News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
In 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), part of which continued Medicaid benefits for those already enrolled, regardless of any changes in eligibility. That continuous Medicaid coverage ended on March 31, 2023, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) began disenrolling recipients in May. HHSC began sending recertification letters to all Medicaid recipients […]
Meet Dennis, a devoted husband and father, whose life took an unexpected turn when he applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and was shockingly denied. Despite battling high blood pressure, gout, arthritis in multiple areas of his body, and lingering depression, Dennis was told he was “not disabled.” Faced with the daunting reality of being unable to work due […]
Mr. Yuriy Chertkov and his wife are Russian-speaking Holocaust survivors who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. In December, 2021, the couple received a reparations payment from Germany, which increased their bank account balance, putting them over the SSI resource limit. As a result, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determined they were not eligible for SSI for the month after […]
David Jenkins was discharged honorably from the US Army in 1973, and even received the National Defense Service Medal for his time on duty. Many veterans face difficulties adjusting to civilian life after time in the military, which can lead to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. In almost a third of cases, this can also lead to involvement […]
In April 2020, all Texas SNAP households, eligible for any amount of SNAP, began receiving the maximum SNAP allotment for their household size, regardless of income or deductions. They have all received 2 SNAP deposits per month on their Lone Star card – their regular SNAP allotment and their extra COVID SNAP benefits. February 2023 is the last month that […]
Sandy is a 74 year-old widow in East Texas who struggled to maintain her household after her husband passed away. Although she was with her common law husband for 29 years, and they had children together, they never formally married. “I was never married before him, and I have never even dated anyone else,” said Sandy. Sandy applied for legal […]
Summer P-EBT (June-August 2022) is for families with children (K-12) who were certified for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2021-2022 school year or during summer 2022. Children born on or after Aug. 1, 2015, who receive SNAP, are eligible for summer P-EBT. It is a one-time benefit of $391 for each eligible […]
There have been reports of SNAP fraud all over the country. Thieves use a method called “card skimming” to steal SNAP benefits. Thieves do so by placing a device on a store’s card-swiping machine to copy EBT card information. Card skimming can happen to anyone who uses a credit, debit or EBT card, including SNAP participants. HHS will never call or […]