P-EBT Announcements

Updates & Announcements

September 15, 2022

SUMMER P-EBT UPDATE

Schools Continue to Submit Summer P-EBT Eligibility Information to DCFS.

DCFS continues to issue Summer P-EBT benefits as schools and school districts submit student eligibility information to DCFS.

Schools have been asked to submit P-EBT eligibility information by September 23. Any student reported as eligible by September 23 can expect to receive benefits beginning on September 28.

For more information about Summer P-EBT eligibility and more Frequently Asked Questions, visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-summer-2021.

Who is eligible for K-12 Summer P-EBT?

Louisiana received federal approval to issue P- EBT benefits for the Summer of 2022 to families of children who:

Received free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program in May 2022 OR
Attended a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, where all children receive free meals regardless of family income, in May 2022.

For more information on P-EBT eligibility, please visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-louisiana-resources.

How are Summer P-EBT benefits being issued?

Summer P-EBT benefits are loaded on Louisiana Purchase EBT cards in the name of each eligible student. Summer P-EBT benefits are issued to the same card students received during the 2020-21 and/or 2021-22 school years.

Students who have not previously received P-EBT will be mailed a card with Summer P-EBT benefits already loaded onto it. Parents must activate their child’s card before benefits are accessible.

For more information about Summer P-EBT eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions, visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-summer-2021.

How do I activate my child’s P-EBT card?

Call 1-888-997-1117 and follow the prompts to activate and PIN your child's card. You will need the following information:

Your child's 16-digit card number;
the last four digits of their Local Student ID (use this four-digit number instead of their Social Security Number);
date of birth; and
postal address.

For more information on activating your child’s card, please visit https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-louisiana-faqs.

I haven’t received any of my child’s benefits. When should I expect to see them?

Schools have been asked to submit all P-EBT eligibility information to DCFS by September 23, which allows us to make benefits available to students beginning September 28. To ensure as many students as possible receive benefits before the end of September, some students may receive their entire Summer P-EBT benefit beginning September 28 (a total of $391).

Reminder: Benefits are issued as DCFS processes information from each school. Therefore, families with more than one child may receive their children’s benefits at different times, according to when each child’s school submitted their information.

Please check the Parent Portal at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal for updates.

I received the first installment of my child’s Summer P-EBT benefits. When should I expect to see the second installment ($196)?

If you received your child’s first installment, the rest of your child's benefits are scheduled to be available beginning September 28.

Please visit the Parent Portal at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal for updates.

When will child care/0-5 on SNAP receive P-EBT benefits?

Child Care P-EBT will be issued on the following tentative dates:

October 5^th – 6^th
October 12^th – 13^th
October 19^th

For more information on Child Care P-EBT, please visit https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-for-05-year-olds-on-snap-21-22.

How can I check the status and details of my child's case?

Visit the P-EBT Parent Portal for information on your child's P-EBT case.

In addition to reviewing case information, the Parent Portal lets you request changes, such as a new card or a change to your child's mailing address. Parents who create an account in CAFÉ will also get SMS updates from DCFS on the P-EBT program and any future benefits.

Learn more about accessing the parent portal or creating a CAFÉ account at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal.

What if my child's P-EBT card was lost or stolen? How do I get a replacement?

If your child’s card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, you can request a new one through the P-EBT Parent Portal, by calling the EBT customer service line at 1-888-997-1117, or through the LifeInCheck mobile app or website.

Get more details at www.pebt-la.org.

How long are my child’s P-EBT benefits good for?

Under new federal rules, federal food assistance benefits will be removed from a child’s P-EBT card nine months after the benefits are issued or nine months from the last time the card was used to make a purchase. If the card is used, the benefits will remain on the card for nine months from the date of the last purchase.

Remember: Benefits cannot be replaced once they have expired.

Visit https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/ebt-benefit-expungement for more details regarding benefit expungement.

September 6, 2022

SUMMER P-EBT UPDATE

DCFS Continues to Issue Summer PEBT Benefits.

DCFS issued $34.7 million in Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (PEBT) benefits for the 2021-22 school year and expects to issue approximately $160.8 million in benefits for Summer ‘22, as schools and school districts continue to submit student eligibility information to DCFS.

