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Food Stamp Program: Administrative Hindrances to Participation

RCED-89-4 Published: Oct 21, 1988. Publicly Released: Oct 28, 1988.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed whether federal regulations and certain state and local practices and procedures discourage or prevent eligible persons from participating in the Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) Food Stamp Program.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator, FNS, to identify administrative hindrances to food stamp participation in its annual operations reviews of each state, focusing on hindrances identified in this report, and assist states in overcoming these hindrances by sharing this information with all states.
Closed – Implemented
On June 6, 1991, FNS issued an information package entitled "Examples of Successful Actions Taken by State Agencies To Address Barriers to Food Stamp Participation" to its regional offices for dissemination to state agencies. The materials will assist states in identifying and overcoming participation obstacles.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator, FNS, to determine the extent to which some households are treated inequitably by the different methods used to calculate monthly income, and determine whether it would be beneficial to adopt a uniform policy for calculating monthly income.
Closed – Not Implemented
Although FNS agrees using different methods causes some inequities, it stated that changing the current policy could result in administrative burdens and unclear impact. As a result, FNS has decided not to adopt a uniform policy.

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Topics

Eligibility determinationsFamiliesLocal governmentsProgram managementState-administered programsFood relief programsNutritionPublic officialsFederal regulationsQuality control