Police Jury approves submission for SNAP employment-and-training funding to help SNAP recipients gain certifications

The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury on June 5 approved submittal of a grant application to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program.

Erica Garrison, assistant director for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Human Services Department, described SNAP E&T as a program to help SNAP recipients access training and certifications leading to higher-paying jobs. “With the SNAP E and T program, this is essentially for individuals who are receiving SNAP benefits. They can connect to our program, and we work with them to, provide access to different types of training, whether it's CNA work or things of that nature to receive a certification where they could then go and apply for a higher paying wage job and get off of benefits, essentially,” Garrison said.

The motion to approve submittal was made by Juror Gilray and seconded by Juror Barty; the item carried on the record. Jurors requested a brief explanation of the program during the meeting; Garrison provided a short, staff-level summary and the jury approved the application submittal with no additional conditions.

The approval authorizes staff to submit the grant application; the meeting record does not include details on the grant amount, program timeline, or matching funds. Those specifics were not specified during the public meeting and would be determined in the application or subsequent staff reports if the grant is awarded.