State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Release 25-03 December 10, 2025

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2.1.4 Priority Service and Expedited Issuance

7 CFR 273.2(i)

Priority services are designed to ensure applications and late renewals are screened for quicker service including a required interview and eligibility determination. If determined eligible for expedited benefits, FoodShare benefits must be issued by the seventh day after the date of the application or late renewal. The applicant or member must be allowed to complete the required interview quickly and benefits must be issued timely. The two phases of expedited services are described below.

• Priority Service: All applications and late renewals with a required interview must be screened for potential eligibility for expedited issuance and faster service from the agency  (see Section 2.1.4.1 Eligibility for Expedited Service at Application).
• Expedited Issuance: Benefits must be issued by the seventh day after the application or late renewal is filed. Benefits will be available on the member's QUEST card the same day the application or late renewal is confirmed in CWWCARES Worker Web.
• Members approved for expedited benefits must be offered the opportunity to come into an agency to receive a Temporary QUEST Card if they do not have an active QUEST card on file and available to them. This offer must be made by the worker on the same day the member is approved for expedited issuance, or on the next business day after the member is approved for expedited issuance (see section 7.2.1.2 Temporary Quest Card).

All food units that apply or renew after the 15th of the month and who are eligible for expedited issuance must receive the prorated initial allotment and next month's allotment by the seventh day after the filing date.

Agencies must provide expedited benefits to applicants who qualify for them after they are screened through the priority service process.

When contact is made by phone, every effort should be made to complete the FoodShare interview on the same day whenever possible. If an interview cannot be completed that day, an interview appointment must be offered to be scheduled within the seven-day time frame. If an applicant or member cannot make the scheduled appointment, they will lose their right to expedited benefits.

2.1.4.1 Eligibility for Priority Service and Expedited Issuance

7 CFR 273.2(i), 273.10(e)(3)

A person or food unit may be eligible for priority services and expedited issuance if:

1. Their total monthly gross income (actual income received in that calendar month) and available assets are less than the monthly allowable Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) (see Section 8.1.3 Deductions) and monthly shelter expenses; or
2. Their gross monthly income is less than $150 and they have $100 or less in available liquid assets; or
3. Their food unit includes a migrantany person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residence outside of his state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state seasonal farm worker, who is also defined as "destitute" by meeting all of the following criteria:
   1. Liquid assets are less than $100,
   2. They don't expect to receive more than $25 from a new source within the ten days following the application or late renewal receipt date, and
   3. Income prior to the application or late renewal receipt date was from a terminated source, defined as:
      1. Income received on a monthly or more frequent basis, shall be considered as coming from a terminated source if it will not be received again during the balance of the month of application, late renewal month, or during the following month or
      2. If income is normally received less often than monthly (for example, quarterly), it is considered terminated if the source has been terminated and no future payments are made.

Treatment of Income for Destitute Migrants:

1. Budget income from a terminated source which was received by the food unit between the first of the month of application and the application receipt date (or the first of the late renewal month and the late renewal receipt date), as income available for the food unit’s needs in the month of application or late renewal month.
2. Disregardmeans do not count, exempt, or exclude any income from a new source expected during the month of application or late renewal month if income of more than $25 from the new source will not be received by the 10th day after the application or late renewal receipt date [7 CFR 273.10(e)(3)(ii)].
3. After the application month or late renewal month, budget income from a new source for the months it will be received.

The home of a migrant worker in their state of residencyResidency refers to Wisconsin residency and not the mailing address. Contrast this with address in the glossary. is an exempt asset.

Renewals submitted in the renewal due month are not eligible for priority service (see Section 2.2.1 Certification Periods (Renewals)).

2.1.4.2 Verification Requirements for Expedited Services

7 CFR 273.2(i)(4)

At application, identity is the only verification required prior to the issuance of expedited benefits. Priority service late renewals are not required to verify identity to qualify for expedited benefits. All other verifications must be postponed when they cannot be submitted within the expedited timeframe. When an authorized representative applies on behalf of the food unit, the identity of both the authorized representative and the applicant needs to be verified. 

Any documents, that reasonably establish the applicant and authorized representative’s identity must be accepted, and no requirement for a specific type of document, such as a birth certificate or photo ID, may be imposed. Collateral contact is also acceptable. If any other required verification is readily available, it must be used in the initial eligibility determination. Other outstanding required verification items must be requested, however do not delay the issuance of expedited benefits pending the receipt of other requested verification. 

