1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to human services; establishing the SNAP as medicine program;
1.3 appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
1.4 256D.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [256D.59] SNAP AS MEDICINE PROGRAM.
1.7 Subdivision 1.Purpose; establishment. The SNAP as medicine program is established
1.8 to:
1.9 (1) acknowledge the crisis created by a statewide labor shortage of mental health and
1.10 other health care practitioners and the multiple unmet needs of Minnesota's homeless adults;
1.11 (2) acknowledge that access to healthy food improves health outcomes; and
1.12 (3) serve adults who are at significant risk of hunger due to federal SNAP time limits.
1.13 Subd. 2.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
1.14 meanings given unless otherwise indicated.
1.15 (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services.
1.16 (c) "Community navigator" means an organization that works to facilitate access to
1.17 SNAP benefits for eligible Minnesotans.
1.18 (d) "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
1.19 (e) "Internet telepresence" means a system of real-time, two-way audio-video
1.20 communication over the Internet.
2.1 Subd. 3.Eligibility. To be eligible for the SNAP as medicine program, a participant
2.2 must:
2.3 (1) be between the ages of 18 and 54;
2.4 (2) be eligible for medical assistance under chapter 256B or MinnesotaCare under chapter
2.5 256L;
2.6 (3) be subject to the requirements under Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section
2.7 273.24(a)(1); and
2.8 (4) meet all other initial and ongoing eligibility requirements for the federal Supplemental
2.9 Nutrition Assistance Program except for the requirements under Code of Federal Regulations,
2.10 title 7, section 273.24(a)(1).
2.11 Subd. 4.Food benefits assessment. (a) The county agency or Tribe must attempt to
2.12 meet face-to-face, by telephone, or via Internet telepresence with the SNAP as medicine
2.13 participant within 30 days or connect the participant with a community navigator. If a
2.14 participant is already assigned to a county or Tribal case manager or a designated case
2.15 manager in social services, disability services, or housing services, that case manager may
2.16 work with the participant for the purposes of a SNAP as medicine assessment. The county
2.17 agency or Tribe shall:
2.18 (1) determine whether the participant's loss of federal SNAP benefits may be explained
2.19 by illness, injury, addiction, disability, or homelessness;
2.20 (2) determine whether the participant is eligible for an exemption under Code of Federal
2.21 Regulations, title 7, section 273.24;
2.22 (3) assist the participant in obtaining a current assessment by a behavioral health or
2.23 medical professional to identify any barriers that would impede the participant's ability to
2.24 consistently comply with the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section
2.25 273.24; and
2.26 (4) identify available resources that may assist a participant who is attempting to meet
2.27 the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24.
2.28 (b) If a face-to-face, telephone, or Internet telepresence meeting is not conducted, the
2.29 county agency or Tribe shall send the participant a written notice describing the purposes
2.30 of the SNAP as medicine program.
2.31 (c) If a caseworker determines the participant may meet a federal exemption, then a
2.32 referral to the appropriate provider to determine the exemption must be made. While the
3.1 participant is waiting to be assessed by the provider, the participant must be immediately
3.2 placed in the SNAP as medicine program to prevent any gap in access to food resources.
3.3 (d) If, based on the assessment, the county agency or Tribe determines the participant
3.4 is eligible for a federal exemption under Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24,
3.5 the participant must exit the SNAP as medicine program and convert to the federal
3.6 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
3.7 (e) If the county agency or Tribe determines the participant is able to consistently meet
3.8 the federal requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 273.24, the
3.9 participant must exit the SNAP as medicine program and convert to the federal Supplemental
3.10 Nutrition Assistance Program.
3.11 Subd. 5.Health care enrollment. Eligibility for the program under this section requires
3.12 ongoing eligibility for either medical assistance or MinnesotaCare. If no longer eligible for
3.13 medical assistance or MinnesotaCare, the SNAP as medicine case must close.
3.14 Subd. 6.Benefits issuance and monthly amount. Each participant in the program under
3.15 this section shall receive a monthly benefit equal to $175.
3.16 Subd. 7.Sustainable solutions to food insecurity for single adults. The commissioner,
3.17 in collaboration with the commissioner of health, advocates, and community members, must
3.18 develop recommendations for possible federal waivers and state measures to address food
3.19 insecurity among adults in Minnesota including, but not limited to, pursuing a SNAP as
3.20 medicine waiver under a federal 1115 Medicaid demonstration.
3.21 Sec. 2. SNAP AS MEDICINE PROGRAM; EVALUATION.
3.22 The commissioner of human services must:
3.23 (1) study the impact of the SNAP as medicine program and make recommendations to
3.24 ensure availability of adequate, affordable, accessible, and culturally responsive food as a
3.25 social determinant of health; and
3.26 (2) submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
3.27 committees with jurisdiction over food support and health by January 1, 2027.
3.28 Sec. 3. MORATORIUM ON CASE CLOSURES.
3.29 Beginning July 1, 2024, through July 1, 2026, the commissioner administering the
3.30 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program shall enact an emergency moratorium on the
3.31 termination of food assistance for adults eligible for medical assistance or MinnesotaCare
4.1 where there is no current medical or behavioral health assessment indicating a participant's
4.2 ability to consistently comply with the federal requirements in Code of Federal Regulations,
4.3 title 7, section 273.24.
4.4 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; SNAP AS MEDICINE PROGRAM.
4.5 $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
4.6 human services for the SNAP as medicine program under Minnesota Statutes, section
4.7 256D.59.
