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SNAP delays impact families across the state
OMAHA, Neb. —
Pearline Harvey has been waiting for her Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits all month.
“It’s just been really hard without, you know, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables,” Harvey said. “I never knew I relied on food stamps so much.”
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The Chadron grandmother called the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services looking for answers, and she was greeted with hold music.
“An hour and so many minutes, they said it would be,” Harvey said over the phone. “Because their call volume is so high, but I waited like two hours.”
She isn’t the only one waiting. Collin Adler Ruane, communications director with Nebraska for Us, said this is a statewide issue.
“More people are calling,” Adler Ruane said. “At the same time, a lot of people are dropping off, so longer call times, bigger call volume, fewer people being served.”
DHHS metrics from July 2026 show 96,891 people called with an average wait time of 26 minutes. The goal is 10 minutes. Some, like Harvey, are waiting even longer.
DHHS Public Information Officer Jeff Powell said the delays are caused by federal legislation. States are required to maintain a SNAP payment error rate below 6%.
Nebraska is currently at 5.9%.
In a statement, Powell wrote, “States that exceed this threshold must match a portion of the federal benefit, ultimately impacting taxpayers. This is a nationwide challenge affecting many states, not just Nebraska.”
In May 2026, Nebraska implemented the federal expansion of work requirements for SNAP benefit users. DHHS’ data shows enrollment dropped 10% from May to July. Adler Ruane said while the expansion does play a role, there’s been consistent drops in SNAP enrollment for the last year.
“SNAP enrollment’s down more than 20% in the last year,” Adler Ruane said.
With the implementation of new requirements, SNAP users had to apply for recertification. Harvey filed hers at the beginning of August, and when she checked today, her application wasn’t even pending.
DHHS aims to have applications processed within a week. In July, only 51% reached that goal.
Powell wrote in a statement to Omaha’s News Leader, “DHHS is aggressively recruiting and hiring where needed, which will soon alleviate workloads and improve processing times. Our efforts are focused on preventing fraud, protecting taxpayer dollars, and ensuring benefits go to those who truly need them.”
Powell also said some employees are working overtime to meet the demand.
Meanwhile, Harvey continues to wait for answers.
“Just unbelievable about the times I have to wait,” Harvey said. “I just sit there the whole day. Just waste.”
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