For Summer #PEBT, each eligible child will receive payments totaling $391 to cover both June and July. The payment will be issued in two installments, one for $195 and a second for $196.

For more information about Summer PEBT, visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-summer-2021.

HOW WILL SUMMER P-EBT BE ISSUED?
Summer PEBT benefits will be issued on Louisiana Purchase EBT cards in each eligible student’s name. Benefits will be issued on the same card that was received for the 2020-21 or 2021-22 school year.

Students who did not receive PEBT for this or last school year will be mailed a card with Summer PEBT benefits already loaded onto it. Parents must activate their child’s card before benefits are accessible.

For more information about Summer PEBT eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions, visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-summer-2021.

WHEN WILL I SEE MY CHILD'S BENEFITS?
Beginning this week, DCFS will process eligibility information for Summer PEBT each Tuesday evening and the benefits will be available to those students on Wednesdays of the same week. This weekly upload and issuance process will continue throughout September. DCFS will issue Child Care PEBT later this fall. Please check the Parent Portal at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal for updates. For more information about Summer PEBT eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions, visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-summer-2021.

HOW CAN I CHECK THE STATUS AND DETAILS OF MY CHILD'S CASE?
Visit the PEBT Parent Portal at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal for information on your child's PEBT case.

WHAT IF MY CHILD'S P-EBT CARD WAS LOST OR STOLEN? HOW DO I GET A REPLACEMENT?
If the card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, a new one can be requested through the PEBT Parent Portal, by calling the EBT customer service line at 1-888-997-1117 or through the LifeInCheck mobile app.
Get more details at www.pebt-la.org.

BENEFITS EXPIRE AFTER 9 MONTHS OF NON-USE.
Under new federal rules, federal food assistance benefits will be expunged or removed, from a recipient’s EBT card nine months after the benefits are issued or nine months from the last time the card was used to make a purchase. If the card is used, the benefits will remain on the card for nine months from the date of the last purchase.

Once benefits have been removed, they cannot be added back to the card.

August 3, 2022

SUMMER P-EBT UPDATE.

DCFS and schools are receiving a lot of questions about Summer P-EBT benefits.

WHEN WILL I SEE MY CHILD’S BENEFITS?

Most students who are eligible for Summer P-EBT have not received benefits yet. Those benefits will be made available in the fall. DCFS expects to have an updated issuance schedule in September. Please be patient. We will provide more information as soon as it is available.

Until then, DCFS is preparing its P-EBT benefits submission system to accept information from schools about the students who were in school in May and receiving free or reduced-price meals. Schools will begin submitting information in late August.

There is nothing more DCFS, schools or districts can tell you about the P-EBT issuance schedule.

For more information about Summer P-EBT eligibility and more Frequently Asked Questions, visit dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-summer-2021.

For information about your child’s P-EBT case, to request a card or communicate with your child’s school about your child’s case, visit the P-EBT Parent Portal at dcfs.louisiana.gov/page/pebt-parent-portal.

WHAT IF I NEED A NEW CARD?

Students who did not receive P-EBT for this or last school year will be mailed a card with Summer P-EBT benefits already loaded onto it.

Benefits for K-12 students will be distributed beginning in late summer and continuing on a weekly basis as school districts submit eligibility information to DCFS.

How can I check the status and details of my child’s case?

If the card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, a new one can be requested through the P-EBT Parent Portal, by calling the EBT customer service line at 1-888-997-1117 or through the LifeInCheck mobile app.

Get more details at www.pebt-la.org.

July 25, 2022

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), received federal approval to expand the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program to cover the summer months for eligible children in K-12 schools.

This is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer P-EBT program to provide food benefits for the summer months to eligible children.

Unlike the school year P-EBT program, all students in K-12 schools are eligible to receive summer P-EBT if they receive free or reduced-price meals and were in school in May 2022.

Benefits for the Summer P-EBT program will begin being issued in late summer and into the autumn months as schools and school districts submit eligibility information to DCFS. Included in that eligibility information is the verification of eligible students who attended school in May 2022. For this reason, most students will not receive benefits right away. Students who received P-EBT benefits for May 2022 will receive summer benefits immediately (NOTE: Benefits are issued weekly on Wednesday.) as it is already verified they attended school in May 2022.

