Supplemental SNAP benefit payments will end

The Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) announced today that the federal government will end COVID-19 related SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefit payments after the February 2023 issuance. Beginning on March 1, 2023, SNAP households will only receive their regular monthly SNAP issuance on the first of each month. DHS will be corresponding directly with recipients to provide additional information.

Congress temporarily increased SNAP benefits because of the COVID-19 public health emergency beginning in March 2020. All SNAP households received extra benefits after the first of the month to bring them to the maximum household amount or $95, whichever was higher. Because of Congress’s change in Federal law – passage of the Congressional Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 – SNAP recipients will no longer receive the additional allotment. SNAP recipients will continue to receive their usual benefit amount until the end of their approval period as long as they continue to meet eligibility requirements or their circumstances remain unchanged.

To ensure that SNAP recipients are receiving the highest benefit amount that they are entitled to, DHS needs accurate and updated information on everyone in a specific household. For example, if a SNAP household has experienced any changes in household size, income, shelter costs, utility costs, childcare or court ordered child support households should notify DHS. Additionally, if anyone in a SNAP household is aged 60 or older or disabled, please make sure all medical expenses have been submitted to DHS. 

Up-to-date and accurate information may result in an increase in regular monthly benefit amounts. Verification documents of some reported changes may be required. To report a household change, households can log into their healthyrhode.ri.gov account, mail documents to RI Department of Human Services, P.O. Box 8709, Cranston, RI 02920-8787, call DHS at 1-855-MY-RIDHS (1-855-697-4347) or bring documents to a DHS office. 

-A list of DHS offices and regional family centers can be found on our website here: https://dhs.ri.gov/about-us/dhs-offices.

­-SNAP outreach vendors can help provide additional information. A list of SNAP outreach providers can be found here: https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/snap-outreach-toolkit.

Helpful Information:

• There are other nutrition assistance and food resources that may be available to help households prepare for this change:
• If you have a child under the age of 5 or a pregnant person in your household, you may be eligible for WIC. Learn more here https://health.ri.gov/find/services/detail.php?id=44
• All school age SNAP recipients are eligible for free meals at school. If your child doesn’t receive free meals contact your school district to help you.
• Individuals over age 60 may be eligible for Senior Farmers Market food boxes, learn more at your local senior center.
• Food pantries are available throughout the state. Find the one closest to you by calling 211 or going to rifoodbank.org
• The SNAP Employment and Training Program is available to SNAP recipients who are not receiving RI Works (RIW) cash assistance and are interested in pursuing job skills training and educational opportunities that lead to employment which may increase your monthly income. More information can be found here: https://risnapet.org/

For more information, please call 1-855-MY-RIDHS (1-855-697-4347).