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DHS Family Investment Administration budget hearing spotlights rising caseloads, benefit denials and a voluntary civil‑rights settlement
Summary
At a Health and Social Services Subcommittee budget hearing, DLS and DHS staff discussed rising applications and denials across SNAP, Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) and Temporary Disability Assistance (TDAP); the Sunbucks summer nutrition program; a voluntary resolution agreement with the federal Office for Civil Rights; proposed deficiencies; and competing recommendations about restricting or preserving funds.
The Department of Human Services’ Family Investment Administration (FIA) appeared before the Health and Social Services Subcommittee for its fiscal review, where legislative staff (DLS) raised concerns about rising applications and high denial and closure rates for cash and disability‑related benefits, while DHS described program expansions including the Sunbucks summer nutrition program and measures to replace stolen SNAP benefits.
DLS analyst Tanya Zimmerman opened the hearing with an overview of the agency allowance and performance metrics, saying, “the budget decreases by about 50,000,000 or 1.8%,” but noting that excluding $72,000,000 in deficiency appropriations tied to fiscal 2024 expenses the allowance would increase. Zimmerman told the panel that applications rose across SNAP, TCA and TDAP (about 33% higher in calendar 2024 than pre‑COVID) and that denial rates for TCA and TDAP are substantially higher than for SNAP — “for TCA they’re generally over 70%,” and TDAP rates have been “at or above 80% since September 2023.”
In response DHS Principal Deputy Secretary Carnitra White and FIA Executive Director Augustine Nabaganamani described program operations and corrective steps. White highlighted the Sunbucks rollout: “Sunbucks is now Maryland's largest investment in the fight against childhood summer hunger,” saying the program issued more than $71,500,000 in summer nutrition benefits to more than 594,000 students in 2024 and that the department hired approximately 80 staff to stand it up in 52 days. White also reported replacement of stolen benefits: $35,200,000 reimbursed to nearly 61,000 households since March 2023.
Key issues raised by DLS and agency responses
Applications, processing times and denials: DLS reported SNAP applications are processed faster owing to a seven‑day expedited SNAP requirement; TCA and TDAP processing lags typically by about 11–17 days. DLS asked DHS to…
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