Disabled or blind residents of a group living arrangement who receive benefits under Title II or Title XVI of the Social Security Act may voluntarily apply for the FS program. If these residents apply through use of the facility's authorized representative, their eligibility will be determined as one-person groups. If the residents apply on their own behalf, the group size will be in accordance with the required characteristics outlined in Chapter 1: Group Composition in this Part.
The SSR will certify these residents using the same provisions that apply to all other groups. Prior to certifying any residents for FS, the SSR must verify that the group living arrangement is authorized by FNS or is certified by the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Service Facility Regulation Administration, Social Services Facility Division, including a determination by that office that the center is a non-profit organization.
The SSR must have the EBT card available for pick-up no later than seven calendar days following the date the application was filed for blind or disabled residents of group living arrangements receiving benefits under Title II or Title XVI of the Social Security Act when the facility acts as the resident's authorized representative and the resident is entitled to expedited service.
If a resident who is having his/her group living arrangement act as an authorized representative is entitled to expedited service, the SSR must have the EBT card available for pick-up no later than seven calendar days following the date the application was filed. A resident applying on his/her behalf is responsible for overpayments (see Section 6.3: Reporting of Overpayments in Part VIII) as would any other group.
The group living arrangement may purchase and prepare food to be consumed by eligible residents on a group basis if residents normally obtain their meals at a central location as part of the group living arrangement services or if meals are prepared at a central location for delivery to the individual residents. If residents purchase and/or prepare food for home consumption, as opposed to communal dining, the group living arrangement must ensure that each resident's food stamps are used for meals intended for that resident.
If the resident retains use of his/her own allotment, s/he may either use the benefits to purchase meals prepared for him/her by the facility or to purchase food to prepare meals for his/her own consumption.
