Work Training Program for SNAP Recipients
By JR Contributor Dan Magruder
Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has recently boosted their program intended to help SNAP benefit recipients find long-term employment. This program, called SNAP Next Step Employment & Training (E&T) offers one-on-one assistance with steps to finding employment. To be eligible for SNAP Next Step Employment E&T, the individual must be receiving SNAP benefits, not be receiving Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), be work eligible, and reside in or around the service area.
In their press release, DHHS noted that job search, resume assistance, interview prep, childcare, on-the-job training and tuition assistance for short-term programs are all offered through this program.
“Since the SNAP Next Step E&T Program began in 2016, it has helped 196 Nebraskans reach their employment goal,” according to DHHS Child and Family Services Director Stephanie Beasley. “Nebraskans that participate in SNAP Next Step E&T increase their annual income by $15,369 on average, a substantial amount for working families. I encourage any Nebraskan that currently receives SNAP benefits to consider signing up for the SNAP Next Step E&T program.”
DHHS Public Information Officer Garret Swanson said, “Currently, about 40% of people who have enrolled have been able to find new employment. The wages vary, but on average the new income is $2,097.46 (gross) a month.”
Notably, that average new income level of $2,097 is over the SNAP benefit cutoff point of $1,171 for individuals, which puts one at risk of losing SNAP benefits. However, a family of four may have a gross income up to $3,644 before losing SNAP benefits. While DHHS was unable to provide NOISE with the amounts of the highest and lowest wages earned, their spokesperson told NOISE that on average people in this program see an income jump of a little over $1,000 gross per month. Given how the cutoff point for SNAP benefits changes based on a variety of factors including number of individuals in a household, it is worth it for each individual to explore how a jump in income might impact their benefits.
The SNAP Income Cutoff Limits by the Nebraska DHHS
The Nebraska Department of Labor, Metro Community College, and the Urban League of Nebraska partnered with DHHS on Next Step E&T. The federal government has run SNAP E&T programs since 1985. Each state is required to have an employment and training program.
Nebraskans interested in enrolling can find more information here.
