Copyright Arkansas Times
As the federal government shutdown approaches its one-month mark, the Arkansas Department of Human Services warned on Wednesday that Arkansans who receive food assistance “should prepare for a possible delay or disruption in November benefits” if the standoff continues much longer. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was helping 222,000 Arkansans buy groceries as of Sept. 1. That’s about 7% of the state population. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a D.C. think tank, almost two-thirds of SNAP participants in Arkansas are in families with children. A large share are also older adults or people with disabilities. SNAP — formerly known as food stamps — is paid through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is the country’s main program to keep low-income families from going hungry. The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, hasn’t disrupted the flow of SNAP benefits so far, but that could soon change. Some 42 million people nationwide receive SNAP. “At this time it appears that the shutdown may prevent November benefits from being issued on time,” a DHS press release said. The state is “awaiting additional guidance” from USDA on what to do. DHS said the shutdown isn’t expected to impact Medicaid programs the state administers, such as ARKids or ARHOME. Though the bulk of that funding comes from the federal government, they’re paid for through the end of the year and aren’t immediately threatened by the funding freeze. Democrats are in a standoff with Republicans over recent changes to the health care safety net that could throw millions of people off of their insurance. Those changes include a rollback of subsidies for people who buy individual coverage on the health insurance marketplace, which is expected to lead to an average 22% hike in premiums in Arkansas. The Trump administration is, of course, blaming Democrats for the shutdown and vice versa, and there’s no sign of a deal to resolve the situation anytime soon. The Trump administration may have other options on the table to keep SNAP funds flowing for the time being. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities says USDA could keep paying for SNAP — or at least a part of the program — through the month of November by tapping a contingency fund and taking other steps. But it’s unclear whether that’s something the Trump administration would want to do. If the shutdown does begin delaying critical benefits such as SNAP, the politics could shift in unpredictable ways. DHS said Wednesday that it’s been in contact with food banks and other organizations to prepare for a possible gap in SNAP benefits. The agency suggests people receiving SNAP do the following: 1. Identify local food pantries, churches and community organizations that can provide temporary food assistance. The Arkansas Foodbank provides this helpful resource online for locating food assistance resources by address, city, or ZIP code. 2. Reach out to family and friends who may be able to temporarily assist with food purchases if there is a lapse in SNAP benefits. 3. If you have accrued SNAP benefits from previous months on your account, use those funds now to buy shelf-stable foods that can last through November and beyond. The SNAP retail system may disallow purchases beginning on Nov. 1, even if you have funds in your account. 4. Check with DHS for updates on this developing situation. We will share information on the SNAP website at humanservices.arkansas.gov/u/SNAP DHS may also have longer delays in processing SNAP applications and benefit renewals, the release said, but people on the program should continue to report changes in their household situation and complete paperwork as usual.
