Missed SNAP calls continue to threaten benefits for struggling Tennessee families

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - For Brooke Hill, and her 10-year-old son Liam, the monthly food benefits they receive through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs are a lifeline. That is because Liam’s diet is very limited due to a neurological issue caused by autism.

“It’s beyond important,” Hill said. “We rely on those for everything.”

But as we reported back in January, Hill had her benefits six months ago, when it was time to recertify her SNAP eligibility, but a case worker with the Tennessee Department of Human Services failed to call Hill and conduct a federally mandated interview.

Hill then got a letter from TDHS, blaming her for the missed call and her SNAP benefits got cut.

WSMV4 Investigates eventually helped Hill get back on SNAP, but now it’s time to renew her eligibility again, and Hill is going through a series of emotions.

“I’m it makes me anxious, worried. I can’t afford to go through that again,” said Hill.

Hill’s anxiety is thanks to the recertification notice she recently got from DHS, saying it’s once again time to go through the process of making sure her economic situation has not changed, and she still qualifies for SNAP assistance.

That process takes place every six months for people getting SNAP, and while Hill’s letter gave a date and time DHS is supposed to call and interview her, Hill said the letter lacked a lot of information, and it seems to her like the recertification process has changed.

All of that has Hill worried that the phone call won’t come again, and just like in December, she will see her benefits get terminated, and face the possibility of Liam going hungry.

“The letter wasn’t very helpful to tell me what I need to do,” Hill said. “I just hope that they call.”

According to Signe Anderson, the Senior Director of Nutrition Advocacy for the Tennessee Justice Center, Hill’s fear of not getting the call is not paranoia, it is a reasonable concern. That is because Anderson says a growing number of people on SNAP across Tennessee have lost benefits in the same way.

“The phone interview piece has always been an issue,” Anderson told WSMV4 Investigates. “That phone call is the wall that stands between people and their SNAP applications and them actually getting the physical benefits.”

Anderson says since the beginning of the year, her organization has heard from and helped 300 people facing the threat of losing SNAP after DHS set up interview times, but then never called.

WSMV4 Investigates continues to hear from people on social media, through email and phone calls who complain it happened to them as well, including one local family who stopped trying to apply after multiple missed calls.

“Oftentimes, the blame is placed on the family for missing that call, and so many are doing everything they can to connect for that interview,” Anderson said. “So, then for many who don’t get that call, they try calling DHS to reschedule and we’ve heard them waiting up to five or six hours on the phone.”

Anderson says the issues with missed phone calls go back years but got worse during the pandemic. She says the problem then exploded last year when DHS started using new technology to manage the SNAP program and thousands of people lost benefits.

“It’s something I wish more time and energy would be dedicated to, because I think a lot of people are being turned away [from the SNAP program] that shouldn’t be turned away,” Anderson said.

WSMV4 Investigates wanted to interview officials at TDHS responsible for overseeing SNAP in Tennessee about the missed phone calls and why this continues to happen, but a department spokesperson said that “we will not be able to fulfill your on-camera interview request at this time or in the future.”

“It shouldn’t be so difficult,” Anderson said. “But we heard from a DHS caseworker who was working with one of our clients, that just because a person gets that notice of a phone interview and it says the call will happen at 10 AM, that doesn’t mean it will. So, transparency and communication from DHS would help everyone in the long run.”

Hill says TDHS refusing to talk, tells her all she needs to know about the agency’s concern for families like hers that need SNAP to keep food on their tables.

“That tells me that they don’t care,” Hill said. “I want them to spend even a day with my son and I and try to make it even a day and see what it’s like, and how hard it is to go through the process through their system.”

Anderson says TJC has asked TDHS for information regarding the number of people who have missed calls and lost benefits due to processing issues, but they have not received any data yet.

So, WSMV4 Investigates filed our own public records request to try and determine how widespread the problem is now. When we get any updated information, we will update our reporting.

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