Each eligible child will receive a payment of $391 to cover both June and July. The payment will be issued in two installments, one for $195 and a second for $196.

Who is eligible for Summer P-EBT benefits? Eligible students are those who fit into either of the following categories:

Receive free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) or
Attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, where all children receive free meals regardless of family income, as of May 2022.

Students who were not previously approved for free or reduced-price school meals, but who apply by July 29, 2022, and are later approved, will also be eligible to receive Summer P-EBT. While Summer P-EBT benefits will be issued to those who have applied for free or reduced-price school meals by July 29, there may be a delay in the issuance of benefits.

There is no action required for students who already received free or reduced-price school meals or attended a CEP school. DCFS will work with school systems to gather eligibility information.

More information about the P-EBT program can be found at www.pebt-la.org.

How and when will Summer P-EBT benefits be issued?

Summer P-EBT benefits will be issued on Louisiana Purchase EBT cards in each eligible student’s name. Benefits will be issued on the same card that was received for the 2020-21 or 2021-22 school year.

Students who did not receive P-EBT for this or last school year will be mailed a card with Summer P-EBT benefits already loaded onto it.

Benefits for K-12 students will be distributed beginning in late summer and continuing on a weekly basis as school districts submit eligibility information to DCFS.

How can I check the status and details of my child’s case?

The P-EBT Parent Portal allows parents to view and receive information about their child’s P-EBT benefits.

The Portal is located within the CAFÉ Self-Service Portal.

In addition to viewing case details, changes can also be requested through the Parent Portal, including requesting a new card and changing learning style or mailing address. Creating an account in CAFÉ will also allow recipients to receive text updates from DCFS regarding the P-EBT program and any future benefits.

To learn more about the P-EBT Parent Portal, visit www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/pebt-parent-portal.

How can I request a new card?

Summer P-EBT benefits will be issued on the same card that was received for the 2020-21 or 2021-22 school year. If the card has been lost, stolen, or damaged, a new one can be requested through the P-EBT Parent Portal, by calling the EBT customer service line at 1-888-997-1117 or through the LifeInCheck mobile app.

How long can P-EBT recipients use their benefits?

Under new federal rules, federal food assistance benefits will be expunged or removed, from a recipient’s EBT card nine months after the benefits are issued, unless the card is used to make a purchase within this nine-month period. If the card is used, the benefits will remain on the card for nine months from the date of last purchase. Benefits are removed only if:

It has been nine months since the benefits were issued; AND
It has been nine months since the recipient last used their EBT card.

Once benefits have been removed, they cannot be added back to the card.

Find more information about P-EBT and the use of P-EBT benefits on the DCFS P-EBT website at www.pebt-la-org.

February 15, 2022

Third Round of Pandemic EBT Benefits Coming to Eligible Louisiana Children Benefits to be issued to eligible students who were on an approved virtual schedule or who missed days due to COVID-19.

DCFS and the Louisiana Department of Education received approval from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to distribute a third round of Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) to eligible students.

P-EBT benefits will start rolling out between April and May to qualifying households with children in grades K-12.

Students are eligible to receive P-EBT if:

they would normally receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, AND
haven’t been receiving those meals during the 2021-22 school year because they are on a fully virtual schedule or missed days of school due to COVID-19 pandemic.

There is no P-EBT application process for parents. Schools will report to DCFS which students meet the criteria for eligibility. Benefits are being calculated differently this year. Students are eligible if they are on an approved fully virtual learning schedule or missed days of school due to COVID-19, according to the school or district COVID-19 protocol. DCFS will then issue P-EBT benefits on a Louisiana Purchase EBT card to each eligible student at the mailing address provided by their school.

Students who are on an approved fully virtual learning schedule would be eligible for $127.80 per eligible month. Students who missed days of school could receive between $21.30 and $127.80 per month depending on the number of approved absences due to COVID-19.

Benefits will be issued on the same card sent for the 2020-21 school year. If the card was lost, stolen or damaged, a new one can be requested through the P-EBT Parent Portal, by calling the EBT customer service line at 1-888-997-1117 or through the LifeInCheck EBT mobile app. For more, visit http://www.pebt-la.org.