QUESTION
How many vacancies exist for the SNAP and cash assistance administration, and what steps are taken to address staffing needs?
1:35:03
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109 sec
The NYC Mayor's Office of Management and Budget reports the hiring of 700 staff to address vacancies and improve the SNAP and cash assistance application process.
- 700 new staff have been hired specifically for SNAP and cash assistance administration.
- Special resources and accommodations have been provided to staff to expedite the application process.
- Technological improvements and process changes have been implemented to address past backlogs.
- Communicating with the state for waivers and addressing concerns about the new system being problematic were part of the efforts to improve processing rates.
Diana Ayala
1:35:03
But do can you tell us how many vacancies the agency currently has for its cash assistance and snap administration?
Jacques Jiha
1:35:12
I believe we hired let me see how many people.
1:35:15
We just hired 700, I believe.
Diana Ayala
1:35:17
70?
1:35:18
700.
1:35:18
Oh, 700.
Jacques Jiha
1:35:19
Yeah.
1:35:20
And for for this for this process.
1:35:26
So that's one of the reason why we we made some significant progress.
Diana Ayala
1:35:32
Okay.
1:35:34
And what special hiring accommodations if any is being made to staff?
1:35:38
Up on these areas beyond just for the one on one?
Jacques Jiha
1:35:43
As I said, we gave them special shipment.
1:35:47
And that's, as I said, we of all the agencies because of the backlog and our concern, but the the goal and number of folks we saw, and that just now gave them all resources that they needed to process the applications as quickly as possible.
1:36:04
I believe we're in a good place now.
1:36:06
I don't expect to have this kind of experience called backlog again, but they I believe they have the we're stuck in at this moment.
Diana Ayala
1:36:15
Yeah.
1:36:15
I think we have
Jacques Jiha
1:36:16
in the process That's right.
Diana Ayala
1:36:17
The technology was also important.
Jacques Jiha
1:36:19
We changed our tire process.
Diana Ayala
1:36:21
Yeah.
1:36:21
It was when we spoke to the state, I personally reached out to the state to try to get some of those waivers Yeah.
1:36:26
Reinstated.
1:36:27
And one of the concerns that they had was that the number of applications that have been processed and approved during the pandemic was actually higher than when staff came back to the office.
1:36:39
And so some of the some of the concerns were that, you know, obviously staffing issues were impacting, but also the system that they were using, which was fairly new, was also be, you know, a little bit problematic.
1:36:51
A bit problematic.
1:36:52
Yep.
1:36:52
Okay.