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PURPOSE

• To assist Community Based Organizations with SAIL (Service Access and Information Link) to help low income Maryland residents apply for the Food Supplement Program and other Social Service benefits.*

* The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the federal name and the Food Supplement Program (FSP) is the state name for what was formerly called Food Stamps.

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WELCOME TO SAIL • The address for SAIL is https://www.marylandsail.org/

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Use the navigation bar on the left for:

Information

Test eligibility

Apply for benefits

Report changes

Complete redet

Becoming a community partner

Find local food pantries and shelters

Find local social service and health offices

Save time by printing verification

forms

Link to FNS and free nutritional literature

Link to MD State Board of Elections

Link to information about WIC (Women, Infants

and Children)

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Register as a Community Partner

The current contact is Kim Butler (410) 238-1297 to

register as a community partner or for problems logging in.

Click on “Become a Community Partner” and follow steps to

register or de-register. 5

Individuals can start from “Am I eligible” or “Start/update an

application”.

Community Organizations should log-in before beginning an

application to ensure they receive credit for the application.

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FILING AN APPLICATION

SAIL is user friendly and has many drop down menus and prompts to assist you in entering

the correct information. 8

SAIL will immediately assign a control number. It is important to keep this number to

reference or re-enter your application.

You can submit an application at any time as long as it contains the name address and

signature of a responsible household member. Though, completing the application is

less error-prone. 9

Expedited Food Supplement Program Application

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Expedited Food Supplement Program Benefits

If otherwise eligible, the following households must receive expedited service within 7 calendar days:

• Households with less than $150 gross monthly income who have $100 or less in liquid resources, or

• Households whose combined gross income and liquid resources are less than the household’s monthly rent or mortgage and utilities, including entitlement to the SUA or LUA, as appropriate, or

• Certain Migrant or seasonal farmworkers

The allotment received is based on what is declared by the customer.

Identity must be verified to issue expedited benefits – A picture ID is not required – Identity can be verified by collateral contact 11

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SPECIAL SITUATIONS Students

Student definition: Individuals between the ages of 18 and 50 who attend an

institution of higher learning at least half-time are ineligible for the Food Supplement Program, unless they:

• Are employed 20 hours a week (no averaging), or • Are participating in federally funded work-study program,

or • Are receiving TCA, or • Have a child under six, or • Have a child under 12 for whom they cannot find adequate

childcare, or • Are a single parent in school full-time and have a child

under 12, or • Are physically or mentally unfit for employment, or • Be placed in school through JTPA or Work Opportunities

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• Though, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for FSP, they can apply on behalf of others in the home.

• Documented immigrants must provide verification to be eligible.

• The verification must contain an alien number.

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IMMIGRANTS

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The following immigrants are eligible for the Food Supplement Program: • Asylee • Refugee • Cuban/Haitian entrant • Immigrant whose deportation has been withheld • An Amerasian • A victim of severe trafficking in persons • Border crossing Native Americans • Certain Hmong and Laotian tribe members

IMMIGRANTS

Lawful Permanent Residents, Parolees, Aliens Granted Conditional Entry and Battered Spouses and Battered children may be eligible if they:

• Have been a qualified alien in the country for 5 or more years, or

• Are receiving a payment for blindness or disability, or

• Under age 18, or • Born on or before 8/22/31 and were lawfully in

the country on or before 8/22/96, or • Earned credit for 40 qualifying working

quarters, or • Have a military connection

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• A drop down menu displays for each asset listed.

• See following pages for countable assets for the FSP. 17

RESOURCE LIMITS for the Food Supplement Program

Categorically eligible households have no resource limit because their resources are not counted.

The applicant for FSP should complete the asset page if:

a. They are an Intentional Program Violator or

b. Failed to comply with the Food Supplement Program Work Requirements.

When the customer is applying for a program other than FSP or TCA, they should complete the asset page.

