The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is working to distribute Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in full for November by mid-next week, according to a news release.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) directed ODJFS to ensure Ohio SNAP recipients receive full benefits for the month after the federal government shutdown ended. Before the shutdown was over, the state had processed partial payments for eligible households under previous FNS guidance. 

The total amount that each household receives will be their full November benefit minus any partial payments already received, the news release states. 

According to the release, recipients will receive their benefits next week, regardless of their usual issuance date, which normally runs through the 20th of each month.

Ohio has begun the process of calculating the full benefit households should have received in November and will then deduct the partial amount already paid. Over the weekend, ODJFS plans to begin testing to ensure the accuracy of payments. Once testing is successful, authorization for those amounts will be transmitted early next week to Ohio’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) vendor to issue to recipients through their Ohio Direction (EBT) card, according to the release.

The normal distribution of SNAP benefits is expected to resume in December.