DHS
Despite federal warnings, red and blue states aggressively cull Medicaid rolls
Despite federal warnings to slow down, both red and blue states have cut off Medicaid coverage for nearly 4 million people because they lack the proper paperwork. In at least four states, half of all the people who have lost coverage for any reason are children. During the pandemic, the federal government directed states not […]
USDA approves waivers for Arkansas SNAP recipients affected by tornadoes
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved two waivers for Arkansas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients affected by tornadoes that killed five people on March 31. The first waiver gives SNAP recipients in Cross, Lonoke and Pulaski counties until May 1 to report their loss of food purchased with SNAP benefits. This waives the […]
An interview with Arkansas’ outgoing Secretary of Human Services Cindy Gillespie
Cindy Gillespie’s last day as the secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services was Friday. Advocate Deputy Editor Hunter Field had a brief conversation with Gillespie and her successor, Mark White. Gillespie, whose annual salary was roughly $287,o00, is leaving after more than six years at the helm of Arkansas’ largest state agency to […]
DHS finalizes end to Trump-era ‘public charge’ rule for immigrants
The Biden administration finalized a new public charge rule on Thursday that would eliminate Trump-era policies that penalized low-income immigrants seeking health benefits and other services. The new rule from the Department of Homeland Security will roll back the types of assistance immigration officers can consider when evaluating immigrants for a green card and deciding […]