[StBernard] State implements changes to Food Stamp Application Process (PLEASE READ)

[Westley Annis]

DCFS Announces DSNAP Locations, Alphabetic Order of Service Applicants
should go to DSNAP sites only on designated day to speed service

BATON ROUGE -- The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services
(DCFS) today announced locations where residents of nine parishes can
finalize their application for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (DNSAP) benefits. Additional sites will be announced as the need
arises or as additional parishes are approved for DSNAP.

DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps, provides food assistance for
eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need
help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.

Each site will serve applicants on a staggered alphabetic schedule. To
minimize wait times, applicants and anyone who pre-applied for benefits
should go to a DSNAP location only on the day indicated by the first letter
of their last name. Applicants who are unable to visit a site on their
designated day can go on the final two days each site is open. Applicants
can visit any DSNAP site to receive benefits; they are not required to visit
the DSNAP site in their parish of residence.

The following location will be open Wednesday, September 5 to Wednesday,
September 12 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but will be CLOSED for the day on
Sunday, September 9.

*	St. Bernard - Christian Fellowship Church, 5816 E. Judge Perez Dr.,
Violet (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.)  Residents must park at Meraux Winn Dixie on
the corner of Legend & Judge Perez.  Shuttle service will be provided to and
from the church.  No walk-ins or drive-ups will be taken.

The above sites will follow the following schedule:

Wednesday, September 5

A through C

Thursday, September 6

D through G

Friday, September 7

H through L

Saturday, September 8

M through R

Sunday, September 9

CLOSED

Monday, September 10

S through Z

Tuesday, September 11

All applicants unable to make prior scheduled day

Wednesday, September 12

All applicants unable to make prior scheduled day

DSNAP applicants MUST go to a specified DSNAP site to apply and receive
benefits. DCFS offices will not accept DSNAP applications.

Applicants may name an Authorized Representative to go to a DSNAP site on
their behalf. Accommodations will be made for the elderly and those with
disabilities to reduce on-site wait times.

Individuals in the approved parishes who pre-applied for DSNAP must visit a
DSNAP issuance site with a picture ID to verify their identity and
information to decide final eligibility before receiving benefit cards.
Pre-applying does not guarantee benefits.

If pre-applicants named an Authorized Representative, that person may go to
the site in their place. Authorized representatives must bring with them to
the DSNAP site a picture ID and the picture ID of the applicant/head of
household along with a signed statement from the applicant/head of household
or an adult household member authorizing them as a representative.

Regular SNAP households DO NOT need to apply for DSNAP. Households that
receive regular SNAP benefits in the nine DSNAP parishes will automatically
have additional DSNAP benefits added to their Electronic Benefit Transfer
(EBT) cards if they are not already receiving the maximum allotment for
their household size.

To help expedite the application process, individuals can pre-apply for
Hurricane Isaac DSNAP through Tuesday either online at
www.dcfs.la.gov/preapply
<http://lra.louisiana.gov/action.cfm?md=emaillist&task=addMessageClickThru&m
sgid=976&uid=k%60eVfel3&encoded=1&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edcfs%2Ela%2Ego
v%2Fpreapply>  or www.getagameplan.org
<http://lra.louisiana.gov/action.cfm?md=emaillist&task=addMessageClickThru&m
sgid=976&uid=k%60eVfel3&encoded=1&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egetagameplan%2
Eorg>  or by calling 1-888-LAHELP-U (888-524-3578) 24 hours a day. When
applying by phone, callers should select the appropriate language and then
select options 3 and 3.

The following information is required for DSNAP pre-application:

*	Names, Social Security Numbers and Dates of Birth for each household
member;
*	Address and Parish where you currently live;
*	Monthly income for each household member; and
*	All liquid resources for each household member (cash on hand,
checking accounts, savings accounts).

DCFS is working to get DSNAP benefits out to eligible residents as quickly
as possible. Intentionally providing inaccurate or incomplete information as
part of a DSNAP application could be considered fraud. Strong safeguards are
in place to identify DSNAP fraud and abuse. DCFS will work to investigate
suspected fraud and aggressively pursue recoupment and possibly prosecution.