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HHS proposes locked-door front desk, warns SNAP and MFIP benefits could be disrupted by federal shutdown
Summary
Health and Human Services staff recommended leaving the Sandstone front-desk position vacant and routing calls and paperwork to the Pine City office while warning that SNAP benefits could stop if a federal government shutdown continues; commissioners discussed system limitations and outreach to local partners.
Pine County Health and Human Services recommended eliminating the Sandstone front-desk position and shifting customer service to a locked-door, dropbox model with phone coverage routed to the Pine City office to reallocate funding toward eligibility and clinical staff. The committee said the change is intended to maintain service levels while limiting payroll costs.
HHS staff also briefed the board on potential impacts of a continuing federal government shutdown to safety-net programs. Becky, an HHS eligibility supervisor, reported Pine County has about 400 SNAP cases, 97 MFIP cases and 5,281 Medical Assistance (Medicaid) cases handled by the county's Medicaid/MNSure team; the county's Maxis team showed 1,533 cases as of the morning cited in the presentation. She told the board that federal guidance indicated SNAP benefits could cease being issued in November if a shutdown persists and that WIC funding is secured only through mid-November at present.
Becky summarized program details: "SNAP provides food support for individuals with low incomes, so it's based on income and household size," and said county staff are coordinating with local food shelves, schools and Family Pathways to plan for increased demand. Commissioners raised concerns about state system limitations that make it difficult to untangle SNAP from other benefits quickly; staff identified legacy systems (SSIS and ACCESS) as points of friction that slow some county responses.
HHS recommended an operational plan to lock the front door in Sandstone, maintain a dropbox for paperwork and route incoming calls to Pine City. Commissioners asked staff to monitor service levels during implementation and to keep communication channels open for residents who need in-person assistance.
Ending: The board accepted the HHS update and directed staff to proceed with planning for the front-desk change while continuing outreach and contingency planning for SNAP, WIC, MFIP and Medicaid recipients.
