Eryn Atwood

Issue Documentation Analysis

(Please provide website or other reference sources for the
information that you provide)

My issue of concern (i.e., clearly define the nature of your issue):

Current proposed changes by President Trump to the federal SNAP program will negatively
impact the elderly, not only locally but nationally, by cutting the eligibility for programs and
eliminating the minimum monthly allowance currently is mandated for program compliance.

Retrieved from: https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/5-23-17fa.pdf

Prevalence of the problem (e.g., number of people impacted, level at which this issue
effects people around the world or in certain localities)

Locally, 15% of the population in my city (which is the county seat) is composed of the
elderly aged 60 and over. This translates to approximately 3,730 elderly. Of that number,
30% receive SNAP benefits, totaling approximately 1,119 elderly who qualify and receive
nutritional assistance where I live.

Retrieved from: https://www.seniorcare.com/directory/in/franklin/#census_footnote

Current Legislative or Legal Initiatives Designed to Address this Issue:

S.192, Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, was passed by the Senate last year for a
three year renewal through fiscal year 2019 and includes addressing the Nutritional Services
Incentive Program for seniors. In 2015, 23 states included nutritional services for the elderly
as part of their health and wellness programs under the Affordable Care Act as an essential
health benefit.
Retrieved from: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/192

Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly supports that SNAP programs be combined with agriculture
programs in the state and to not separate the farm bill from the SNAP bill negotiations.
Donnelly believes the programs can benefit from each other and enable more people to
obtain access to the nutrition that they need.
Retrieved from: https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/senator-donnelly-on-farm-bill-and-sonny-
perdue/

Level of Opposition/Complication) to this Issue (e.g., Factors that lead to the proliferation
of this problem; social/philosophical obstacles to finding a solution; environmental issues):

If the current proposed changes by President Trump to the federal SNAP program and the
repeal of the Affordable Care Act are passed by House and Senate, health care and nutritional
assistance will be drastically reduced and unavailable to many of the elderly who critically
depend on the programs for survival.

The elderly are not the only ones affected by the cuts, but being a fragile population with
specific nutritional needs, they rely on assistance of not only the federal government but also
of local food pantries and soup kitchens. Food pantries are already at a shortage and with
thousands of people now facing cuts on their SNAP benefits, there are not enough resources
to assist everyone.

Retrieved from: http://feedingindianashungry.org/blog/snap/

http://www.hhfoodbank.org/learn.php

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/06/21/anthem-no-longer-sell-obamacare-plans-
indiana/416397001/

If this issue is resolved on a local or global level, how would you describe that outcome
(e.g., prevalence goal, impact on those being affected by the issue)?

The resolution of the issue would be for the state representatives to not vote to approve the
budget cuts to the SNAP program and other federally funded programs that would have
devastating impact on the fragile population of seniors not only locally but nationally.
Without access to adequate nutrition, our elderly will suffer increases in illness and disease
that could end their lives in ways directly attributed to malnutrition.

If the programs remains intact, it will allow our elderly who qualify to receive at least
minimum funding to support nutritional assistance in addition to community resources for
nutritional assistance.

Retrieved from: https://www.nap.edu/read/23496/chapter/5#66