The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) for SNAP
To support the efficient enrollment of seniors and people with disabilities into the SNAP (food stamps) program, the Food and Nutrition Service authorized The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP). People who are elderly or disabled and receive no earned income can participate in this program to receive SNAP benefits.
In order to implement an ESAP application, a state must request a waiver from the USDA. The waiver approves policy and procedures for a five year period. The waiver removes barriers to enrolling in SNAP by:
- Extending the recertification period from 1 year to 3 years
- Removing the required interview when recertifying
- Reducing the burden of documentation of income, identity and residency
In addition to supporting a vulnerable population, these procedural changes reduce the administrative burden for SNAP agencies administering the program. The longer recertification period reduces the likelihood of people churning off of the program. Additionally, staff can save the time of conducting a recertification interview every year. Unless any information provided is questionable, case workers do not have to review and process the standard supporting verifications for a SNAP application. Clients can submit verification of medical expenses to ensure that the correct benefit amount is calculated. For both clients and SNAP agencies, the enrollment process requires less capacity.
Beyond the waivers, states can also make administrative changes such as creating a central processing unit exclusively for ESAP applications and creating a shortened two page application. Since many SNAP applications are 15 to 20 pages, this streamlined application is much more accessible than the status quo. Here is an example of the ESAP application in South Carolina. South Carolina implemented the first ESAP to serve seniors without earning in 2004. Since then the program has expanded, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington offer ESAP.
These efforts have proven effective at increasing SNAP enrollment rates. From 2010 to 2015, almost all states increased their senior SNAP participation rates. ESAP and other senior outreach have created momentum for SNAP enrollment, but an opportunity remains to make ESAP more accessible. While enrollment rates are increasing, the majority of eligible seniors still do not participate in the program, even in states that offer ESAP.
