[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 7, Volume 4]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 7CFR247.16]



[Page 410-411]

 

                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE

 

    CHAPTER II--FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

 

PART 247_COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM--Table of Contents

 

Sec. 247.16  Certification period.



    (a) How long is the certification period? (1) Women, infants, and 

children. For women, infants, and children, the State agency must 

establish certification periods that may not exceed 6 months in length. 

However, pregnant women may be certified to participate for the duration 

of their pregnancy and for up to six weeks post-partum.

    (2) Elderly persons. For elderly persons, the State agency must 

establish certification periods that may not exceed 6 months in length. 

However, the State agency may authorize local agencies to extend the 

certification period without a formal review of eligibility



[[Page 411]]



for additional 6-month periods, as long as the following conditions are 

met:

    (i) The person's address and continued interest in receiving program 

benefits are verified;

    (ii) The local agency has sufficient reason to believe that the 

person still meets the income eligibility standards (e.g., the elderly 

person has a fixed income); and

    (iii) No eligible women, infants, or children are waiting to be 

served.

    (b) On what day of the final month does the certification period 

end? The certification period extends to the final day of the month in 

which eligibility expires (e.g., the last day of the month in which a 

child reaches his or her sixth birthday).

    (c) Does the certification period end when a participant moves from 

the local area in which he or she was receiving benefits? No. The State 

agency must ensure that local agencies serve a CSFP participant, or WIC 

participant (if also eligible for CSFP), who moves from another area to 

an area served by CSFP, and whose certification period has not expired. 

The participant must be given the opportunity to continue to receive 

CSFP benefits for the duration of the certification period. If the local 

agency has a waiting list, the participant must be placed on its waiting 

list ahead of all other waiting applicants. The local agency that 

determined the participant's eligibility must provide verification of 

the expiration date of the certification period to the participant upon 

request.

    (d) What must the local agency do to ensure that participants are 

aware of the expiration of the certification period? The local agency 

must notify program participants in writing at least 15 days before the 

expiration date that eligibility for the program is about to expire. The 

local agency must include a statement in the written notification that 

informs the applicant that program standards are applied without 

discrimination by race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.



(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 

0584-0293)