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Bay State CAP Eligibility

Bay State CAP clients can choose to opt-out of Bay State CAP at any time. Clients who would like to opt-out of Bay State CAP reporting must complete a Bay State Client Options form.

Clients that have fluctuating unearned income and SSI and who otherwise meet the eligibility criteria for Bay State CAP due to nonfinancial data, are not eligible for Bay State CAP. These clients must be marked as “Ineligible for Bay State CAP” in the Bay State CAP Eligibility workflow. For more information, see Processing Clients not Currently on Bay State CAP Who Receive SSI and Have Fluctuating Unearned Income below.

Opting-Out (Client Request) by Using the Bay State CAP Client Options form or Written Self-Declaration

If a Bay State CAP client tells you that they wish to opt-out, you must initiate a request to opt-out by selecting the Initiate button, with a reason of Client Request, on the Bay State CAP Eligibility page. Initiating the opt-out will populate the opt-out request in the Verification tab as an outstanding verification. In addition to selecting the opt-out request, you must also enter the applicable user-entered verifications for shelter expenses, utilities and medical expenses (if any).  An optional VC-1 with these expenses and the Bay State CAP Client Options form will be issued for the client to complete and provide verifications of their expenses.

Once the completed form or written self-declaration to opt out is returned, processing is restricted to the CEP. The opt-out option will be processed by selecting the Submit button on the Bay State CAP Eligibility page in the Bay State CAP Eligibility workflow. Once the Submit button is selected, information from the Bay State CAP Shelter page and SUA page will be cleared from BEACON. The regular Shelter Expense page will be available for the case manager to enter in the client’s actual expense data based on verifications the client provided. If the form is not returned, the case will remain on Bay State CAP. The authorized case manager processing the opt-out will also be responsible to update any expenses for which the client provided documentary evidence.

If the Bay State Client Options form or self-declaration to opt-out is incorrectly indexed and is sent as an Action to a FAW, it must be re-indexed as Bay State CAP Client Options Form and dispositioned as Pending Agency Review. This will redirect the document to the CEP Business Group pool. This specialized staff will pull the action, “Process Scanned Bay State CAP Eligibility” and process the document. You must write a detailed narrative stating that you re-indexed and dispositioned the document for authorized staff. You do not need to email the CEP about the case.

However, if a cash case closes, and the client is subsequently approved for Bay State CAP and immediately requests to opt-out by submitting a Bay State CAP Client Options form, the form will be assigned to the cash case manager within the first thirty days of the case closing. When this happens, the cash case manager must have their supervisor contact the CEP to assign the document and process.

Once Opt-Out Request Has Been Processed

Once opt-out has been processed in BEACON, SSA will continue to batch over information applicable to the case, but BEACON will prevent the system from converting the case back to Bay State CAP reporting.

The client will complete the remainder of their original certification period under the certification type to which they have been converted. If a case that has opted-out of Bay State CAP closes and is reinstated within 30 days, the case will hold the previously recorded opt-out request.

If the client requests to be put back on Bay State CAP before the release of the opt-out request and they are still eligible for Bay State CAP, you must go back to the Bay State CAP Eligibility page and delete the request to opt-out by clicking Cancel Request. Additionally, you must enter the previous High or Low shelter amount and remove any shelter expenses that may have been entered for the opt-out request. These pages will be set to reedit. BEACON will automatically enter the Bay State CAP SUA during the wrap up.

Important: If a client is no longer eligible for Bay State CAP, do not initiate an opt-out request to send the Bay State Client Options form to the client. Opting-out of Bay State CAP is for clients who are otherwise eligible for Bay State CAP reporting. You must Initiate and select the Ineligible for Bay State CAP reason located on the Bay State CAP Eligibility Workflow when a Bay State CAP client is ineligible to continue on Bay State CAP reporting.

Example

Gerald Gomes (he/him) is applying for regular SNAP benefits. He receives SSI and a fluctuating pension. He also meets all the nonfinancial requirements for Bay State CAP.

Since Gerald would eventually be batched over to Bay State CAP reporting due to receiving SSI and meeting the nonfinancial criteria, you must Initiate and select the Ineligible for Bay State CAP reason located in the Bay State CAP Eligibility page. Clients who have SSI and fluctuating unearned income must be indicated as Ineligible for Bay State CAP on the Bay State CAP Eligibility page, regardless if the client chooses to mandatory income average or not.

Once you have initiated the Ineligible for Bay State CAP request, you must exit the case. This will then create an action for processing by the CEP to submit the request and process the case for Mandatory Income Averaging, if applicable.

Opting Back into Bay State CAP

Clients who are currently active on SNAP and who had previously opted out, may request to be recapped by submitting a written and signed self-declaration stating their request to opt back into Bay State CAP reporting. The recapping will be completed by a TAO manager. The recapping will only be completed if the household is eligible for Bay State CAP.

Clients who are not active on SNAP and request to be put on Bay State CAP may either apply at DTA for regular SNAP benefits or go to the SSA office to apply for Bay State CAP, if they meet Bay State CAP requirements. If the client is ineligible for Bay State CAP, you should advise the client to apply for SNAP at DTA.

Processing Clients that are Ineligible for Bay State CAP but Who Are Currently on Bay State CAP

Clients who have fluctuating unearned income are no longer eligible for Bay State CAP, regardless if they choose to mandatory income average or not.

if a client contacts DTA or you are doing case maintenance on a case and you realize that the client is no longer eligible for Bay State CAP because the client has SSI and fluctuating unearned income, you must:

  • initiate and select the Ineligible for Bay State CAP reason located in the Case Maintenance workflow
  • explain to the client that they are no longer eligible for Bay State CAP. If the client is not on the phone with you, perform a series of two cold calls
  • send an optional VC-1 requesting updated shelter, utility and medical expenses, if any. (Bay State CAP households use a High or Low Shelter value and the Bay State CAP SUA so their real shelter expenses are likely unknown)
  • encourage the client to submit as soon as possible so they may maximize SNAP benefits
  • write a detailed narrative.

The CEP will put this case on income averaging after they receive the action which signifies that the request has been initiated. The case will then covert to either Simplified Reporting or EDSAP, based on eligibility. Provided the Ineligible for Bay State CAP reason is selected, the case will then be blocked from converting to Bay State CAP in the future.

Processing Clients not Currently on Bay State CAP Who Receive SSI and Have Fluctuating Unearned Income

If a client that is a household of one, receives SSI and fluctuating unearned income and based on nonfinancial information may one day meet Bay State CAP criteria, the client must also have the “Ineligible for Bay State CAP” reason selected so the regular SNAP case does not get converted to Bay State CAP by the conversion batch in the future.

Remember: Clients who receive both SSI and fluctuating unearned income must be defaulted to income averaging regardless of certification type. Additionally, the “Ineligible for Bay State CAP” reason must be selected for these households so that they will not be converted to Bay State CAP by the conversion batch in the future.

If the client does not want their income to be averaged, they must provide a telephonic or written self-declaration stating their request. At that time, income averaging will be removed from the case, but the Ineligible for Bay State CAP reason will remain. You must attempt two cold calls to contact the client to explain that due to their fluctuating unearned income, their SNAP benefits will also fluctuate based on data from SSA.

Last Update: September 15, 2026

 

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