Soldotna’s night temperature has dropped below zero, but Jo Lunstedt claims she had to forgo paying her electricity bill in order to feed her family.
“I applied for benefits back in October 2022. She said that she has not heard from them since Oct. 27, 2022. “I need to make my food last longer. We don’t have any seconds.
Lunstedt is just one of the thousands of Alaskans stuck in a backlog processing food stamp applications. This is known as Supplemental Nutrition Aid Benefits or SNAP.
Heidi Hedberg, Alaska Department of Health Commissioner, stated that the problem dates back many months and that her staff does not expect it to get better any time soon.
Alaskans living from Anchorage to Nome are choosing between buying food or paying their bills. Some people skip meals to ensure their kids have enough food.
“We are using the tools that we have”
Hedberg said that the department is increasing its staff to process applications. However, it will likely take months before relief for hungry households can be provided.
“We understand their frustration and want them to enjoy their benefits. Hedberg stated that they are working with the tools available to them.
After multiple requests from KTOO for comments and publication of an first story, the department finally broke its silence regarding the delay. The department also left applicants in the dark.
Kabrina Field was so desperate for answers, she called the offices to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, her state senator Mia Costello. After calling her senator, she received a call from the Department of Public Assistance.
“They told me it would take between 90 and 120 days to process my recertification. They said that this was all they could do. She said that they had to carry on without food.
Since October, she and her children have not received their food stamps. She relies on family, friends and food banks.
Field stated, “I must keep my bills running.” Field said, “There are no ifs and nor buts. It’s going be very small, Christmas included. Very, very, very little.”
Slow benefits due to cyber-attacks and staff shortage
The state typically recertifies families that receive SNAP benefits once every six months. However, this was not required during the COVID-19 epidemic. When the June public health emergency ended, Alaskans were required to resubmit their paperwork.
Shawnda O’Brien, Division of Public Assistance Director, says this led to an enormous volume of applications simultaneously — 8,000 in August. She saw that her department was behind and asked for more staff.
O’Brien stated that “our staff had to be trained because many of them hadn’t been doing it for the past couple of years.”
Hedberg said that the lingering effects of the cyberattack on May 2021 on the health department have made the problem worse because the department relies on more manual paperwork.
According to department reporting, processing is slow at about a third of SNAP certifications .
O’Brien stated, “We don’t want anyone to go without food.” “We feel the pressure and have been working. Everyone has been trying to find solutions.”
O’Brien requested 40 additional staff. 33 state employees are currently being hired. She stated that 30 vacant positions are currently available.
She stated that the department has been focusing more on processing applications in the interim. This includes a full week of Wednesday processing. She stated that staff who aren’t normally eligible for eligibility processing have been hired.
The division continues to process applications since September. Hedberg said that there is a dedicated team who works on these applications. Another team, however, focuses on October applications. One team processes current applicants.
O’Brien said that the state had 8,000 cases to examine, with 1,700 in September and 2,000 in October.
She stated that she was unlikely to notice any significant changes “until maybe a few months later.”
She suggested that Alaskans in urgent need contact 211, the United Way number that connects them with services.
An avalanche of complaints
If Alaskans feel that the state isn’t upholding its social contract, there’s an alternative: The ombudsman’s office.
It reviews complaints regarding state agency programs like SNAP. It is independent, impartial and objective.
Kate Burkhart, Alaska State Ombudsman, stated that her office is currently investigating complaints regarding the Division of Public Assistance.
She said that she received more than 180 complaints about delays, insufficient communication and lack of information related to public assistance benefits this year.
She said that the complaints have a “deja vu” quality. Her office investigated reports of communication delays at the Division of Public Assistance in 2018.
According to their report, increasing staff would be a great way to address the problem. After a period of time, complaints declined significantly.
She stated that she received only 83 complaints in 2021. “We’re not done with 2022, and it seems like we’ll see three times as many complaints.”
Since July, when the state started recertifying SNAP recipients, more than 80% have been filed. In the past two weeks, her office has received about three complaints per day.
Burkhart stated that she cannot fix the slowdown but that her office is working closely with the state. It might even be able in the interim to assist those who are most desperate.
She said, “If you are having a problem and don’t know what to do,”
To make recertification paperwork easier, the health department offered some suggestions: submit your application by the middle of the month; double-check that it is complete; do not file more than one application.
After approval, Alaskans will be eligible for retroactive benefits. This means that anyone who submitted paperwork in September for recertification will receive all payments, even if it was several months late.
