Tennessee Department Of Human Services Family Assistance Application (Page 4 of 7) in pdf

Food Stamps Information:

Food Stamp benefits won’t change your Families First benefits. If your Families First cash payments stop,

you may still receive Food Stamps. But if you start receiving Families First, your Food Stamp benefits may go

down. You will be notified of this change; however, you may receive this notice less than ten days before

your Food Stamps go down.

Your Food Stamp benefits may end if you:

Give incorrect information or hide facts to get Food Stamp benefits;

Use someone else’s Benefit Security Card without their permission;

Buy things with Food Stamp benefits like beer, cigarettes, or soap.

If you break these rules, you will not get Food Stamp benefits for:

1 year the first time.

2 years the second time.

Forever the third time.

If you trade Food Stamp benefits for drugs. You can be cut off for:

2 years the first time.

Forever the second time.

You will be cut off the Food Stamp Program forever if a court finds you guilty of:

Trading Food Stamp benefits for guns, ammunition, or explosives.

Selling Food Stamp benefits worth $500 or more.

You will not get Food Stamp benefits for ten (10) years if you lie about who you are or where you live in

order to receive Food Stamp benefits.

If you do not follow your Families First plan, we may cut your Families First cash payments or your Food

Stamp benefits may be reduced.

If you do not report your work income or are found guilty of breaking Food Stamp Program rules on

purpose, you may have to pay back money if you get too many Food Stamp benefits.

People who break these rules may go to prison, be charged under federal laws, or be fined up to $10,000.

Some household members must register for work if they want to receive Food Stamps. Your worker will

tell you who in your household must register to qualify. If this happens, you will have to go to the Department

of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) for an interview. They will ask you about your past work and

will help you prepare to get a job.

You may get more Food Stamp benefits if you have proof of these kinds of expenses:

Medical

Child or dependent care

Child support

Housing or utilities

Your DHS caseworker can help you get proof. But you must report the expense and give us proof. If you

don’t tell us about these expenses and give us proof, we will assume you do not want the deduction and you

won’t get more Food Stamp benefits.

Families First Information:

If you get Families First cash payments you don’t qualify for, you must pay the State back. You can:

Pay from your Families First cash payments.

Tennessee Department Of Human Services Family Assistance Application Page 4