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Updates for local agencies, community-based organizations, and providers who provide assistance to members of Wisconsin's health and nutrition public assistance programs.
January 15: Member Benefits and the Federal Government Shutdown
The Department of Health Services (DHS) will be holding daily stakeholder calls at noon on January 15, 16, 17, and 18 to share available information about benefits and programs during the government shutdown. The conference line is 877-820-7831 and the access code is 252841.
We will also be posting current information as it becomes available on the FoodShare webpage.
Current Status
At this time, benefits and programs like BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid, SeniorCare, Wisconsin Works (W-2), and Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program are not impacted by the federal government shutdown. February benefits are also available for those participating in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
Current FoodShare members may have their February FoodShare benefits put on their QUEST card as early as January 20, 2019. FoodShare benefits will not be put on QUEST cards in February for those members who receive the early February benefits in January. Please advise members to budget and plan accordingly.
People can still apply for benefits during the shutdown.
Issuance of FoodShare benefits and availability of funding for WIC, TEFAP, and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for March will depend on resolution of the federal government shutdown.
Call Centers
Please note: Income maintenance consortia call centers will close early at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, January 18 to prepare.
Some agencies and consortia call centers will be closed on Monday, January 21 due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The call centers for Capital, Great Rivers, Milwaukee County, Southern, and Western consortia will be closed on Monday, January 21. All others will be open for normal business hours.
Questions
DHS is committed to minimizing the impact of the federal government shutdown on our members and will continue providing updates as more information becomes available. We believe it is critical that we provide information to program participants, key partners, and other stakeholders timely and transparently. If you have any questions, please attend the stakeholder calls or contact DHSFoodSharePolicy@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
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