At application or late renewal, a request for verification must be sent to the food unit for the postponed verifications. For applications, ensure the verification due date on the checklist is the 30th day of the application or next business day if the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday. Suppress any incorrect notices. Ongoing benefits will be denied if the postponed verifications are not received by day 30 of the application. For late renewals, give 20 days for the food unit to provide verification.

There is no limit to the number of times a FoodShare unit can be certified under expedited procedures. If an expedited service application or late renewal had postponed verification requirements that were not satisfied and there is any pending information relevant to the food unit’s current situation, or the household was not certified under normal processing standards in the past 12 months, the household is not eligible for expedited services.

Once postponed verifications are provided or no longer relevant, the food unit may meet criteria for an expedited issuance of benefits.

Example 1

Sam applied for FoodShare on January 10th, 2025, and was determined eligible for expedited issuance of January benefits. The expedited FoodShare was issued and verification was requested for the ongoing eligibility benefit determination with a verification due date of February 10th. Sam did not provide the verification by the verification due date and ongoing eligibility was denied. In July 2025, Sam reapplied for FoodShare. The requested verification from the previous January 10th application is still relevant to the current eligibility determination and verification was requested. Sam is not eligible for expedited issuance and must provide verification before eligibility can be confirmed. If Sam provides the verification, eligibility will be determined, and Sam may qualify for an expedited issuance at that point. If Sam did not reapply until February 2026, he could qualify for an expedited issuance of benefits even if the requested verification from the January 10th, 2025, application is still relevant.

2.1.4.3 Late Expedited Determinations

7 CFR 273.2(i)(3)(iv)

A late determination of expedited service eligibility can happen when a food unit submits a non-priority service application or late renewal but is then found eligible for expedited issuance during the eligibility determination process. 

Once the agency is aware that the food unit is eligible for expedited benefits at application, the application is no longer considered a 30-day application, but an expedited application, and benefits must be made available to the FoodShare assistance group within seven calendar days from the date of awareness of expedited service eligibility, or by the 30th day following the filing date, whichever is sooner. 

Once the agency is aware that the food unit is eligible for expedited benefits at late renewal, it is considered an expedited late renewal. Benefits must be made available to the FoodShare assistance group within seven calendar days from the date of awareness. 

Example 1

Jerome submits a FoodShare application on April 7. Based on the information on the application, Jerome does not meet the criteria for Priority Service/Expedited Issuance. Jerome completes the FoodShare interview on April 18. During the interview Jerome reports that he is no longer employed, and his last check was received April 12 and was for $100. Jerome’s rent is $500, and his heating expense is paid separately from his rent.  Because of the updated information discovered in the interview, Jerome’s application is now considered eligible for Expedited Issuance. Benefits must be confirmed by April 25 (within 7 days of the discovery of eligibility for Expedited Issuance) to be considered timely. If FoodShare Benefits are not confirmed on Jerome’s case until April 29, it would be considered a late determination of expedited benefits.

2.1.4.4 Eligibility for Migrant Workers

According to Wis. Stat. § 103.90(5)(a), "A 'migrant worker' is any person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residenceResidency refers to Wisconsin residency and not the mailing address. Contrast this with address in the glossary. outside of this state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state."

Migrants are eligible for priority service if:

• Gross income is less than $150, and available assets are $100 or less, or

• They meet the definition of "destitute” by meeting all three of the following criteria:
  • Assets are $100 or less, and
  • The only income received by the food unit prior to the application or late renewal filing date was from a terminated source, and
  • The food unit does not expect to receive more than $25 from a new source within 10 calendar days from the application or late renewal filing date.

Treatment of Income for Destitute Migrants:

1. Budget income from a terminated source which was received by the food unit between the first of the month of application and the application filing date (or first of the late renewal month and the late renewal filing date), as income available for the food unit’s needs in the month of application or the late renewal month
2. Disregard any income from a new source expected during the month of application or late renewal month. This income may not be more than $25 or must be received at least 10 days after the application or late renewal filing date.
3. After the application or late renewal month, budget income from a new source for the months it will be received.

The home of a migrant worker in their state of residency is an exempt asset.

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Publication Number: P-16001