View this blog post for an update on 2022-2023 Pandemic-EBT supports for Kentucky students.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) has been one of the most vital supports for children and families throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing grocery money to families who would have usually received free and reduced school meals.

We are excited to share that Kentucky has received final federal approval for P-EBT benefits for the 2021-2022 school year. This round of benefits will be administered differently than previous rounds, so please read the following information carefully. Kentucky Youth Advocates will provide additional updates and resources as they become available from the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services.

Please use this form to ask any additional questions you have about Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) for the 2021-2022 school year. Someone from Kentucky Youth Advocates will reach out to help answer your questions.

NOTE: Kentucky Youth Advocates does not administer P-EBT, and we can only answer general questions about the program. Please DO NOT send us any personal information about you or your child. If you need help with your specific P-EBT case, please contact the Cabinet for Health and Family Services at (855) 306-8959.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for Pandemic EBT benefits for the 2021- 2022 school year, students must be enrolled in a public or private Kentucky school, have experienced an absence, classroom closure, or school closure related to COVID-19, and meet one of the following requirements:

  • Students who are current SNAP recipients
  • Students who attend a Community Eligibility Program (CEP) school
  • Students who receive free or reduced lunch at school
  • Students attending a Head Start program that is on a virtual or hybrid learning model and that participates in the National School Lunch Program

Many Kentucky schools are serving free meals through the Seemless Summer Option this year, and families may not have been asked to enroll in free and reduced meals. If you qualify for free and reduced meals but are not enrolled, you will need to enroll your child in the free and reduced meals program at their school to receive P-EBT benefits.

How much will I receive in benefits?

For this round, school districts will report the number of student absences, classroom closures, and school closures related to COVID-19. This will determine how much in benefits families will receive, with each family receiving an amount specific to the number of days their student was absent from in-person learning. Families will receive $7.10 a day for each eligible day.

When will I receive my benefits?

P-EBT benefits will be distributed on the following weeks:

  • Benefits for the months of September 2021-February 2022 will be distributed as a lump sum starting the week of May 25th.
  • Benefits for the months of March 2022-May 2022 will be distributed as a lump sum starting the week of June 25.

The following school districts should have received P-EBT benefits the week of May 25th:

The following school districts should expect to receive P-EBT benefits the week of June 8th:

Additional school districts should expect to receive P-EBT benefits by the end of June. We will update this blog post when CHFS shares a distribution date.

Families who receive a reconsideration will receive benefits the week of June, July, and August 25.

How will benefits be distributed?

  • You do NOT need to fill out an application to receive P-EBT benefits. The ONLY time you may be asked to reveal personal information about you or your child is when calling the DCBS hotline and speaking with a DCBS employee.
  • Eligible students who are current SNAP recipients will have their benefits loaded directly on their SNAP card on the designated P-EBT day each month (see dates above).
  • Eligible students that are not current SNAP recipients will receive their benefits on the P-EBT card that was used in the previous round (see image).
  • Newly eligible students will be mailed a P-EBT card to the address on file at their school.
  • If you no longer have your P-EBT card or it is damaged, you can request a new card by calling (888) 979-9949 and it will be mailed within two weeks.
  • If your address has changed and you need a new P-EBT card, you can call (855) 306-8959 to update your address and have a new card mailed to you.

Your P-EBT benefits will remain active on your card as long as you use some of them at least once every 9 months.

What do I do if I received the wrong amount of benefits?

Families who did not receive the correct level of benefits can request a reconsideration by calling the Cabinet for Health and Family Services at (855) 306-8959. You will need to have the student’s full name, date of birth, and State Student ID (SSID) number when you call. Families whose reconsideration request is approved will receive benefits in the last weeks of June, July, and August.