An Anchorage resident has filed a class action suit this week, seeking to compel Alaska’s Division of Public Assistance to receive cash aid to the most vulnerable Alaskans promptly.
Natilia Edwards filed a complaints with Northern Justice Project, a civil rights company.
This class action lawsuit follows after the lawsuit that was filed by the Department of Health earlier this year. 10 Alaskans filed suit against the state claiming that the backlog in the department led to an unjustly long wait for food stamps.
A inordinate backlog of the Division of Public Assistance has particularly kept thousands of Alaskans in line for the food assistance program and Medicaid however, it is impacting other programs the division administers. Adult Public Assistance (APA) is a benefit in cash for blind, elderly and disabled Alaskans that aims to allow them to live in their own homes.
“These have the highest vulnerability to our neighbors” stated Northern Justice Project attorney Nick Feronti. “The blind and disabled as well as the elderly don’t have assistance they need.”
State law says that it is obliged to complete Adult Public Assistance applications in 30 days. Feronti stated that data indicates it’s taking two times as long. He estimated that 8,500 people have requested cash assistance in the current fiscal year. The state has completed around one-third of applications by the deadline.
“We aren’t asking for cash. The state isn’t able to come up with the money. People are literally with no food, or even gas,” said Feronti. “We would like a judge require the state to stop all of its assets and address this.”
Department of Health spokesperson Shirley Young stated through an email message that the department is making progress, but isn’t processing applications in the desired time frame. She added that the department has taken significant measures to reduce the delay across all its programs. The department is in the process of hiring and training 30 fresh applicants, and has contracted employees to handle phone calls.
The state did not discuss the lawsuit in the lawsuit itself.
“The State of Alaska has just recently learned of this lawsuit and is awaiting to be served with court papers. In the meantime, Alaska’s Department of Law cannot comment on the nature of the suit until it has been acknowledged,” wrote Communications Director Patty Sullivan.
This article was originally published in Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.
