New report calls Colorado's dispute-resolution process for SNAP benefits "a system in turmoil"

[TexasTowelie]

Nearly all Coloradans who go before an administrative court regarding issues with their food-stamp benefits do so without a lawyer — and these low-income individuals are far less likely to win their cases, or even appeal their decisions, than in much of the United States, according to a new report by a state anti-poverty organization.

The report — “Barriers, Errors and Due Process Denied” — released Thursday by the Colorado Center on Law and Poverty “reveals a system in turmoil and beneficiaries in crisis.” It centers on Coloradans’ experiences dealing with the adjudication system for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, a federal venture designed to help needy families purchase healthy food.

Most people using SNAP benefits do so without issue, the report’s authors note. But when disputes do arise — such as overpayment by the government or accusations of intentional program violations — Colorado’s administrative court system tasked with sorting out the problems often gives individuals little chance of success.

The Colorado Center on Law and Poverty, through its research, “found that many SNAP beneficiaries encounter problems but do not successfully access hearings, and when they do, lose their hearings at rates that are much higher than national averages,” the authors wrote. “Beneficiaries reported difficulty navigating the appeal process, a finding that was unsurprising given the technical and dense information provided to beneficiaries in notices and on websites. Vanishingly few beneficiaries have legal representation, and some who had limited English proficiency appeared without the benefit of trained interpreters.”

Read more: https://www.denverpost.com/2022/03/05/colorado-snap-benefits-hearing-report/