Rep. Genevieve Mina, from Anchorage, introduced a bill at the conclusion of the session that aims to streamlining applications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program, which was previously called food stamps. The bill will make it easier for obtaining benefits, which could also result in of lessening the administrative burden that caused an slowdown within the State’s Division of Public Assistance.
Particularly, the bill would specifically, the bill would “broad-based categorical eligibility” which means that those who are already eligible for benefits of other types might automatically be qualified for SNAP.
“I believe that categorical eligibility based on broad criteria is a fantastic way to tackle many of the structural problems in the SNAP program over the long-term,” Mina said. “It’s not an effective solution to the backlog we’re currently dealing with. However, even if we’re in a position to eliminate one aspect of the process for applying, that is the asset test I believe it will allow the people in DPA as well as our eligibility technicians be able to accept applications on a much more efficient basis.”
Alaska is one of the few states which doesn’t currently make use of broad-based categorical eligibility to receive food benefits. Alaska’s Department of Health could have implemented it and even considered doing it in 2019, and more recently in 2023, as per Mina.
Deb Etheridge who is in charge of benefits programs as director for the Division of Public Assistance, stated that it is “neutral” regarding whether or not it will implement an eligibility reform system. The division will await the decisions of Governors and Legislature she said.
“Broad-based categorical admissibility has been evaluated through our Division,” she said.
This division has been working in decreasing the number of Alaskans who are waiting an inexplicably long time to receive food stamps, but it is not sufficiently staffed to remain up-to-date with applications for benefits. In order to provide Alaskans benefits quicker and efficiently, the division started renewing food stamp applications without the typical verifications this year – for a limited time and with the permission of Federal government.
Mina says the policy change proposed could boost retention at the Division of Public Assistance by decreasing the burden of caseloads on every employee. She added that the current backlog underscores the importance of keeping employees.
“We’ve witnessed how significant of an impact it had just a few years ago when these posts were eliminated,” she said The Dunleavy administration eliminated over 100 jobs out of the company in 2021. “Knowing the value of these employees can be is a huge help in preventing major issues like the SNAP backlog we’re currently working through.”
Mina said that the bill will address also the ” benefits cliff,” which refers to the sudden reduction in benefits for the public that could be the result of even a slight rise in earnings. This is done by raising the eligibility threshold to 200 percent from the poverty level from 130 percent that is the poverty level for federal residents.
“This will encourage people to save a little that they’re not able to achieve under an SNAP scheme,” Mina said. “We’re also encouraging Alaskans to become more self-sufficient, by allowing people to save without being kicked out of the program. I believe this is also beneficial to our economy and workforce.”
This article was originally published in Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.
