The Arkansas Department of Human Services is preparing to furlough over 1,500 employees and suspend certain programs over the next week as the federal government remains closed.
DHS Secretary Janet Mann told reporters Friday 34 employees will be furloughed starting Saturday, November 1. This comes after the department furloughed 37 employees at the beginning of October. An additional 1,500 employees have been notified they may be furloughed after November 7.
Arkansas DHS manages federal dollars for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other social services. Over 222,000 Arkansans are currently receiving SNAP benefits.
Mann said the shutdown is straining her department.
“SNAP benefits are only one element of our concern tied to the government shutdown,” Mann said. “We are deeply concerned that important benefits that Arkansas relies on are going to suffer as a result.”
Other impacted programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) programs. A press release from the department said these programs will be suspended on November 1 and partner agencies will stop providing services tied to the funding.
Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) and Work Pays cash assistance programs will also be suspended for new beneficiaries.
The department warned more services will close if the shutdown continues through November 7.
“Due to a lapse in necessary administrative funding to the SNAP program, DHS offices in every county in the state will close to public access,” reads a DHS press release sent Friday. The 1,500 employees marked for furlough work in the Division of County Operations. Remaining DHS staff will process Medicaid applications and renewals. SNAP applications and renewals are expected to pause after November 7.
“This will create a backlog, and delays in processing cases are expected when full operations resume. Beneficiaries will be able to manage their cases online at access.arkansas.gov, and the Medicaid call center administered by AFMC at 888-987-1200 will stay open,” according to the press release.
Mann said the coming weeks will be painful for Arkansans who rely on DHS services and for employees on furlough.
“There will be an immense need for food assistance in our state because of this ongoing shutdown. If you can help please do so. Now is the time to check on your neighbor, your family, your friend, and extend a helping hand to those in need,” Mann said.
Mann noted Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has directed $500,000 to food banks across the state starting Monday. She encouraged Arkansans in need or looking for ways to help to visit helparkansas.com.
Shortly before the 2 p.m. press conference, two federal judges ruled the USDA must use contingency funds to keep SNAP programs online. Mann said Arkansas will await guidance from the USDA’s Nutrition Services office to determine if and how the state will be impacted by the rulings. Mann said Arkansans should still prepare for a disruption to services.
She became emotional towards the end of the press conference as she asked federal leaders to reopen the government:
“Take action now,” Mann said. “We need to feed Arkansans.”
“We serve one in three Arkansans in the state, and they could go hungry. It hurts.”
