About 92,000 Alaskans have lost SNAP services, representing about 10% of participants without access to their benefits. According to the Anchorage Daily News, of those 92,000 participants, about one-third are children.
This is not the first time that Alaskan SNAP participants have had to wait longer than usual for their benefits. Alaska Public Media explains that the backlog began in August of 2022 and that the state didn't clear the backlog until September of 2023. Alaska Public Media also states that at the peak of the backlog it affected “more than 14,000 Alaskans and their families, who were forced to rely on food banks, food pantries and help from friends and neighbors for months while they waited as long as 10 months for the state to process their benefits.”
Division of Public Assistance Diretor, Deb Etheridge, has come out and said that over the span of the past six weeks the increase of SNAP applications in the backlog has been steady. Etheridge knew that the issue at hand needed to be solved immediately and would need to take large measures to do so.
Etheridge first went to the federal government and asked that her workers be given an additional 6 month-break for the interviews in order for them to get a handle on the growing backlog. The request was denied.
Etheridge then went to the State Health Commissioner, Heidi Hedberg, and asked permission to take some emergency measures, such as suspending the requirement for interviews with applicants and recertifying cases without verification. Hedberg approved the request even though that means violating the federal rules for the SNAP program.
KTOO, a non-profit Juneau-based telecommunications service, states that when Etheridge was asked about taking these steps she said “We really needed to take those dramatic steps in order to ensure that Alaskans can have access to food.” She also mentioned that the state could potentially receive a warning letter from the federal government. KTOO also says “while the backlog is still growing, Etheridge said she thinks it is close to stabilizing.”
The backlog has also taken a toll on the division’s employees, who have been working overtime and facing pressure and threats from the public. According to KTOO, some of the employees have spoken out anonymously with the Alaska Beacon about the stress and frustration they feel, as well as the mistakes and errors they make due to the overwhelming workload. They have also shared stories of the hardships and desperation that the SNAP applicants face, such as going into debt, relying on food banks, or even threatening to kill themselves.
It is very apparent that this slowly growing backlog is bringing countless issues to countless families, workers and employers who are all frantic during the holiday season, which can already be stressful enough. It’s good to know that Etheridge won’t take ‘no’ for an answer and will take the steps necessary to help these thousands of Alaskans waiting on their benefits.