1.3 FSET Program Delivery in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is divided into eleven FSET administrative regions, which mirror the boundaries of Wisconsin’s Workforce Development Areas (WDA). Each FSET region administers and delivers FSET services within the region by partnering with local service providers and community organizations. Wisconsin’s FSET regions include:

FSET Region 1 – Southwest: Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth Counties
FSET Region 2 – Milwaukee: Milwaukee County
FSET Region 3 – WOW: Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha Counties
FSET Region 4 – Fox Valley: Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago Counties
FSET Region 5 – Bay Area: Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, and Sheboygan Counties
FSET Region 6 – North Central: Adams, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Vilas, and Wood Counties
FSET Region 7 – Northwest: Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, and Washburn Counties
FSET Region 8 – West Central: Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix Counties
FSET Region 9 – Western: Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon Counties
FSET Region 10 – South Central: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Marquette, and Sauk Counties
FSET Region 11 – Southwest: Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland, and Rock Counties

In addition, eight Wisconsin tribes operate their own independent tribal FSET program, including:

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin
Forest County Potawatomi Community
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Sokaogon Chippewa Community
Stockbridge-Munsee Community

1.3.2 Voluntary FSET Program

Since 2008, Wisconsin has operated a voluntary FSET program, an allowable state option under federal SNAP regulations. The shift to a voluntary FSET program was a provision of Wisconsin’s 2007-2009 biennial budget. A voluntary program differs from a mandatory program in that FSET participants choose to participate and eligibility is not impacted due to failure to comply.

Although Wisconsin will implement time-limited benefits (TLBs) and the federal work requirement for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDs) statewide effective April 1, 2015, the state’s FSET program remains voluntary. ABAWDs who need to meet the work requirement in order to maintain ongoing eligibility for FoodShare (FS) receive a referral and may choose to participate in FSET in order to meet the work requirement or may meet the work requirement through fulfilling other allowable requirements. ABAWDs not meeting the work requirement may lose eligibility for FS after exhausting three months of TLBs within a 36-month period.

1.3.3 Service Delivery to ABAWDs

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) limits the receipt of FS benefits to three full months in a 36-month time period for ABAWDs who do not meet the work requirement or meet an exemption from the work requirement.

From 2002 through 2014, the State of Wisconsin was granted approval from the federal Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to waive the federal time limit on FS benefits for ABAWDs who failed to meet ABAWD work requirements. As specified in the Wisconsin 2013-2015 biennial budget, the state will implement the federal time limit on FoodShare benefits for ABAWDs statewide effective April 1, 2015. For more information about ABAWD TLBs and the 36-month period, see section 3.17.1 of the FS Handbook.

During a 36-month period, an ABAWD may continue receiving FS benefits as long as the ABAWD is meeting the work requirement or an exemption, or is later determined to be a non-ABAWD. Participating in the FSET program is one way for ABAWDs to meet the work requirement and maintain ongoing eligibility for FS. Once FS eligibility is confirmed, an ABAWD who needs to meet the work requirement will receive a referral to FSET, so that he or she has the opportunity to choose to participate right away and not exhaust his or her time-limited benefit months.

In order to meet the work requirement through FSET participation, ABAWDs must participate in ‘qualifying’ activities. FSET agencies are required to provide qualifying services so that all ABAWDs who enroll in FSET are able to meet the work requirement by participating in FSET, if they choose.

This page last updated in Release Number: 15-01

Release Date: 02/26/15

Effective Date: 02/26/15