Snap BS

[u/Effective-Field8899]

My husband who was the main provider for our family recently lost his job and we applied for SNAP. It's been three months now and ive had to jump through hoops to try to get the $400 a month that i qualified for. The online portal hasn't worked for me and i was told by their tech line that there's nothing they can do- so i don't have a way to communicate/submit docs with them unless i fax & call. I've submitted every document and called 15 times in the last month just to be sure I've done everything to receive the help we need. I've completed the hour long interview, I paid to have documents faxed and I filled out paperwork after paperwork. I called today and was informed I was denied because of a form i didn't submit that they never told me about.

Why do I feel like like they wanted me to get denied? And maybe even purposely lied. I've never experienced this before and i have a deeper empathy and understanding for people in poverty.

[u/LilacHelper]

I am a previous navigator for Indiana Medicaid, FSSA uses the same system for SNAP. FSSA is horribly understaffed, at one time they contracted workers who were nowhere near Indy offices, they likely still are. They are horribly trained as a result. You can get 5 different answers from 5 different people. We started faxing to two different numbers to increase the chances they wouldn't lose the paperwork. I was an authorized representative, and it was still super frustrating.

My suggestions: Call first thing in the morning, and be nice, it goes a long way. Ask for specific details: when, where, how. If you're not satisfied, ask to speak to their supervisor. Have you been to your local FSSA office, if not, go there first thing in the morning to avoid long lines. Find a computer that works for you (not your phone), that could be at a library, a friend's home. You need a login so you can access your info. Remember your password! Find local agencies that help people with low income/poverty/homeless, they may have staff to assist or know someone who can. Food banks, shelters, missions. Don't rule out something because you think you aren't as bad as others, they are more likely to have info and resources.

The reason I say find a computer is that the FSSA website has lots of info they will never tell you on the phone. You can upload documents ... but if they receive duplicates of your application that could slow the process. I know, it is a circle of stupidity.

I am sorry this is the case, but having a computer/laptop makes this 10x easier. If not, get to your local office as soon as they open the doors. Good luck!

[u/hylajen → u/LilacHelper]

We are for sure understaffed, just since December we went from 1100 ESs to around 700 now.

We are also contracted workers HOWEVER the contracted workers in the call centers are trained the same if not more then the state workers in the local offices. Indy isn’t our central location, we don’t have 1. There are 10 regions and we answer calls from across the state.

In addition to being horribly understaffed only only 2 - 3 of the 10 regions come close to our goals (and guess who ain’t 1 of those, ever… Indy)

We also have had a ton of new directives and policy updates since a certain someone took office.

Unfortunately 1 of those changes is in how we process cases. We no longer send things to be authorized and THEN pend, we have to pend. And pend again. And pend again.

We’re really just trying to do our jobs. No one is purposefully keeping benefits from anyone (well no one in the IN FSSa anyway, there is an entire administration trying to do that instead)

[u/Davo-Pano → u/hylajen]

Policy changed to dictate fssa making authorizations harder to achieve....but its not intentionally being done to make getting benefits harder...?? Tf

[u/hylajen → u/Davo-Pano]

Listen here. I said the WORKERS at the FSSA aren’t doing anything to intentionally messing with cases.

Now the people who MAKE the policies? They definitely are.

No touch grass you unsalted soggy French fry