As of Tuesday there’s a new way of applying for state benefits like Medicaid and food stamps, or SNAP. It’s an online application for all Department of Human Services benefits, all in one place – Rhode Island’s biggest information technology project ever. But some advocates for the poor fear there won’t be enough support to help clients make the transition.
DHS officials say the new system will save money and be easier to use – no more paper applications for each benefit, and visits, in person, to multiple offices. Instead: you find out if you’re eligible and apply for everything, all in one place. DHS field offices have set up computers for clients to use on site.
But advocates with the Economic Progress Institute and the University of Rhode Island’s Feinstein Center for a Hunger-Free America say clients may need more than a computer terminal. They say some people seeking benefits have complex needs and may require one-on-one help.
DHS has laid off 70 social workers in anticipation of the new system coming online. That, advocates say, could hamper clients’ ability to get the help they need.
DHS says they’ll be staffed appropriately and ready for early bumps in the road.