Great news for families with children covered by Medicaid: Now, kids in Medicaid households are automatically qualified for free or reduced-price school meals and will also get extra grocery benefits during the summer, thanks to a special food stamps initiative.
This fantastic initiative, known as Direct Certification, was introduced by the Medicaid Demonstration Project in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administrates the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Free or Reduced-Price Meals: Summer SNAP Special Program
Applications are now open for most states to join this program. Direct Certification aims to make it easier for more kids to benefit from the upcoming Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program (Summer EBT), set to launch in 2024, as explained by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.
Currently, 38 states are already on board with this project, covering a whopping 91% of K-12 students across the nation. In the 2019-2020 school year, over 1.4 million students were directly certified for free and reduced-price meals based on Medicaid data, thanks to these demonstration projects.
Tom Horne, Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction with the Department of Education, shared that this initiative has positively impacted thousands of additional students. Now, these students receive free breakfast and lunch at school without the need for families to fill out any applications.
Families with students automatically eligible for free school meals will also receive an extra $40 per child in grocery benefits for each summer month. This applies to households in states, territories, and Tribal Nations participating in the Summer EBT program.
What Do You Have to Do to Apply for This Summer EBT Program?
The announcement highlighted that if children reside in households enrolled in other income-based federal assistance programs such as SNAP, they automatically qualify for free and reduced-price school meals as well as Summer EBT benefits.
According to government statistics cited by the nonprofit organization No Kid Hungry, 42% of individuals benefiting from the SNAP program are children. Studies have additionally indicated that children receiving SNAP tend to experience better health, perform well academically, and have an increased likelihood of graduating. In the coming school years, new states will have the chance to initiate and implement this initiative.
Eligibility for Children Enrolled in NSLP/SBP Schools and Other Institutions
Children enrolled in NSLP/SBP schools can establish their eligibility for Summer EBT by completing and submitting an application. This includes children in special provision schools (Provision 2, Provision 3, or Community Eligibility Provision schools) and those without an individual eligibility determination from their NSLP/SBP school.
For instance, a child may submit an application if they become income-eligible during the summer or if they didn’t apply for NSLP benefits but wish to avail themselves of Summer EBT benefits. Conversely, children not enrolled in an NSLP/SBP school cannot be certified through an application process. Their enrollment in Summer EBT is contingent upon being school-age participants in an approved assistance program like SNAP.
The eligibility of non-enrolled children in NSLP/SBP schools for Summer EBT depends on various factors. School-age children not registered in an NSLP/SBP school, including those in public or private schools not participating in NSLP/SBP and homeschooled children, may be considered eligible for Summer EBT if they are participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid (in specific cases), or another Secretary-approved means-tested program. It’s important to note that children not enrolled in NSLP/SBP-participating schools cannot establish their Summer EBT eligibility through application submission.