388.0 Applicability, responsibilities of the office.
(a) For purposes of this Part, office refers to the Office of Temporary
and Disability Assistance within the Department of Family Assistance.
(b) In accordance with section 95 of the Social Services Law, the
office is authorized to administer a State food assistance program to be operated by
social services districts in accordance with the requirements of this Part.
(c) State Plan. The office is authorized to submit a plan to the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as required by federal statute, in order to secure
approval to operate the food assistance program. Such plan must describe the conditions
and procedures under which the benefits will be issued including eligibility standards,
benefit levels, and the methodology the office will use to determine the payments due to
the federal government.
(d) The office is authorized to purchase food stamp coupons from the
federal government for use in the food assistance program and to make such other
expenditures as are necessary to operate the program. The office may operate the food
assistance program using food stamp coupons or other access devices including, but not
limited to, an electronic benefit transfer card, personal identification number or debit
card to the extent that such means of benefit issuance is being used by participants in
the federal food stamp program in New York State.