American Public Human Services Association

Food insecurity and hunger are at their highest levels in five years. One in ten households in New York State struggle to access enough food, with stark disparities by race and ethnicity. Research shows that SNAP is the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program, reducing food insecurity by as much as 30% and allowing low-income households to afford healthy food. The recent federal budget law reduces benefit amounts, shifts significant costs to states based on accuracy of application submissions, expands work requirements, and adds eligibility restrictions. As a result, New York could lose an estimated $1.4 billion in SNAP funding, and an estimated 300,000 New Yorkers could lose their benefits. Federal changes will fall most heavily on human services agencies at the county level responsible for day-to-day operations. They will need to update IT systems, application processes, and procedures as well as manage major shifts in payment structures on an accelerated timeline. In 2025, NYHealth awarded the American Public Human Services Association a grant to provide local and statewide agencies with capacity building and technical assistance to implement federal policy changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and preserve access to benefits for as many New Yorkers as possible.

Under this grant, APHSA will build on its national program and partner with New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the New York Public Welfare Association (NYPWA) to share practical tools and best practices for implementing complex new federal policy changes, improving program accuracy, and preserving coverage for New Yorkers. Working with New York counties, APHSA will create practical templates, guidance, and training materials. In coordination with APHSA, OTDA will support the development and dissemination of tools and resources that can be applied statewide. Through peer learning, targeted technical assistance, and statewide and national knowledge sharing, APHSA will strengthen county capacity and elevate New York’s leadership in SNAP administration.