HEAP/SNAP UPDATES - October 28, 2025

HEAP

• Due to the ongoing Federal government shut down and the resulting delay in the approval and release of federal funding, the opening date for the 2025-2026 HEAP Regular Component has been postponed to November 17, 2025. This date may be postponed to an even later date should action not be taken in October to provide HEAP funding.

• For further information refer to the Livingston County Website at https://www.livingstoncountyny.gov/274/Social-Services

SNAP

• As a result of the ongoing Federal government shut down, per the USDA, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits. If the impasse is resolved by November 1, 2025, benefits should be available according to your budgeted allotment.

• There are Federal contingency funds that could be utilized to pay benefit amounts, but the contingency funds available are insufficient to pay the full allotment of November’s benefits.

• Benefits that have been authorized and deposited into SNAP accounts prior to November 1, 2025, will remain available to beneficiaries.

• It is the State, not the County, that issues the funds to the EBT benefit cards. The Federal government has instructed the State to hold issuing November payments until further notice.

• We will continue to accept SNAP applications/recertifications for SNAP benefits until further notice. However, the State has not provided any guidance on what should be done with the applications if there is no resolution with the federal shutdown.

• OTDA has published a webpage to maintain current information on the status of ongoing SNAP benefits. otda.ny.gov/shutdown

• OTDA will send the following text messages to all SNAP households advising them that November SNAP benefits may be delayed and to visit the OTDA website for more information.

• The text message will read: NY OTDA–November SNAP Benefits may be delayed due to federal shutdown. More info at otda.ny.gov/shutdown. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg & data rates may apply.

• The EBT vendor will make information available on the EBT hotline and in ebtEDGE that November SNAP benefits may be delayed.

• Messaging about the shutdown and its impact on November SNAP benefits will NOT be included in client notices.

Additionally, changes have been made related to Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents, also referred to as the ABAWD population. These changes were not anticipated to go into effect until February 2026, but in October 2025 the Federal government issued a notice to the States that the changes will now need to be implemented starting November 2025. The SNAP ABAWD changes include:

•  ABAWD work rules age range shall be modified from 18-54 years of age to 18-64 years of age.

•  The Dependent Child Age Threshold will be changed with exemptions now applying to adults residing with a child under the age of 14. Currently, this exemption applies to adults residing in a SNAP household with a child under 18 years of age.

•  The modifications also remove 3 categories of individuals previously exempt from the ABAWD time limit. Those who will be removed are homeless individuals, Veterans, and individuals 24 years old or younger who were in foster care on their 18th birthday.

•  Federal regulations limit the amount of time an ABAWD can participate in SNAP to 3 months within a 36-month period. To maintain SNAP eligibility beyond a 3-month time limit, ABAWDs must work or participate in a qualifying employment, education, or training program or activity for at least 80 hours per month, or they must comply with a Work Experience Program (WEP) assignment for the number of hours per month equal to the household’s SNAP benefit, then divided by the higher of the federal or state minimum wage.

•  Further information can be found about SNAP Work Requirements and ABAWD time limit rules on the OTDA website at https://otda.ny.gov/programs/snap/work-requirements.asp

• DSS program staff are actively working to complete training to address these new program requirements. OTDA has instructed local districts to send out notices no later than November 1, 2025 notifying active ABAWD cases about the changes in requirements.

• For further information please refer to the OTDA Programs and Services website at https://otda.ny.gov/programs/

PLAN/OUR EFFORTS

• Federal budget negotiations are being monitored daily by OTDA and OTDA will be immediately notifying local districts of any timeline changes.

• As additional guidance is provided by the state, information will be made available to the public. Please continue to monitor the Department of Social Services' official County website for program updates: https://www.livingstoncountyny.gov/274/Social-Services

• The Department will continue to collaborate with local community-based programs to assist with resources. For more information about local programs please refer to Finger Lakes NY 211/Life Line that provides information and referral information for Livingston County - https://211lifeline.org/ or https://211lifeline.org/categories.php?cat=FOOD

• The Livingston County Department of Social Services can also be contacted directly at (585) 243-7300 for resource information. The Department is open Monday-Friday 8am to 4pm. Please ask to speak with the department’s Assessment Office and if a staff member is not readily available, please leave a message for a return call.

• Information about programming can also be located on the Department of Social Services official County website at https://www.livingstoncountyny.gov/274/Social-Services

• The Livingston County Department of Health also has food resource information available on its County website at https://www.livingstoncountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21553/Liv-Co-Food-Resource-List-updated-61625