Latest news with #DepartmentofWorkforceServices
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘SUN Bucks' program looks to fill summer void for students who receive free school meals
A 'SNAP welcomed here' sign is seen at the entrance to a Big Lots store in Portland, Oregon. (Photo) Utah families struggling with their grocery bill will have a little extra relief this summer, with the 'SUN Bucks' program looking to fill the void left by free school meals. Once the school year ends, families will be able to get an extra $120 per eligible school-age child to buy groceries. Sometimes called Summer EBT, the program is available for families that already receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. Families on Medicaid or whose children already qualify for free or reduced school meals are also eligible. 'SUN Bucks is a federal program to help combat childhood hunger,' said Muris Prses, director of eligibility at the state's Department of Workforce Services, in a statement. 'This is a great way for families to stretch their grocery budget during the summer.' According to the Utah Food Bank, at least 1 in 8 Utahns, and 1 in 6 children, are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food to live a safe and active life. That adds up to about 415,000 people in Utah who aren't sure where their next meal will come from. Despite opt-outs by GOP states, debut of kids' summer food program seen as a success Utah was among 13 states with Republican governors that opted out of the federal program last summer, opposing what they called 'welfare' and signaling unwillingness to cover administrative costs. Even with some states choosing not to participate, the program was hailed as a success despite some challenges in its first year. The Utah Legislature this year passed HB100 requiring that the state join Summer EBT, while also granting free school lunch to any students who qualify for reduced-price meals. Summer EBT is expected to support an estimated 260,000 Utah children. According to data from Feeding America, San Juan County has some of the highest rates among young people, with about 26% of children there experiencing food insecurity — neighboring Garfield County is not far behind, at about 25%. With the SUN Bucks program, these families can buy foods like meat, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and dairy products at places that accept SNAP benefits, like grocery stores and farmers markets. The state's 'Double Up Food Bucks' program allows these benefits to earn an extra $2 for every $1 spent on fresh produce. Eligible children will be automatically enrolled in the program, according to the state — families whose children attend a school where students already receive a free lunch can apply at the state's website. SUN meals is a similar program offering free meals and snacks for school-age children, offering a to-go option for pickup or delivery in rural areas. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah's employment numbers for March 2025 shows strong growth
SALT LAKE CITY () — New figures from the Utah Department of Workforce Services show a 1.7% growth in Utah's labor market in March. That means a total of 29,500 new jobs were created compared to the same time last year. According to the report, the employment growth in the Beehive State showed stronger promise than the national average, which showed only a 1.2% year-over-year growth. 'These numbers are very similar to what we've seen for the last six months,' said Jared Mendenhall, spokesperson from the Department of Workforce Services. 'That's a good thing. You want a stable economy.' Utah woman who survived being shot in the head as teen, passes away, family says Mendenhall added that the relatively younger population and the diversity of industries in Utah provide some of economic advantage over other states when it comes to employment. But not every industry reported positive growth. Leisure and hospitality services saw a 2% loss in employment, while the trade/transportation/utilities market saw a 1% drop. Mendenhall mentioned that these industries are continuing to see the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic play out. On the opposite end, Mendenhall highlighted manufacturing as one of Utah's stronger industries. He told that there was an expansion of 2,700 jobs in Utah's manufacturing sector. He said that this was a promising sign as manufacturing brings in a fresh demand for transportation services, warehouses, and a guarantee of good pay and benefits for workers. 'These are the kinds of jobs that you want to see come into an economy,' Mendenhall said. Join these viewing events to see bighorn sheep in their natural habitat Utah's employment numbers for March 2025 shows strong growth PICTURES: Volunteers show up to groom, treat 156 animals rescued in Ogden Ryan Gosling to star in next 'Star Wars' film, Lucasfilm announces FSU food service worker among those killed in shooting, company says Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Audit: Department of Workforce Services could improve some outcomes, accessibility