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Food Supplement Program Income Limits

Gross Monthly Income (200% of the Federal Poverty Level)*

*It is possible for households of 3 or more to be within the income guidelines

but be benefit ineligible. Households of one or two will receive at least $16. 19

Household Size 200%

1 $1816

2 2452

3 3090

4 3726

5 4362

6 5000

7 5636

8 6272

The gross amount of countable

earnings should be entered.

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DEPENDENT CARE DEDUCTION

Dependent care deductions are allowed when the household is paying someone outside the home for care of the following:

Children Elderly Disabled

To be eligible for this deduction, households must incur the expense while the household members are:

Working

In training for work or looking for work

Temporarily absent from work, planning to return to the same job and dependent care payments are necessary to continue employment

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Child Support Payments as a Deduction

• Customers who pay legally obligated child support are eligible for a deduction.

• The payments must be verified as both paid and legally obligated.

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A drop down menu will display for any unearned income selected.

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Excluded Income • Earnings of elementary or high school student 17 or younger, who is

not living independently are excluded. NOTE: The earned income of a high school students living on their

own is counted • Income received too infrequently to be anticipated is excluded if

$30/ quarter or less in earned income or $200/quarter or less in unearned income.

• Educational assistance • Loans • Money received and used for a non-household member • Non-recurring lump sum payments • Reimbursements • In-kind income • Vendor payments • Child Support received by TCA recipients • Income excluded by a federal statute • Charitable contributions • Repayments • Earned income tax credits • Reverse mortgages • HUD utility reimbursements

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Medical Deductions

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Only allow medical expenses for individuals 60 or older or disabled. Expenses must be above $35.00 and verified to be an allowable deduction.

ACCEPTABLE MEDICAL EXPENSES Medical Care Dental care Hospitalization Glasses

Dentures Prescription Drugs Hearing aids Nursing Care

Prosthetics Psychotherapy

Health and hospitalization insurance premiums

Over the counter medication and medical supplies. These must be prescribed by a licensed health care professional.

Cosmetic surgery-if prescribed

Monthly payments for treatment which occurs prior to the certification period

Cost and maintenance of a seeing eye or hearing animal to include food and vet bills

Transportation costs to and from doctor and hospital visits to include tolls, parking mileage, etc.

Click here to add people to the application

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WHO MUST BE IN THE HOUSEHOLD?

• All who purchase and prepare food together

• Spouses who reside together

• Children under 22 who reside with a parent(s)

• Children under 18 who reside with and are under parental control of a caretaker other than a parent

• Foster Care children can be excluded or included. If the child is included on the FSP, the foster care income must be counted.

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Shelter Deductions

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SHELTER COST INCLUDE: • Rent, mortgage, second mortgage as billed to the customer. • Ground rent • Condo fees • Association fees • Insurance on the structure if billed separately from the

mortgage. • Property taxes if billed separately

CANNOT INCLUDE:

• Rent Worked Off (In-kind) • Security Deposit • Maintenance costs • Repairs from normal wear and tear • Any portion paid by Section 8, Public Housing or RAP

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Utilities

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Utility Allowances

• Standard Utility Allowance (SUA): – The customer must be paying for heat or air conditioning or receive

MEAP to be eligible for the SUA – Air conditioning can be central air or window air conditioners – Using supplemental heaters does not constitute “paying for heat”

• Limited Utility Allowance (LUA): – To be eligible for LUA, a household must incur at least two utility costs. – They can be any two utility costs. (other than heating or air

conditioning)

• Telephone Allowances: – This is a flat rate per month – The customer will not receive the a separate phone allowance if eligible

for the SUA or the LUA

The utilities do not have to be in the name of the customer and can be a flat rate.

Convicted Drug Felons must comply with substance abuse counseling to be eligible for FSP.

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Signatures can be faxed, mailed or

done electronically.

An electronic signature will ensure

the greatest benefit, since benefits

are paid from the day the signature

is received by the local DSS (date of

application).

The electronic signature must been

done by entering the name exactly

as it was initially entered on the

SAIL application.

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