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Divisions and Offices
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Commodity Distribution |
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The Commodity Distribution Section operates in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administers the distribution of USDA Donated Foods to eligible outlets statewide. Foods are currently available to the following programs:
NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM: Provides
USDA donated foods for meal preparation in public and private schools,
residential child care institutions, and child care centers.
CHARITABLE AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS: Provides USDA
foods for congregate feeding to nonprofit, IRS tax-exempt service
institutions providing rehabilitation to needy persons. Such
institutions may be alcohol and /or drug centers, nursing homes,
hospitals, jails and correction centers.
SUMMER CAMPS: Provides USDA donated foods to non profit summer camping facilities for children eighteen years of age or under. Foods are provided for congregate feeding
SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM: Provides USDA donated foods to DHS Child Nutrition approved sites for the summer feeding of school age children.
EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: The Emergency Food Assistance Program makes surplus and purchased agricultural commodities available to low income households. The commodities are intended to supplement other foods and not serve as a household's sole or main food source.
SOUP KITCHEN - FOOD BANK PROGRAM: Provides USDA foods to nonprofit, IRS tax-exempt foods banks, pantries, and soup kitchens for congregate feeding or distribution to homeless or needy persons/families.
DISASTER FEEDING: Provides USDA donated foods for meal preparation at approved congregate feeding sites established due to natural or manmade disasters and emergencies.
COMMODITY PROCESSING PROGRAM: USDA Donated Foods are made available to commercial food processing companies for further processing of foods into a more acceptable end product for recipient agencies. The value of the USDA commodities is passed through to the recipient agency under a discount or rebate system.
The Commodity Distribution Section determines eligibility of recipient agencies, receives and stores in a commercial storage warehouse all foods allocated to Arkansas for these programs and maintains all records. Recipient agencies, other than schools, pick up their allocation of foods. School foods are delivered by commercial trucking, operating under a state contract. Monitoring, reviews, and inspections are completed on all programs to assure that federal storage, usage, and health standards are observed.
https://dhs.arkansas.gov/dco/distribution/Default.aspx
For additional information please contact:
Lynn Jackson, Manager, Commodity Distribution Arkansas
DHS -
Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P. O. BOX 1437 - MS 337
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203
Telephone (501) 371-1402
Fax (501) 371-1410
EMAIL lynn.jackson@arkansas.gov
EBT is a method of delivering government benefits
electronically through the use of commercial Automated Teller Machines
and Point of Sale devices. Instead of
mailing out paper benefits each month, a recipient's
benefits are placed into an EBT account. Recipients then access
these benefits through the use of an ATM quality magnetic striped card.
Arkansas DHS delivers all Food Stamp
and Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) benefits through our EBT
system. Arkansas residents who receive federal benefits such Social
Security, SSI, Veterans and Railroad Retirement Benefits can also elect
to have these benefits added to the Arkansas EBT system too.
Arkansas is a member of a coalition of states; Arkansas, Alabama,
Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, and
West Virginia, called the Southern Alliance of States (SAS). The SAS
states operate a multi-state, multi-program EBT system, which when fully
implemented, will allow Arkansas benefit recipients to access their
benefits in each of the SAS states using their Arkansas EBT card.
For more information about EBT contact:
Electronic Benefits
Transfer Unit
Arkansas DHS - Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P.O. Box 1437 - MS 336
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone: 501-682-1504
Fax: 501-682-8081
The Emergency Services Unit manages and coordinates all individual assistance programs for victims of disasters when the Chief Executive of the State, the Governor, declares a State Disaster Declaration, or the disaster is of such magnitude that a request is granted by the President of the United States for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration.
Programs:
For more information about the Emergency Services, please contact:
Emergency Services Director
Arkansas Department of Human Services
Division of County Operations
P.O. Box 1437 - MS 301
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone: 501-683-1739
Fax: 501-682-1597
The Employment / Income Support Section has program administrative responsibilities for the implementation and operation of the Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) program and the Medicaid program in the State of Arkansas. These responsibilities include the development of eligibility policies and procedures, based on federal and state law and regulations, for the two programs. The section provides technical assistance to field staff regarding the program policies and to other entities or individuals requesting information about the programs. In addition, the section provides user support assistance for the automated benefit delivery systems.
The Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) program helps economically needy families with children under the age of 18 become more responsible for the support of their families. The TEA program is Arkansas’ welfare reform program under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. For more information on the program, see Transitional Employment Assistance
program or click the TEA Policy (TANF) link above.TEA Application (English)
TEA Application (Spanish)
Lorie Williams, Manager,
Employment / Income Support
Arkansas DHS - Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P. O. Box 1437 - MS 333
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone number 501-682-8256
Fax Number 501-682-1597
E-mail Lorie.Williams@arkansas.gov
| Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) |
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps people with low income get the food they need for good health. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are used in place of cash to buy food. Most people must spend some cash along with their food stamp benefits to buy enough food for a month.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Section has the responsibility for
administering Arkansas' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program within the
Division of County Operations. The Section is responsible for the
following: analysis of issues, laws, and regulations governing the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program Section develops policy and procedures,
monitors compliance with Federal Regulations which relate to timeliness
and accuracy, as well as, compliance with regulations governing the delivery of Food
benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is funded with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services dollars.
Annually over $200 million in benefits are authorized for eligible participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
How to Apply for and Use SNAP Benefits
SNAP Application (English)
SNAP Application (Spanish)
For more information about Arkansas's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contact:
Larry Crutchfield, Manager,
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Arkansas DHS - Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P. O. Box 1437 - MS 335
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone number 501-682-8276
Fax Number 501-682-1469
E-Mail Larry.Crutchfield@arkansas.gov
The Medicaid program provides health care coverage for families with
children under the age of 19, to pregnant women, and to elderly,
disabled, or blind individuals who meet certain income and resource
guidelines. Assistance with Long Term Care expenses is also available
through the Medicaid program. There are many different Medicaid
eligibility categories with different eligibility rules and income and
resource limits. For more information on those categories, see
Medicaid
Eligibility.
Adobe Acrobat is required to read this
file. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader 
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Click here for a quick reference to Medicaid Eligibility
Medicaid Application (English)
Medicaid Application (Spanish)
Lorie Williams, Manager, Medicaid
Arkansas DHS - Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P. O. Box 1437 - MS 333
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone number 501-682-8256
Fax Number 501-682-1597
E-mail Lorie.Williams@arkansas.gov
The Medical Review Team (MRT) completes disability determinations on the Medicaid category cases where disability is an eligibility requirement. The Medical Review Team receives an average of 650 cases each month requesting disability determinations. MRT employs six physicians in a part time capacity to complete the disability determinations.
Isabel Hebert, Manager,
Medical Review Team
Arkansas DHS - Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P. O. Box 1437 - MS S334
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone number 501-682-8896
Fax Number 501-682-1559
E-mail
Isabel.Hebert@arkansas.gov
The Refugee Resettlement Program provides services to refugee families during the first five years of residency in the United States. The program is designed to assist refugees in the difficult task of adjusting to a new way of life in a new homeland. Refugees may apply for cash, medical and food program assistance at Department of Human Services offices in their county of residence.
Specialized services are available to refugees living in the Fort Smith/Van Buren area through the Fort Smith Adult Education Center, located at 501 South 20th Street, in Fort Smith Arkansas. The program offers services in job re-certification, training and placement, social adjustment, health related services, interpreter services and English as a second language.
The personnel at the center may assist in applying for Social Security cards and obtaining health screenings for new arrivals. Persons wishing to complete high school may study and test for their GED at the center. Study booklets are available for driver’s license and citizenship testing.
Questions may be directed to:
|
Program Manager |
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Department of Human Services |
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DPS, MS 334 |
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P.O. Box 1437 |
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Little Rock AR 72203 |
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(501) 682-8256 |
For more information about the
Office of Program
Planning and Development, please contact:
Linda Greer, Assistant
Director
Arkansas Department of Human Services
Division of County Operations
Office of Program Planning and Development
P.O. Box 1437 - MS S332
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone: 501-682-8257
Fax: 501-682-1597
E-Mail linda.greer@arkansas.gov
