S2016

An Act establishing a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach plan, supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The department, working in consultation and cooperation with community-based organizations and county welfare agencies, shall develop and implement a comprehensive SNAP outreach plan targeted at increasing potential beneficiaries’ access to:

(1) information regarding the availability of SNAP, the criteria for eligibility for SNAP benefits, and the various methods to apply for SNAP benefits; and

(2) the technological means to apply for SNAP benefits.

b. At a minimum, the department’s outreach plan developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include:

(1) establishing a SNAP Navigator Grant Program, the purpose of which shall be to distribute grant funding, via a process and method determined by the commissioner, to community-based organizations to support the employment of SNAP application navigators. In distributing grants under the program, the commissioner shall give priority to community-based organizations that assist underserved communities;

(2) providing training to the appropriate staff at community-based organizations regarding the necessary steps to complete and submit a SNAP application, through all available methods, including online and by telephone. Staff trained pursuant to this paragraph shall assist clients with the SNAP application process;

(3) partnering with community-based organizations to increase client access to computers and the online SNAP application; and

(4) providing SNAP information and resources to beneficiaries of public assistance programs who are served by the department and county welfare agencies, and who are likely to be eligible for, but are not currently receiving, SNAP benefits.

c. As used in this section:

“Commissioner” means Commissioner of Human Services.

“County welfare agency” means that agency of county government, which is charged with the responsibility for determining eligibility and issuing benefits for public assistance programs. The term county welfare agency shall include, but not be limited to, agencies that may be locally known as the Board of Social Services; the Department of Citizen Services; the Division of Welfare; the Division of Social Services; the Division of Temporary Assistance and Social Services; or as the Department of Family and Community Development.

“Department” means the Department of Human Services.

“Public assistance program” means any program administered through the Department of Human Services, a county welfare agency, or a collaboration between the two which is authorized to provide assistance and services to needy persons, including, but not limited to: the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.); the Work First New Jersey program established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.); and the Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).

“SNAP” means the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.).

2. The Commissioner of Human Services, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this act.

3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services such an amount as is necessary, as determined by the Commissioner of Human Services, to effectuate paragraph (1) of subsection b. of section 1 of this act.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Department of Human Services (DHS), working in consultation and cooperation with community-based organizations and county welfare agencies, to develop and implement a comprehensive outreach plan for the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a nutrition assistance program that serves as a safety net for low-income households.

Research indicates that only an estimated 70 percent of eligible individuals in New Jersey participate in SNAP, leaving many who could benefit unserved. As staff and resources dedicated to outreach on the county level are limited, it is the sponsor’s goal to increase the program’s participation rate, while reducing hunger in the State, through a comprehensive Statewide outreach effort.

Specifically, the bill directs that the outreach plan is to focus on increasing potential beneficiaries’ access to: 1) information regarding the availability of SNAP, the criteria for eligibility for SNAP benefits, and the various methods to apply for SNAP benefits; and 2) the technological means to apply for SNAP benefits.

At a minimum, the plan is to include:

1) establishing a SNAP Navigator Grant Program, the purpose of which will be to distribute grant funding, via a process and method determined by the Commissioner of Human Services, to community-based organizations to support the employment of SNAP application navigators. In distributing grants under the program, the commissioner will be required to give priority to community-based organizations that assist underserved communities. The bill directs that funds, the amount to be determined by the commissioner, be appropriated from the General Fund to the DHS for the purposes of establishing this grant program;

2) providing training to the appropriate staff at community-based organizations regarding the necessary steps to complete and submit a SNAP application, through all available methods, including online and by telephone. Trained staff are to assist clients with the SNAP application process;

3) partnering with community-based organizations to increase client access to computers and the online SNAP application; and

4) providing SNAP information and resources to beneficiaries of public assistance programs who are served by the department and by county welfare agencies, and who are likely to be eligible for, but are not currently receiving, SNAP benefits.