Library: Policy
340:50-10-1. Scope and applicability
Revised 9-15-22
(a) Benefit delivery and access. Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) uses an online electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system to deliver Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits. SNAP food benefits are stored in a central computer database and electronically accessed by eligible households at the point of sale via plastic EBT cards, called Access Oklahoma, and personal identification numbers (PIN).
(1) Upon initial certification, OKDHS issues a notice to eligible households informing them of the date they can access their SNAP food benefits. • 1
(2) The EBT system credits food benefits to eligible households' food benefit account each month they are certified.
(3) Households use their Access Oklahoma card and enter their PIN to purchase food from a business approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to accept food benefits.
(b) Benefit expungement. OKDHS expunges SNAP food benefits after 274-calendar days of inactivity, per Section 274.2(i) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Inactivity occurs when the household does not take an action that affects the balance of the household's SNAP EBT account within this time period, such as making a purchase or a return. • 2 OKDHS provides an expungement notice to the household at least 30-calendar days before expunging the benefit.
(c) Moved to another state. When a household moves to another state and has food benefits remaining in their account, the household must use the food benefits in Oklahoma prior to leaving the state or find a retailer in another state that accepts the Access Oklahoma card. The Access Oklahoma card can be used in most states as most major retailers accept the Access Oklahoma card. • 3
Revised 9-16-19
1. Food benefit issuance dates vary. Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) sends regular-roll food benefits to Conduent, the contractor, after deadline each month. Regular-roll food benefit issuance is staggered and issued over three days each month to improve food benefit households' access to fresh food products, particularly in rural areas with smaller grocery stores. OKDHS uses the last digit of the household's case number to determine the household's benefit issuance date. Food benefits issue on the:
(1) first day of the month for case numbers ending with zero through three;
(2) fifth day of the month for case numbers ending with four through six; and
(3) tenth day of the month for case numbers ending with seven through nine.
2. The household, not OKDHS, must take an action to affect the balance. When OKDHS loads a household's monthly benefit allotment, this action does not stop an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card balance from being inactive.
3. (a) When the household notifies the worker it moved or plans to move to another state, the worker advises the household to use the food benefits on the Access Oklahoma EBT card in Oklahoma, when possible, before leaving the state. When the household already moved and has trouble locating a retailer that accepts the Access Oklahoma EBT card, the worker gives the household the phone number for the local food benefit office and suggests the household contact the office to locate a retailer that accepts the Access Oklahoma EBT card. The worker updates the household's address, closes the food benefits effective the first day of the next month using the second deadline on the OKDHS Appendix B-2, Deadlines for Case Actions, and enters a Family Assistance/Client Services (FACS) case note regarding the move and benefit closure.
(b) When needed, the worker contacts the OKDHS Financial Services Electronic Payment Systems Unit for a list of retailers in the new state that accepts the Access Oklahoma EBT card and mails the list to the client.
(c) When the household moves out-of-state and reports they no longer have their Access Oklahoma EBT card and need a card, the worker instructs the household to contact Conduent at 1-888-328-6551 or to go online at www.connectebt.com/ to request a replacement card and updates the client's address, when needed.
