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DHS highlights SNAP education spending, Sun Bucks summer benefits and plans for chip EBT cards
Summary
At a budget hearing, DHS told lawmakers it invested $29 million in SNAP nutrition education in FY23 and that Sun Bucks—100% federally funded—helped households of about 1.2 million children last summer; officials said a chip‑enabled EBT card is desirable but would carry an estimated state cost of about $7 million.
HARRISBURG — Department of Human Services officials answered lawmakers— questions about SNAP programming, the Sun Bucks summer benefit and protections against EBT theft.
Secretary Acush told the committee that DHS "voluntarily opt[s] in to a Federal opportunity to provide education" and that in fiscal year 2023 the department "invested really $29,000,000 of Federal funds to educate SNAP recipients." She said that in that year the program reached about 650,000 of the Commonwealth—s roughly 2,000,000 SNAP recipients with education on healthy eating and preparation.
Nut graf: DHS defended its SNAP education investments and described Sun Bucks, the summer benefit, as 100% federally funded; the agency said it will roll out benefits earlier this summer because it is not building the program from scratch.
On Sun Bucks, the department said staff stood up the program quickly and added $120 to summer food budgets for families of about 1.2 million children last summer. DHS said it will continue the program and aims to release benefits earlier this year.
Lawmakers also asked about EBT card security. The secretary said chip‑enabled card technology is now available to states and that federal Food and Nutrition Service participation would cover half the cost; DHS estimated a state share of roughly $7 million to convert to chip EBT. She said officials are watching other states— early implementations to avoid IT problems before asking the legislature for that expense.
Ending: DHS committed to earlier Sun Bucks rollout and to exploring a phased, tested approach to chip‑enabled EBT if funds and IT reliability allow.
