Kathy Chapman - DSHS Updates

  • DSHS assisting with applications for Washington Apple Health
  • Question: Are DSHS specialists going to be partnering with clients when they are assisting them through a HPF application?
  • Answer: DSHS will just assist them at entering their data into the system, DSHS is not partnering with clients, they will be entering client info (not creating client accounts)

ABAWD Changes January 1, 2016

  • This waiver is expiring at the end of 2015.
  • The changes will only be in effect for King, Snohomish and parts of Pierce County.
  • Benefits will be limited to three months for clients who meet definition of ABAWD - at which time they must meet the additional requirements of ABAWD to continue to receive benefits.
  • If a client is part of a household with a child - the ABAWD does not necessarily have to be responsible for that child, but the child must be part of that household’s basic food assistance unit.
  • Benefits for non-excempt ABAWDs will likely terminate March 2016, at the three month mark of the new year, if non-exempt ABAWDS have not met the work requirement or other exceptions.
  • Question: Do we have an estimate of the number of people who could be affected by the waiver change?
  • Answer: about 41,000 ABAWDS

Please send an email to if you would like to be a job site for BFET: helping ABAWDS find work opportunities to meet basic requirements for Basic Food.

Basic Food and Beyond Panel

Zac Eskenazi - First Foods

  • Developed to address heath in early childhood nutrition - primarily in the south end of King County
  • Partnered w/UW Harborview and Children’sHospital - working on developing a curriculum for infant health and nutrition that is culturally appropriate
  • Focus on newly arrived refugees in South King County (helping them navicate a new food system)
  • Offering culturally sensitive and language supportive services
  • Working toward introducing fresh, healthy, safe foods for mothers
  • Served about 60 parents thus far this year - about 300 people
  • about 95% of participants receive basic food
  • Offer cooking demonstrations in each class
  • Participants receive a blender and emergency food basket at end of class

Panel Questions:

  • If you have a client that needs to get enrolled in Basic Food, who do you refer to/ how do you assist them?

Cooking Matters - Refer clients back to partner organizations who are equally referring out to cooking matters

First foods - rarely asked - most are already enrolled - in most cases refer to G2L or DSHS - many clients they serve are not yet eligible due to immigration status - they offer emergency food support

Food $ense - refers to WithinReach- asked quite often especially at food banks

  • What is the best way for us to connect client to your programs?
  • Cooking Matters –operates on a community partnership model –usually has a designated point person at an organization who is already connected with cooking matters. If someone is interested in becoming a community partner Sandra/Billy can provide more info. Community org’s can approach solid ground explaining you are interested in collaborating for a class with Cooking Matters.
  • First Foods - 2 year old program - Still working on developing curriculum w/Children’sHospital and Harborview. By the end of this year they expect to have a more set idea about how to disseminate the curriculum.As of right now first foods is seeking Bhutanese clients with young children to participate in their upcoming program. Targeted at infants but also working with clients who are seeking more nutrition education for families with elder children in the HH.
  • Food $ense - operates similar to Cooking Matters on a partnership model - where they will link with another org who has pre-existing clients and can collaborate to host an onsite class - can sometimes host “guests” from outdoor agencies at a place where there is an established connection to offer classes.

Basic Food Employment & Training

RISE Pilot

Shavana Howard

BFET:

Number one employment and training program in the nation for Basic Food recipients

RISE: Washington’s pilot

Half of clients will be enrolled in BFET half in RISE as a pilot along with a 6 year study

RISE will offer additional case management services - is a modified more comprehensive form of BFET that is being tested.

Fare Start -

Can serve as a bridge to get back in the job market or also as a place holder to get stabilized - give students the opportunity to get back to school/help them become more employable.

Open orientation every Tuesday, new students started every Monday.

A staff person from DSHS comes speak to students about Basic food eligibility.

Question: How many students are you able to take in at every enrollment period

Answer: About 7 - no wait list currently - space is available

Question: What is the income limit?

Answer:Same criteria as basic food enrollment - fare start is a BFET partner

Are there any barriers to access?

  • health conditions that would make it difficult for someone to work in food industry
  • wedo enroll people with felony convictions.
  • No expenses

Funding for your program

  • social enterprise
  • part public funding part private funding - Dept. of Urban and Housing Development

Annya - BFEA Basic Food Education and Assistance Activities

Focus groups to help us understand the communities perception about basic food and what can we do to better serve clients.

BFEA presentation from Global to Local - strong need for language services in Amharic and Arabic

ACRS- Language a barrier in accessing basic food going through the enrollment process.