GREENFIELD — A federal welfare law that went back into effect in January could see up to 450 people in Franklin County cut off from food assistance benefits unless they are able to meet new federal work requirements by March.
A provision of the 1996 welfare reform law that states able-bodied adults between the age of 18 and 49 who do not have any children or dependents are required to work, volunteer or attend job-training courses for at least 80 hours per month to continue receiving SNAP benefits went back into effect in about 20 states, including Massachusetts, Jan. 1.
Berkshire and Hampden counties are both exempt from the provision’s effects because of their higher unemployment rates, but recipients in most of Franklin and Hampshire counties will need to comply.
If they don’t or can’t do so, they’ll lose their benefits after three months. Only those living in Orange, Rowe or Monroe will remain exempt.
When unemployment skyrockets, the federal government is allowed to waive the requirements for entire states, counties or towns when finding jobs becomes too difficult. That’s what happened during the Great Recession in 2008, but the provision is kicking back in as the economy improves and those waivers expire. About half a million people nationwide stand to lose their benefits if they can’t meet the work requirement.
A variety of exemptions narrow the field of those who could be affected, according to the state Department of Transitional Assistance, including for people who are certified as being mentally unfit to work, receive unemployment benefits, care for an incapacitated person, participate in drug or alcohol rehabilitation, or are pregnant, among others.
Still, the state Department of Transitional Assistance said 450 people in Franklin County will be affected by the change, and of that group, 127 are homeless. In Hampshire County 172 of the 627 affected people are homeless.
Local pantries and food programs fear the changes may cause spikes in demand for their services and affect low-income people in more ways than just limiting their access to food.
Christina Maxwell, the director of programs at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Hatfield, which supplies food and produce to most of the area’s food pantries and other food aid agencies, said the provision’s reinstatement could have numerous ripple effects and unintended consequences in western Massachusetts, both for those homeless recipients and those who have regular shelter.
“People who are homeless have a lot of challenges that they face when they’re looking for a job, but a lot of people who have homes also face challenges,” she said. Specifically, finding transportation to go to or look for work is more difficult in western Massachusetts than in other parts of the state, and even more so in Franklin County. “If you don’t have money for transportation, it’s really hard to do a job search. You can’t go to interviews.”
She said complying even with the volunteer work provision can be difficult for those who can’t afford a car or to take the bus. “For people in the more rural areas, to fulfill the work requirement is going to be very challenging,” Maxwell said.
For those who can’t comply, Maxwell said the provision only serves to reduce their budgets even further, making it even harder to fulfill the requirement.
She said the Food Bank expects to see an increase in the number of people visiting local food pantries, which in turn adds pressure to the Bank and pantries on “shoe-string budgets,” said Chris Wojcik, the organization’s marketing and communications director.
Last year, pantries saw a spike in visits when administrative problems led to a drop in SNAP benefits, Maxwell noted. “We’d expect to see a similar result. We’re just not designed to meet that sort of need.”
For the homeless who are expected to feel the provision’s effects, DTA officials said more may become exempt as their cases are processed.
“Based on guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture, many, if not most, of the individuals who have indicated they are homeless will likely be exempt from the time limit/work program due to their precarious housing situation,” said DTA officials said in an e-mail. “DTA has been reviewing these cases to determine those individuals who will be exempt due to this reason.”