A new backlog in Food Stamp program of the state has left a few Alaskans waiting for months to get their benefits. There are more than 12,000 Alaskans are awaiting applications to this program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP and some of them dating to July according to officials from the state.
The director of aid to the public, Deb Etheridge said on Tuesday there’s various reasons for the backlog, ranging from offices being shut down due to bad weather, to a shortage of staff and system updates for computers. However, she noted that the largest delay is due to a federal law which was reinstated in the month of October following the conclusion of the health emergency in the US.
“The single most significant aspect is the demand from (the) Food and Nutrition Service for the state of Alaska to reintroduce mandatory interviews for each application or recertification of SNAP which was approved,” Etheridge said in a telephone interview.
Prior to the requirement for an interview being restored, Etheridge said each application required about one hour to complete. Interviews are now almost double she estimated.
“Where there was a possibility that we would have handled over 100 cases in a day, we could only process up to 70 cases, and at times less than 70 per each day.” Etheridge said.
The problem affects more than 10 percent of the state’s 92,000 SNAP recipients. Anchorage Daily News reported in October that the Anchorage Daily News reported in October that the backlog was partly the result of the state’s efforts to catch up with earlier delays. early slowdown which caused wait times to reach an unheard-of 11 months.
Etheridge stated that her department has stopped interviews until now as it works with officials from the federal government to find other methods to simplify the process. The delay means that the agency may fall in violation of federal regulations. Etheridge stated that her department has weekly meetings with federal officials and plans to collaborate together with Food and Nutrition Service on solutions.
Etheridge says that the state is also working with an external contractor The Change and Innovation Agency to improve the flow of work. Etheridge says the Division of Public Assistance has allowed more employees to work overtime and is preparing to transfer certain Medicaid processing to contractors that cannot legally handle SNAP applications. Etheridge expressed her hope that an online application is expected to be launched by the department in the next few days will speed up the process.
Etheridge estimated that 95% of those waiting in the queue were eligible for at least one additional assistance program, such as adult public assistance or heating assistance along with SNAP.
The division she works for has over 50 positions available for eligibility technicians. They will process application for SNAP along with other programs of state aid.
“I am aware that this isn’t an ideal situation, and it’s a sad situation but we are doing all we can to invent and come up with ways to solve the problem,” she said.
