haitian entrants

• Compacts of Free Association (COFA) citizens

• Amerasian immigrants

• Canadian-born Native Americans

• Hmong and Highland Laotian tribal members

Some groups who were previously eligible, including refugees and asylees, are no longer eligible under the new law.

Support for Impacted Vermonters

DCF understands that these federal changes may cause hardship for some households. Anyone with questions about their case, work requirements, or eligibility is encouraged to contact ESD directly at 1-800-479-6151 Monday through Friday 7:45am to 4:30pm, except for Thursday when the hours are 9am to 4:30pm. Staff are available to review individual circumstances, explore possible exemptions, and connect clients with resources to help meet federal requirements.

For more information about the program, visit DCF's 3SquaresVT page: (https://dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/3SquaresVT)

You can also find more about this in DCF's partner fact sheet:
(https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/DCF/Shared%20Documents/ESD/Partners/Partner-Fact-Sheet-for-SNAP.pdf)