SNAP Families with Non-Student Children Could Qualify for P-EBT

June 16, 2022

News Release

CHARLESTON, WV - Young children who receive SNAP benefits could be eligible for additional pandemic payments, according to a release from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR).

The DHHR has received approval from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to eligible non-students, or children under the age of six years old who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Eligible non-students are those who reside in a county where one or more schools have been closed or operated at reduced attendance due to COVID-19. Children in this population only will receive P-EBT for months in which they were in an active SNAP household.

If a child is eligible, they will be mailed a benefits letter. There is not an application for this benefit. Please retain the case number found on the letter.

Qualified children will receive $22.44 in P-EBT for each month they qualify. P-EBT benefits will be dispersed in two primary issuances: August–December 2021 will be issued in July 2022 and January–May 2022 will be issued in September 2022.

P-EBT will be issued on the WV P-EBT card in the name of the eligible child. If a child received a P-EBT card during the 2020-2021 program year, a new card will not be automatically sent. If the card has been lost, a new card may be requested by calling 1-866-545-6502.