In a review of 2,146 complaints from 2018 through last year, a field for determining whether it was valid or not was left blank on more than one-third of the forms. The audit also found the DCFS system for tracking SNAP complaints doesn’t allow department staff to identify trends or resolve problems in a timely manner.
“Those who lose benefits for a non-financial procedural reason may need to re-apply, which creates more work for agency staff,” the audit said.
If they don’t finish them on time, they could lose benefits even though they might still qualify for assistance. SNAP recipients have to complete a form once they reach the midpoint of their benefits period and another at the end to determine if they are still eligible. Nearly 60% of those families who lose benefits have them restored, or churned, within three months. Out of more than 1.48 million SNAP cases over that time, 81.1% were closed for non-financial reasons. The review covered SNAP cases from 2018 through 2022, a period during which federal pandemic money allowed Louisiana to increase the number of families receiving food aid. The auditor conducted an efficiency review of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) within the state Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), as requested through a legislative resolution approved last year. A new report from the state Legislative Auditor found that more than half the time the reasons are procedural rather than financial. “I think of this as less of an expansion and more of the USDA getting closer to adequate amount for households to buy more nutritious meals,” Mintz said.When a Louisiana family loses public food assistance, it’s most often not because they don’t qualify for it. The extra money allows families to buy more expensive fresh vegetables and fruits rather than rely on cheaper processed foods, said Danny Mintz, of the Louisiana Budget Project, a left-leaning organization that advocates for low- and moderate-income people. 1, The Advocate reports.īeginning in October, a Louisiana family of four with a household income of $2,871 per month – about $34,500 per year – the monthly food stamp allotment will rise from $680 to $835 per month, according to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. The new USDA rules will amount to about 23% more than what was paid before the pandemic began when the changes start Oct. But that extra money expires in September. They are currently receiving about 15% more in benefits than before the coronavirus outbreak. Nearly 849,000 people in Louisiana - about 1 in 5 state residents - receive food stamps. The change will increase the $60 billion federal budget for food stamps by about $20 billion. 22 ordering the department to complete the work.
EBT LOUISIANA UPDATE
Department of Agriculture to update the plan. Farm Bill approved by Congress in 2018 directed the U.S. The benefit rates had been previously adjusted for inflation, but the federal government now is adjusting the base formula. “The pandemic has made a bad situation even worse, and these expanded SNAP benefits show a long overdue realignment that more accurately reflects the cost of groceries and will help more working families get healthy food on the table,” Carter told the newspaper.
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