MDE, MDHS will distribute P-EBT benefits to approximately 466,000 Mississippi children

MDHS anticipates the distribution of those one-time P-EBT advantages in October 2022.

The Mississippi Division of Training (MDE) and the Mississippi Division of Human Providers (MDHS) have obtained federal approval to distribute Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) advantages to roughly 466,000 Mississippi youngsters.

Mississippi youngsters who participated within the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program or have been below six and obtained SNAP advantages in the course of the 2021-22 college 12 months or summer time 2022 months will obtain advantages.

“An estimated 90,000 further Mississippi youngsters will obtain advantages this 12 months with the addition of SNAP below age six (6) youngsters,” a launch from MDHS mentioned.

Youngsters below six who have been members of an lively SNAP case between August 2021 and July 2022 in Mississippi will obtain one-time P-EBT advantages primarily based on what number of months they obtained SNAP advantages. To view a desk of profit quantities, you may go to the MDHS P-EBT webpage.

Households of scholars in Okay-12 who have been eligible for the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program in the course of the 2021-22 college 12 months will obtain a one-time good thing about $391 for every youngster enrolled in this system.

“Eligibility for college students enrolled in a Mississippi college is set solely by their eligibility for Free or Diminished Priced Lunch below the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program at their college in the course of the 2021-22 college 12 months. Digital or in-person studying modes won’t be thought of in figuring out eligibility or profit quantity,” the MDHS launch continued.

MDHS defined that P-EBT advantages can be utilized to buy SNAP-eligible meals gadgets at shops that settle for Digital Profit Switch (EBT) playing cards. All eligible youngsters might be issued a brand new P-EBT card.

The P-EBT playing cards for Okay-12 college students might be despatched by mail to the tackle supplied by the kid’s 2021-22 college district. For SNAP Below 6 youngsters, the P-EBT card might be mailed to the household’s most up to date tackle on file with the SNAP program.

MDHS clarified that although all public-school youngsters might entry free meals in the course of the 2021-22 college 12 months, P-EBT advantages are restricted to these deemed eligible without spending a dime or reduced-priced lunch below the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Program by software or by means of both a college with Group Eligibility Provision standing or a Provision 2 college.

“Finishing an software without spending a dime or reduced-price lunch in the course of the 2022-23 college 12 months will NOT make a toddler eligible for 2022 P-EBT advantages,” MDHS defined.

MDE and MDHS will oversee the distribution of P-EBT advantages in Mississippi. The U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA), Meals and Diet Service administers this system on the federal degree.

Earlier than distributing advantages to Mississippi youngsters and households, MDHS and MDE should undertake administrative processes to make sure correct distribution of funds. They may work with college districts to assemble scholar info, work with the P-EBT processing vendor to fabricate, load, and distribute playing cards, and provoke a customer support name middle with on-line choices for fogeys and guardians to resolve points with playing cards and advantages.

Eligible households are inspired to watch www.mdhs.ms.gov/pandemic-ebt-p-ebt/ for added updates.