The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) began distributing the remaining full November SNAP benefits on Friday morning. This followed the resolution of technical issues that had delayed the release subsequent to the end of the recent government shutdown.
“Clients can expect their benefit balance to be available as soon as today,” MDHS stated in a November 21 announcement. “SNAP clients are encouraged to check their account balance to confirm receipt of benefits.”
Technical Delays Due to Aging Systems
MDHS aimed to ensure that approximately 353,000 Mississippians who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program received their full payments promptly after the shutdown ended on November 12. Many recipients had already received 65% of their payments, which was all the federal government authorized during that period.
However, MDHS Chief Communications Officer Mark Jones noted that attempts to distribute full payments earlier this week were unsuccessful because the system had already processed the 65% disbursement. “It’s our systems. We have 35 and 40-year-old systems that run COBOL,” he remarked, referencing the programming language established in the 1960s.
At that time, Jones couldn’t confirm whether full payments would be issued by the month’s end. Fortunately, individuals in Mississippi started receiving their full payments today. MDHS has assured that the full December benefits will be distributed as scheduled without delays.
In May, MDHS announced plans for a $180 million upgrade to its outdated systems, but Jones indicated that this transition would not be fully realized until 2027.
Risks of SNAP Fraud and Theft
With the resumption of full SNAP benefits, MDHS has issued warnings regarding the heightened risk of fraud and theft following the expiration of a congressional program that previously replaced stolen SNAP benefits due to fraud-related activities such as card skimming and cloning.
MDHS recommends the following steps to recipients:
- Register for a Connect EBT account, save it to their cell phone home screen, and change their PIN after every use to mitigate fraud risks.
- Continuously monitor account transactions and report any suspicious activity to MDHS.
- Ensure all case information is up to date to prevent interruptions in benefits.
- Follow MDHS on social media for the latest updates on additional funding and program announcements.
More information can be found at www.mdhs.ms.gov.
The Mississippi Free Press has compiled resources, including food banks, for those in need of assistance.
