Copyright Arkansas Times
Though the Trump administration has agreed to let emergency funds for food assistance flow amid the ongoing government shutdown, it’s still not clear when Arkansans will get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits this month. SNAP, the federally funded program that helps over 220,000 people in Arkansas buy groceries, ran out of funding Oct. 31. The Trump administration initially said SNAP payments would stop entirely until congressional Democrats agree to reopen the government. But after a federal court ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use a $4.65 billion pot of contingency funds to make up a portion of the shortfall in November, the Trump administration said it would disburse partial benefits. On Thursday, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, which administers SNAP, said it had received updated guidelines from the USDA about benefit amounts. But Arkansans in need of immediate help are out of luck. The state “will provide these benefits as quickly as possible,” DHS said in a press release. “However, this process requires significant work that is ongoing, and no issuance date has yet been finalized.” Arkansas food pantries and other charitable efforts are working overtime to help families in need of meals, but they can’t possibly make up for the loss of a program as large as SNAP. So far, state assistance from Gov. Sarah Sanders has been minimal. Because the USDA has provided SNAP administrative funds for the month, though, the state will delay a plan to shutter county DHS offices around the state and furlough 1,500 workers at the end of this week. DHS Director Janet Mann announced those impending closures and furloughs last Friday at an emotional press conference. The furloughs and closures may still kick in later this month if the shutdown continues. That won’t happen any earlier than Nov. 22, Mann said in Thursday’s press release. “This is now the longest federal government shutdown in the history of our country, and the impacts are devastating,” she said. “Those voting against reopening our government are opting to take food away from vulnerable families and to send critically important employees home without pay as we enter the holiday season. We are sickened to be placed in this position, and continue to stress that reopening needs to happen immediately.” DHS said there will still be disruptions to other state programs that rely on other federal funds, including furloughs of several dozen workers. From the release: The guidance from USDA did not change other impacts that DHS announced last week and that are already in effect. These include: ● Funds administered to community partners through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) programs were suspended, and partner agencies were directed to cease services reliant on federal funding provided through DHS and to hold all invoices. This includes funds that support programs within the Arkansas Department of Education, Area Agencies on Aging, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, Community Action Agencies, the Division of Services for the Blind, and multiple TANF subgrantees. ● 34 additional employees within the DHS Office of Payment Integrity, the Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services, and the Division of County Operations were placed on furlough due to a lapse in funding. These furloughs were in addition to 37 employees within the Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance who have been furloughed since the beginning of the shutdown, and who remain furloughed now. ● Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA)/Work Pays cash assistance programs were suspended for newly approved beneficiaries. DHS will continue to monitor the impact of the shutdown, and provide updates on additional impacts as they occur. Beneficiaries can check for updates by visiting ar.gov/SNAP and humanservices.arkansas.gov/u/shutdownimpacts/
