TO:  Commissioners; TA Directors; FS Directors; WMS Coordinators; Staff Development Coordinators

FROM:	Russell Sykes, Deputy Commissioner, Center for Employment & Economic Supports

SUBJECT:	NYSNIP Standard Benefit Amount Adjustments

EFFECTIVE DATE:	January 1, 2008 

CONTACT PERSON:	Food Stamp Bureau at 1-800-343-8859, ext. 3-1469; Upstate WMS at 1-800-343-8859, ext. 3-7991; NYC WMS at 212-961-8185

New York State Nutrition Improvement Project (NYSNIP) benefit levels have been adjusted as part of the 2008 Jan MRB/A effective 1/1/08.  This is the annual adjustment to benefit amounts that occurs because of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).  Information regarding the WMS mass rebudgeting/reauthorization of NYSNIP benefit levels was provided in ABEL Transmittal 07-3. Affected cases appear on the ELIGIBLES LIST of cases re-budgeted with ALERT ”U”- “NYSNIP CASE”.  NYSNIP cases will be notified by CNS notice of the change in benefits due to the annual adjustment of Supplemental Security Income and Social Security benefits.

Furthermore, the new NYSNIP FS benefit amounts (see attached table of NYSNIP Benefit Levels effective 1/1/08) will be effective for any ABEL NYSNIP FS Shelter Type budgets calculated as of November 12, 2007 with a FROM Date of 1/1/08 or later. 

$217 High Shelter Cost Threshold

New NYSNIP households having cases opened, and existing NYSNIP households recertified, effective 1/1/08 or later and having shelter costs greater than $217 will be considered to be “High Shelter” (Shelter Type 94 or 96) cases by the standard of the project.  Conversely, effective 1/1/08, new and recertifying NYSNIP households having shelter costs of $217 or less will be considered to be “Low Shelter” (Shelter Type 95 or 97) cases by the standard of the project.  This change to the shelter threshold was migrated on November 19th, 2007 for budgets having a FROM Date of 01/01/08 or later.

NYSNIP BENEFITS MATRIX BY SHELTER TYPES
 01/01/08

HOUSEHOLD	MONTHLY FOOD STAMP BENEFIT AMOUNT	
	New York City	Nassau/Suffolk	Upstate	
Shelter Type 94 (High Shelter/SUA)	SSI Only
Other Income	$162
$162	$162
$162	$152
$143	
Shelter Type 95 (Low Shelter/SUA)	SSI Only
Other Income	$107
$100	$99
$92	$84
$77	
Shelter Type 96 (High Shelter/ No SUA)	SSI Only
Other Income	$32
$24	$32
$24	$32
$24	
Shelter Type 97 (Low Shelter/ No SUA)	SSI Only
Other Income	$22
$18	$22
$18	$22
$18	
Shelter Type 98 
(No Shelter or SUA Data)	SSI Only
Other Income	$22
$18	$22
$18	$22
$18