Agenda

Return

FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	09/23/2019
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, June 10, and July 29, 2019. EHSD also presented a status report directly to the Board of Supervisors on July 9, 2019.

In July 2019, Kathy Gallagher presented the staff report. As of Friday July 26, the Department had received 3,428 applications. The rate of receipt had leveled to about 200 per week. In July, 906 applications were received in contrast to 2,000 applications received in June. The Department prioritized the 650 applications that had been pending more than 30 days; of these, most were 1-2 weeks over the 30-day processing deadline.

Chair Andersen asked about the expectations for application volume and associated need for more staffing come August. Kathy Gallagher anticipated a possible spike in applications in August due to increased outreach, and a correlating need for additional staff. She stated that workload was heavier than anticipated due to several factors, including: State misinformation that a client will receive substantially higher benefit amounts, a change in assumption that IHSS applicants would be enrolled at time of reapplying, the protracted timeline for onboarding eligibility workers, and staff turnover.

Larry Sly commented that EHSD should have anticipated the need for more staff last November. With the radio ads starting again in August, Caitlyn Sly expects this will be a large issue for backlog and suggested that Contra Costa County is singular with this backlog. She requested data to be provided by EHSD on a more regular basis.

A speaker named Melanie commented that other counties are helping applicants with medical expenses. She urged our County to be more proactive in getting benefits for individuals, and objected to framing outreach as a contributor to the backlog. Rebecca Darnell noted that the Department is working to get the maximum benefits possible for each applicant. The Department is not holding up applications for the MediCal deductible, but instead incorporates that information when it is received.

Sandra Wall stated that Contra Costa County failed to competitively compensate and staff up as other counties did.

Steve Weiss commented that a high percentage of applications are not being processed timely, and that other counties are being more proactive and helping clients be considered as separate households to help them receive benefits.

Vice Chair Gioia commented that the County should have assumed the highest possible number of applicants to make sure we were prepared, and also observed that many other counties have the advantage of a more robust property tax base and also a local sales tax.

The Committee accepted the staff report and requested Kathy to provide an update at the Committee’s next meeting on September 23, 2019. Vice Chair Gioia directed staff to meet with outside stakeholders for assistance and to look at other counties for insight. He asked for a report back on plans to address long-term trends of this program; Plan A should be the plan with resources as currently allocated, Plan B should be a plan that contemplates additional resources.

Referral Update:

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

Attachments
EHSD CalFresh Report
EHSD CalFresh Expansion Report
EHSD Supplement to CalFresh Report
EHSD Supplement to CalFresh Report_Statewide Data
CalFresh News Article
Public Comment_Multi-Faith Action Coalition