Explanation of Food Stamp Program Rules Regarding SSI/SSP Recipients in California.

Recipients of Suplemental Security Income (SSI) and the California State Supplement to SSI (SSP) are not eligible for Food Stamps. This policy is related to the fact that SSI recipients in California receive one of the highest State Supplemental Program (SSP) payments in the country. While the SSI recipient is not eligible, their household members may be and it is important to use a screening tool to determine if a household with an SSI recipient may have household members that are potentially eligible.

Please Note:SSI is different than Social Security or Social Security Disability and recipients of those programs are not categorically excluded from the Food Stamp Program. Click here to learn more about how these programs are different and about other safety-net programs that serve low-income populations in California.

Other Food Support for SSI/SSP Recipients: Many community based outreach workers encounter that most SSI households experience hunger; some of these clients might also be housing insecure or homeless. Some SSI/SSP recipients in California may be eligible to receive a suplemental payment if they do not have access to a working kitchen. Click here to download a copy of this application that is to be turned into the Social Security office.

The following resources will help you understand SSI and how it intersects with the Food Stamp Program:

Explanation of the SSI Program
http://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/PG151.htm

History of SSI Cash-out policy in California, by USDA
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Legislation/history.htm

Findings about SSI Cash-out by the Social Security Administration
http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/rulings/ssi/07/SSR79-09-ssi-07.html

Discussion about how SSI Cash-out impacts California's Food Stamp participation rate
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/12/23_usda.shtml

Information about Children Receiving SSI 2005 http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_children/2005/index.html

All County Letters pertaining to SSI Cash-out
http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/getinfo/acl75/75-153.pdf

California Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) report on proposed SSI/SSP Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Adjustments for Budget Year 05-06http://www.lao.ca.gov/analysis_2005/Health_ss/hss_14_ssissp_anl05.htm

Statistics about California's Elderly Population, Income Sources and SSI/SSP Usage http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/income_pop55/2004/index.html

2005 SSI Usage By California County http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_sc/2005/ca.html

Information about SSI State Supplemental Programs and Payment Amounts http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssi_st_asst/2006/