450,000 Nevadans to Soon See Reduction in Food Assistance

After March 14, 2023, the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS), the state agency in charge of administering SNAP says those second monthly payments will end. Beginning in April, the first monthly payment will be the only benefit.

The change stems from the recently signed into law Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, which terminates EA assistance in all states after the issuance of February 2023 benefits.

The Division of Welfare and Supportive Services is working with food banks and retailers across the state in preparation for this change in federal rules.

Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants have received a second monthly payment, known as Supplemental Emergency Allotments (SEA). The second payment was the difference between what the participant would normally qualify for, and the federal maximum benefit allowable for the household size.

A senior who normally qualifies for $23 per month in SNAP had been receiving $281, the maximum SNAP allotment for a household of one. When the emergency allotments sunset in April, the senior will receive only the $23, or 91.81% less in SNAP benefits. (The first payment would have been for $23, second payment in the middle of the month would have been for $258, for a total of $281 in benefits for the month)

An adult with two children who normally qualifies for $80 per month in SNAP had been receiving $740, the maximum SNAP allotment for a household of three. When the emergency allotments sunset in April, the household will receive only the $80, or 91.81% less in SNAP benefits. (The first payment would have been for $80, second payment in the middle of the month would have been for $660, for a total of $740 in benefits for the month)

An adult with one child who normally qualifies for $60 per month in SNAP had been receiving $516, the Maximum SNAP allotment for a household of two. When the SEA’s sunset in April, household will receive only the $60, or 88.37% less in SNAP. (The first payment would have been for $60, second payment in the middle of the month would have been for $456, for a total of $516 in benefits for the month)

Two adults with two children who normally would qualify for $100 per month in SNAP had been receiving $939, the maximum allotment for a household of four. When the emergency allotments sunset in April, the household will receive 89.35% less in SNAP. (The first payment would have been for $100, second payment in the middle of the month would have been for $839, for a total of $939 in benefits for the month)

More on that here: SNAP Emergency Allotments (EA) Provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)

"Under the new authority, state agencies cannot issue EA for a phase-out month after benefit month February 2023. In other words, states are not allowed to issue EA for benefit month March 2023, or later, under any circumstance."

In total, DWSS has issued over $1 billion in supplemental emergency SNAP benefits to Nevada households during the PHE declaration.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services has already bolstered budgets for food banks around the country to help address food insecurity ahead of this change.