The state Health Department, which administers the SNAP program now, has released some information about the next steps.
This week, state officials decided to pay SNAP benefits to homes with elderly, disabled or children.
If only "able-bodied adults" are in the home, they won't get any SNAP benefits. In Louisiana, people who aren't elderly, children or disabled do have work requirements to get SNAP; they include accepting any job that is offered them, and maintaining at least 30 hours per week. To read them, click here.
We asked how many of the estimated 59,000 "able-bodied adults" are working; LDH responded by re-sending their press releases, which do not contain that information.
Here's what the LDH release states about how the benefits will be distributed:
Every SNAP-eligible household has a set day of the month when benefits are issued. Starting November 1, 25% of the SNAP household benefit allotment will be provided as state-funded emergency assistance on the assigned date that SNAP benefits are normally issued.
An additional 25% of the benefit amount will be provided to each household every seven days for the month of November, as long as the federal government shutdown continues. Following is an example of the issuance schedule:
EXAMPLE: Household Benefit Amount = $200
Normal benefit issuance day: November 1
25% of benefit = $50
Seven days later: November 8
25% of benefit = $50
Seven days later: November 15
25% of benefit = $50
Seven days later: November 22
25% of benefit = $50
Eligible SNAP recipients do not need to take action to receive state-funded emergency assistance. However, SNAP recipients must continue to meet all program requirements on time to continue their federal SNAP eligibility.
The department also confirmed that they furloughed 786 SNAP employees due to the federal government shutdown, effective Monday, November 3. Two hundred ninety-eight employees are essential staff and will not be furloughed. The furlough will continue until the federal government shutdown in Washington, D.C., ends.
We also have asked LDH for more information about what the furloughed employees do and what impact the furloughs will have on the functioning of the program but they responded by re-sending their press releases, which do not contain that information.
