[quote=AN]Is there a life time limit on food stamps?[/quote]
I’ve never worked for the former DSS (now HHSA) but I would say …. no. As long as one is income-qualified for an EBT card, new $$ will be put onto it at the 1st of each month, by HHSA. That $$ could vary month to month, however, depending upon how much W-2 income is reported on the recipient’s SSN to the CA EDD every quarter. Of course, this does NOT preclude an EBT program recipient from working “under the table” to not have their benefits affected. If a recipient understates their W-2 income on their monthly report and it is later found to be higher, they will receive less $$ on their EBT card the following month(s) until the overpayment is satisfied. I believe a recipient will lose benefits if found to have understated their W-2 income three times.
Counties are reimbursed by the Dept of Agriculture for the monies they expend in the EBT program. The recipient must meet certain guidelines to qualify for an EBT card (and continue to have $$ put on it).
The EBT card program is completely separate from TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families).
When TANF was enacted in CA (I believe 1996), there was a five-year lifetime limit put on an individual recipient. During that <=five-year period, a TANF recipient, if not certified by a doctor to be too disabled to work, will be expected to work when offered temporary positions by their eligibility worker. These are usually in county departments performing menial tasks for no pay. A Department supervisor will give a TANF worker a letter of recommendation for employment after 3-6 months on the job. Some TANF recipients have obtained county positions in Departments they formerly "interned" in. Those not working are expected to be enrolled in ROP or college F/T. Resources are available to pay for a recipient's college fees and child care while they work and/or attend college/ROP programs.
Disclaimer: I have never been a recipient of these programs but have known many people who have. There is no shame in needing to feed/house your children and not having the funds at some point in your life to do it.
see: http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/entres/pdf/CWVerificationPlan.pdf
