D.C. Food Stamp Recipients Say New Computer System Left Them Without Benefits

Three more low-income D.C. residents have joined a group lawsuit against the District’s Department of Human Services (DHS) claiming that an electronic records management system implemented by the city agency last fall left their families without food.

Audio, News Story (District of Columbia)

Sasha-Ann Simons
WAMU (DC)
November 30, 2017
READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Tags: Public Benefits

Organizations mentioned/involved: Bread for the City (DC)


DETAILS

The lawsuit, which originally included four residents and the local non-profit Bread for the City, was filed in August.

The D.C. Access System was supposed to be an upgrade to the way applicants are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. But some SNAP recipients say the new system delayed processing times — renewals that were normally handled in 20 minutes instead took 90 — and kicked some of them out of the program altogether.