SNAP benefits could end Monday for thousands of Long Islanders

Thousands of Long Islanders could start losing food assistance as soon as Monday because of the Trump administration’s changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Roughly 4,850 Nassau County residents considered by the Trump administration to be "able-bodied" could lose access to the federal program, also known as SNAP, as a result of new work requirements to receive benefits.

In Suffolk County, 21,439 residents could be cut off from the program formerly known as food stamps, according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's December tally.

Below are answers to questions about the changes, who is potentially exempt and other ways to keep the benefit.

What led to the SNAP changes?

Last year, President Donald Trump signed a sprawling budget bill passed by Congress that made several changes to the SNAP program.

What are the changes?

Among the key changes in the law were provisions regarding those considered "Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents," officials said. Those in that category are restricted to three months of SNAP benefits across three years if they don’t meet work or volunteer requirements, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

New York State previously held federal waivers so that people in that category could continue receiving benefits outside that time period, but most of those waivers have lapsed, officials said. The extensions ended March 1, starting the clock on the three-month timeline ending Monday. The law also makes it harder for states to obtain the federal waiver, requiring an unemployment rate of above 10%. In April, New York had an unemployment rate of 4.6%, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The law also includes increasing the age limit of those who would have to follow the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents timeline. Previously, it was limited to those aged 18 to 54. Now, the law has raised the higher age limit to 64, the USDA said.

Who can be exempt, and what are the new work-requirement rules?

People considered to be Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents should meet several requirements, including working or volunteering, the state said.

The work rules also can be met by gaining a job skill, though it must be approved by the local department of social services and be for 80 hours a month, according to the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

The OTDA said there are several exceptions to the rules, including being pregnant or of Native American descent. Other exemptions may include not being able to work because of a physical or mental health disability, officials said.

The state also recommends reaching out to the Department of Social Services for Nassau or Suffolk for additional assistance for Long Island residents.

What are other ways to keep benefits?

To help Long Islanders meet work requirements, the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island has launched a job website, with the aim of helping those impacted satisfy SNAP work obligations.

The website links job seekers to a prospective employer's website, job fairs and local career centers and provides the forms needed to meet the SNAP work requirements.

"At the end of the day, we're trying to make it as easy for people and remove the barriers for them to fulfill the newly implemented work requirement for those particular subsets of the population," said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, in an April interview about the SNAP program.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.