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FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	07/29/2019
Subject: SNAP/CalFresh (Food Stamp) Program Follow-up Report
Submitted For:	Kathy Gallagher
Department:	Employment & Human Services
Referral No.:	FHS #103
Referral Name:	SNAP/CalFresh (Food Stamp) Program
Presenter:	Kathy Gallagher	Contact:	Rebecca Darnell, Director, Workforce Svcs Bureau

Information

Referral History:

The SNAP Program was originally referred to the Family and Human Services Committee by the Board or Supervisors on February 15, 2011. This program was formerly known as Food Stamps and is currently known as the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In California, the name of the program is CalFresh.

EHSD has presented periodic status reports to the FHS related to concerns about extended wait times for benefits and the anticipated impact of the expansion of CalFresh benefits to SSI (Supplemental Security Income/Supplementary Payments) recipients effective June 1, 2019. FHS received status reports on September 24 and December 3, 2018; and on April 22 and June 10, 2019. EHSD also presented a status report directly to the Board of Supervisors on July 9, 2019.

In June 2019, EHS Director Kathy Gallagher summarized that the department had thus far received 1,400 new CalFresh applications through both online and office access points, and expected that number could increase to 1,600 by the end of the week. She advised that the CalWIN system was now available for accepting new applications but was not yet functional for managerial reporting.

Kathy advised that 24 staff (19 temporary and 5 permanent) had been hired and were in the process of being trained to process new CalFresh applications. Until new staff are fully trained, existing staff were being diverted from other functions and were working overtime to respond to the workload spike, which was expected to level off at some point. EHSD has 30 days to process a new applications; Kathy clarified that regardless of the date that applications are approved, public benefits will be retroactive to the application date for qualifying applicants. Kathy advised that she plans to form a special division dedicated to SSI applicants to better manage SSI cases.

Kathy summarized that $30 million is available Statewide for CalFresh (sourced by 50%/50% State/federal funding); however, counties may draw down from these funds only for emergency purposes. Counties are attempting to get relief from this restriction and also from possible sanctions for missing the 30-day processing deadline. The FY 18/19 State allocation was deemed insufficient and the FY 19/20 even less so. EHSD is performing time studies to track and report costs to comply with this mandate.

Larry and Katelyn Sly commented that the County had underestimated the number of applicants and that they have been told by applicants that their appointments were set in mid-July, past the 30-day statutory deadline. Mariana Moore commented that people are hungry and the system had failed them. She suggested that more funding be funneled to CBOs such as the food bank. Lauren Hansen observed that the County was not processing CalFresh applicants even before the CalFresh expansion to SSI recipients.

Kathy Gallagher summarized that, except for IHSS, EHS staffing is adequate in light of the amount of funding that is available.

Referral Update:

Please see attached report from EHS Director Kathy Gallagher providing an update on the department's implementation of the CalFresh benefits expansion.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

ACCEPT status report on the Employment and Human Services Department's implementation of the CalFresh expansion. (Kathy Gallagher, Employment and Human Services Director)

Attachments
EHS Report - CalFresh Implementation Update