CM Mealy questions OMB on SNAP work requirements for older adults
Councilmember Mealy raises concerns about SNAP work requirements now applying to adults 60-64 under HR1, with June being the first month people could lose benefits. Solomon notes investments in SNAP eligibility specialists, Community Food Connection, and other food programs, but cannot provide specific waiver estimates.
Okay.
Older adults and SNAP benefits.
Many low-income older adults rely on
healthy, heavily on SNAP benefits, HR1 expanded SNAP work requirements, and now adults up to 64 years old
who are deemed able to and subject to the same work rules as younger recipients.
People between the ages of 60 to 64 who did not previously have these requirements could lose their SNAP benefits.
If they are not working, this June is the first month where people will lose their SNAP benefits if they do not meet the work requirements or obtain a waiver.
What is the administration doing to address the potential impact of the work requirements on older adults between the ages 60 to 64 years old?
So this is something that is a focus of ours.
We know that through our deputy mayor for health and human services, she's looking at ways that we could mitigate the impacts of what is to come based on the federal government's actions.
We've invested in more SNAP eligibility specialists.
We've been, Patrick, you have.
On top of your head on the SNAP eligibility specialist.
You've had it?
We'll get that for you as I continue to give my answer.
Should we, it's a demographic of people that need.
Yes.
Do you know what this would happen to 60 and 65?
We have to know this already before this budget passed.
In order to have our seniors have to get a job to get SNAP benefits, that's life and death.
So it's no plan.
You don't know how much you're going to put extra right now.
We've invested in the Community Food Connection program.
We've invested in the Groceries to Go program.
We've invested in Get the Good Stuff program.
So we are investing in food assistance.
So how many people you feel are going to get a waiver to not work?
Did you estimate that into play?
That is something we're working on with our deputy mayor of health and human services and our agencies.
That's kind of unacceptable.
What I would also add is I don't know the number of SNAP eligibility specialists off the top of my head, but in this plan, we added nearly $70 million for HRA staff.
So in addition to doing away with the two-for-one, I mean, they are hiring up rapidly for these benefit access frontline critical positions.
They've also identified a specific phone number for SNAP so you can call to make sure you're getting your benefits.
There's a lot of outreach.
So they're doing a lot in this field.
Well, I'm going to follow up with you.
We're about the home-delivered meals.