Background of the Problem
The Food Stamp Program traces its earliest origins back to the Food Stamp Plan, which began in 1939 to help needy families in the Depression Era. The modern program began as a pilot project in 1961 and was authorized as a permanent program in 1964. Expansion of the program occurred most dramatically after 1974, when Congress required all states to offer food stamps to low-income households. The Food Stamp Act of 1977 made significant changes in program regulations, tightening eligibility requirements and administration, and removing the requirement that food stamps be purchased by participants (South Dakota Department of Social Services, 2006).
Today, the federal Food Stamp Program exists within the State of Michigan in the form of the “Bridge Card”
MiCAFE Bridge Card
and is managed by the Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS), the same agency that handles adult and children protective services, Medicaid, and cash assistance. “There are 586,000 Food Assistance Program cases in Michigan with more than 1.2 million persons receiving benefits.” (Sorbet, Steinman, 2008) Although the program does not change much administratively or substantively that often, right now the Michigan Legislature is looking to make it harder and more confusing for the Food Stamp participant. The State of Michigan is considering whether changing the distribution of food benefits will help DHS clients.
At the present time, electronic Food Stamp benefits are distributed to participants once per month. The State of Michigan is considering a bi-monthly disbursement system. “The Michigan Legislature has drafted legislation that will, if passed and signed into law, change distribution of benefits from once to twice monthly for families receiving more than $100 a month in benefits.
Food Stamp Pyramid
That would prospectively affect about 457,000 cases or 78 percent of the current caseload.” (Sorbet, Steinman, 2008) This is just one of numerous ways that Food Stamp participation is confusing, complicated, and almost not worth the time and effort necessary to gain the benefits.
The Food Stamp Act was the last time any major national changes were made to what is now known generically nationwide as “food stamps” and the “Food Stamp Program,” referred to as the FSP. From its earliest origins until today, the FSP has never seen a one hundred percent participation rate for eligible parties. Simply using federal poverty levels against the number of FSP recipients, it is easy to see the two rates never intersect (United States Department of Agriculture, 2006).
It was the goal of the researcher to discover commonalities within groups who chose not to participate, although eligible, in the Food Stamp Program. The researcher concentrated on what prevented eligible participants from applying for and receiving food stamps. The researcher developed a set of three elemental barriers that combined to form a basis for the research. Additionally, three elements were formed by USDA research. In combination, this set of six barriers was examined through food stamp policy and program analysis.
Ultimately, the six major preventative barriers were defined and addressed individually. Collectively, this set of barriers combined to form the figurative “wall” between the eligible food stamp applicant and enrollment.
Once the individual blocks that build the wall are removed, the proverbial flood gates will open and an influx of new eligible applicants will appear thus raising enrollment rates.
Purpose of the Study
In order to increase participation among eligible households in the FSP, it was vital to examine why these households chose not to participate. The researcher aimed to interpret statistics to develop an understanding of the common reasons that eligible households do not participate in the FSP in order to see what obstacles need to be overcome. Once apparent preventative issues are seen, and then broken down, it is likely that participation by eligible households will increase.
Throughout the study, rather than putting focus on a single barrier, a collection of six elements was analyzed. Continual emphasis was placed on the assumption that the barriers existed as a collection rather than individually.
Statement of the Problem
Hypothetically, there are three main areas that most likely combine to account for the umbrella of reasons why eligible parties do not apply for the FSP. Those areas are: misinformation about, limited access to, and lack of knowledge of the FSP.
Read more of John Girdwood‘s white paper on food stamp policy:
Read more about Michigan’s Coordinated Access to Food for the Elderly, a Program of Elder Law of Michigan, here: [elderslaw.org]
MiCAFE
