DCFS is changing SNAP eligibility requirements

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana DCFS is changing its requirements for those who must meet their work requirements for SNAP eligibility.

Previously, 33 Louisiana parishes qualified for the exemption. This meant that people in these fields did not have to meet the work requirements to be eligible.

These are the communities that were previously exempt from the work requirement:

Assumption, Avoyelles, Bienville, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Madison, Morehouse, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Richland, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. James, St. John The Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Washington, West Carroll and Winn.

But a new law, Act 308, means they can no longer grant exemptions.

“For many years, because of economic conditions or poor economic conditions, we have always been able to issue waivers for the entire state, but in some years only for some communities,” said Sammy Guillory, assistant secretary of the Family Support Division at DCFS.

These work requirements state that the person must work 80 hours per month if they are physically able to work and do not have a child under 18 in the household. Otherwise, they may be exempt from tax.

“We have a fast-track training program that they can participate in, work 20 hours a week, they can attend school or a combination of that,” Guillory said.

DCFS has also increased the age range of what is considered a physically disabled adult from 18 to 52 to now 18 to 54 years.

“As of today, those who meet the definition of ABAWD have a period of three months out of 36 within which to receive benefits,” Guillory added.

Anyone who was previously exempt and is not exempt can continue to receive food stamps for 3 months every 36 months.

“We expect some backlash, but we feel like we want to get people to work. We've expanded our Snap EBT program, we have more opportunities for people to participate and get a waiver if they can't find work or training on their own,” he explained to Guillory.

As predicted, the changes have received mixed reviews on social media. Some people say they should have made these changes sooner, while others say it will make it harder for people who need them to get them.

According to DCFS, this will affect more than 20,000 people in Louisiana.

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