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Good afternoon, CDHS employees,
Last week, Congress passed House Resolution 1 (HR1), which included a number of changes to federal programs that support Coloradans. The passage of HR1 will have a profound impact on the people we serve at the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), particularly recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP helps low-income families and individuals afford healthy and nutritious food through providing monthly stipends. We are working to fully understand how the passage of HR1 will impact our clients. In several instances, new rules and interpretations from our federal partners are required to decide how various provisions will be implemented, so it may take some time to have a full understanding of HR1.
Like many of you, I am concerned about how the changes in HR1 could impact Colorado families. There is no higher priority for CDHS than understanding the ramifications this new law might have on Coloradans and responding. We are working extremely closely with our sister agency, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), to make sure we are doing everything possible to help families who need food assistance, as well as Medicaid.
This is what we do know:
- Currently, much of the SNAP funds distributed to Coloradans come from federal dollars - in fact about $120 million a month. States do have some cost sharing, but in the new legislation, Colorado will be responsible for funding a significant portion of SNAP benefits beginning October 1, 2027. State cost sharing is based on a quality control metric called the Payment Error Rate. Based on Colorado’s current Payment Error Rate, Colorado’s state match is 10%. That is currently estimated to cost between $120-140 million per year. As you know, that is an incredible amount of new money that states like Colorado would have to raise to continue providing SNAP after 2027.
- In addition, HR1 requires states to pay a larger percentage of SNAP administrative costs, which CDHS currently estimates as a $50 million incremental cost per year.
- Currently, some people receive SNAP without having to meet work requirements. Under the new bill, the number of people exempt from the work requirement will be decreased, which could result in many people in our communities losing their benefits.
One thing this new law does not change is CDHS’s commitment to people at risk for food insecurity. SNAP is a vital program and serves as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans. It addresses hunger, improves overall health and helps people overcome poverty. As of April 2025, approximately 334,000 Colorado households–a total of 617,000 people–receive SNAP monthly.
These changes to federal law can feel overwhelming and, more importantly, raise many questions about how Colorado will continue to support the clients that rely on these important resources. While we don’t currently have all the answers, we are working to understand these new parameters and how they might impact our communities. In the coming period, we look forward to partnering with counties, legislators, other state agencies and non-governmental partners to explore the various options before us. We must muster every ounce of creativity, persistence and innovation we can. I am dedicated to finding new solutions, and welcome your participation and leadership as we chart new waters together.
Thank you for all you do to help us fulfill our mission and serve Coloradans through bold and innovative health and human services. It’s time to be both bold and innovative, in partnership.
For those of you who would like to review the details of this legislation, click on the links below.
Michelle Barnes
Executive Director
Links and Resources
Budget Reconciliation Package
CDHS Fact Sheet
American Public Human Services Association Bill Summary
National Association of County Human Services Administrators Bill Summary
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