Thousands in Illinois lose food stamps after computer system change

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Saturday, December 16, 2017 03:31PM

CHICAGO -- Tens of thousands of Illinois households have been cut off of federal food stamps as a state agency transitions to a new computer system that handles such benefits.

The problems come after the Illinois Department of Human Services rolled out the second phase of a new computer system to administer entitlements, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

A certain number of people who receive food stamps lose benefits each month because of missed deadlines or ineligibility, The Chicago Tribune reported, but that number grew significantly after the second phase began in October. With the old system, the state canceled some 14,000 to 15,000 cases per month, said Diane Grigsby-Jackson, director of the division of family and community services for the Department of Human Services. Under the new system, the state canceled 41,000 cases on Nov. 15, about 12,000 of which have since been reinstated, she said.

Department of Human Services officials and representatives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, which represents more than 2,400 Illinois human services caseworkers, disagree on what's causing the problems.

People receiving food stamps must complete an application every six months to recertify their eligibility. Vonceil Metts, president of AFSCME Local 2808, said some who completed those applications in the past two months lost their benefits because their files had not been converted into the new system. Converting the files has been a tedious process, Metts said.

* more at the link... http://abc7chicago.com/politics/thousands-in-illinois-lose-food-stamps-after-computer-system-change/2789144/

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1. Another reason Illinois leads the nation in population loss