Earlier today the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) announced additional immediate and near-term impacts due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. These actions include disrupting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, furloughing 34 additional DHS employees, and ending services of multiple programs that receive federal funding through grants administered by DHS if no resolution is reached before this weekend. DHS went on to state that if the shutdown continues through the end of next week, the agency will furlough an additional 1,500 employees and temporarily close all DHS county offices to the public. In response, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families issued the following statement, calling on the state to focus on ensuring children and families can maintain food assistance benefits.

While we understand the need for the measures outlined by DHS earlier today, we are deeply concerned about the impact these actions will have on vulnerable Arkansans, state employees, and our broader communities. We hope that any future actions taken will focus on protecting Arkansans rather than assigning blame. 

We also urge state leaders to take all available actions to alleviate the compounding effects of the shutdown, to include leveraging available state surplus funding or the Catastrophic Reserve Fund to ensure that families, including children, veterans, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities, have some level of assistance with putting food on the table during the approaching holiday season. 

We are aware of the governor’s announcement today that she is committing $500,000 to Arkansas foodbanks. While supporting food banks is essential during this precarious time, there is no program more efficient at fighting hunger than SNAP. The numbers show that, for every one meal a food bank can provide, SNAP provides nine meals for the families who need it. Arkansas has $1.8 billion in its Catastrophic Reserve Fund, and we are on the brink of a catastrophe that requires state funding.

We need to ensure that Arkansans who depend on these critical services and supports are held harmless as the federal government continues to seek resolution regarding the budget or a continuing resolution.