The West Virginia
Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) today extended the deadline for
individuals known as Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents who receive
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to report information
to DHHR regarding their employment status.
Individuals who fall
into the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents category are defined as those
receiving SNAP benefits between the ages of 18 and 49, with no dependents, and
do not qualify for an exemption. These individuals must contact their
local DHHR office or by calling 1-877-716-1212
about their work intentions by April 30, 2016,
or they will lose their SNAP benefits.
Able-Bodied Adults
Without Dependents need to meet a work or education requirement for a monthly
average of 20 hours per week in order to continue receiving SNAP
benefits. This requirement went into effect for Berkeley, Cabell,
Harrison, Jefferson, Kanawha, Marion, Monongalia, Morgan, and Putnam
counties. The goal of this federal policy is to provide needed employment
and training opportunities for those defined as Able-Bodied Adults Without
Dependents in the above counties.
Letters are expected
to go out late next week to this population and there will be no interruption
of benefits through April 30, 2016.
Those who
qualify for an exemption to these requirements include people who are caring
for a child or incapacitated family member; medically certified as unfit for
work; regularly participating in a drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and
rehabilitation program; pregnant; working 30 hours per week or receiving
earnings at least equal to 30 hours a week at the federal minimum wage;
receiving unemployment compensation; or currently at least a part-time
student.
Since October 2015, DHHR’s
Bureau for Children and Families has notified people in the nine affected
counties with phone calls and five reminder letters.
“The deadline was
extended to April 30, 2016 to give SNAP beneficiaries sufficient time to
respond to the changes,” said Nancy Exline, Commissioner for DHHR’s Bureau for
Children and Families. “West Virginia
has provided ample notice to these individuals and we are simply asking them to
call DHHR to report the information to a caseworker and get their program
enrollment started.”
SNAP Able-Bodied
Adults Without Dependents may report their information to 1-877-716-1212, or their
local DHHR office in the counties listed below.
Berkeley 304-267-0100 Marion 304-368-4420
Cabell 304-528-5800 Monongalia 304-285-3175
Harrison 304-627-2295 Morgan 304-258-1350
Jefferson 304-724-2600 Putnam 304-586-1520
Kanawha 304-746-2360
DHHR is partnering
with WorkForce West Virginia to offer the SNAP Employment and Training Program
to assist Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents SNAP recipients who must meet
the work requirement. To accommodate these individuals, DHHR will
collaborate with WorkForce Investment Boards (WIBs) located in Charleston,
Huntington, White Hall and Martinsburg. This program will help SNAP recipients
with placement in an educational activity, a work-related program to prepare
recipients for employment, or to gain employment.
SNAP is 100 percent
federally funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and offers nutrition assistance
to eligible, low-income individuals and families. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.