A legislative audit of the Utah Department of Workforce Services found that despite the success of some division programs, areas for improvement exist — namely in the Workforce Development Division. Five years after entering a program in one of the department's 16 divisions, participants on average show a decrease in unemployment and use of eligibility services and positive wage growth, according to the auditor's report. While that is good, the audit found many participants still struggle with consistent employment and earning a living wage after completing their program. Data from the audit showed that across the programs reviewed, at least 9% of participants made a living wage five years after participation. With this in mind, the audit recommended the department identify factors that lead to success and model more Workforce Development Division programs around those factors. "(Department of Workforce Services) should explore many variables that may lead to success, like demographics, fields, employers, education programs and employment councilors, to understand what factors uncommonly successful or unsuccessful participants share," the auditor's report says. Another positive was the audit's praise for the department's efforts to conduct Medicaid renewal reviews for employees after Congress ended continuous enrollment in 2023. "According to legislative intent, the Department of Workforce Services reset the Medicaid rolls relatively quickly after COVID-19-related enrollment increases. A federal Inspector General's review of Utah's unwinding also concluded that it was generally done in accordance with state and federal requirements. Our own review supported these findings," the report says. Alternatively, the audit found that the eligibility services division, which processes applications for public financial, medical and nutritional benefits programs to connect Utahns with services they qualify for, could be more accessible. "The division should consider whether the current allotted time for online applications for benefits to be submitted is an accessibility barrier. They should also ensure their average call wait time complies with requirements set by the Legislature," the report says. The Utah Legislature passed HB7 in 2024, establishing a performance goal for the Eligibility Services Division to answer customers' calls for assistance within 18 minutes. That year, the wait time averaged around 20 minutes, and generally, wait times are higher than the target of 18 minutes established by the Legislature. Thus, the audit recommended the department "develop and implement a strategy to reduce their call wait times to meet requirements" and create and implement a plan to extend phone line operating hours. On the topic of accessibility, the audit also found that the department allows "significantly less" time to complete online applications than other states. "Community advocates are concerned that (Department of Workforce Services) services can be inaccessible to vulnerable or at-risk Utahns. We found that (the Department of Workforce Services) Medicaid application portal saves applicant data for only 24 hours," the report says. Other states allow more time for people to complete applications. Colorado saves Medicaid data for 90 days, Arizona for 30 days, and Washington for 15 days. To remedy this, the auditor recommended that the department "collect and analyze internal data to determine whether the time allowed for a customer to submit an online application or benefits is sufficient and, if warranted, allow more time to complete the application." The auditor's report can be read in its entirety on the Utah Legislature's website.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Lee Zeldin to speak in Utah on 3 key ‘MAHA' bills Monday
U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin will join Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and top legislative leadership Monday in Salt Lake City to discuss 'Make America Healthy Again' legislation passed this last session. Three new laws on the Utah books will be addressed by these top picks in the health in President Donald Trump's administration who oversee health related issues such as food, drug safety clean water, ground contamination and more. Others slated to be in attendance at a location yet to be announced include House Speaker Mike Shultz, R-Hooper, Sen. Brady Brammer, House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, and Reps. Stephanie Gricius and Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland. Perhaps the most sweeping bill impacting families is HB403, which prohibits the purchase of soda and candy using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits in the state. It requires the state Department of Workforce Services to submit a waiver to the federal government regarding the purchase of those foods with the benefits by July 1. The original purpose of the food stamp program was to give individuals struggling to make ends meet 'greater spending power to purchase healthy, nutritious necessities, not to contribute to obesity, anxiety, depression and chronic illness,' Chevrier said in her introduction of the bill during the session. As soda is the most commonly purchased item with SNAP dollars, Chevrier is joining a wave of legislators in a dozen other states who are looking at health reform through food stamp restrictions. 'There is zero nutritional value in soft drinks or most candy,' Chevrier explained. 'We should also not use tax dollars to subsidize unhealthy food products that will lead to obesity and other physical and mental health outcomes for which the state will likely end up footing the bill.' The Senate sponsor of the measure was Brammer, R-Pleasant Grove. HB402 passed in the 2025 session dealing with food additives in schools. Cox signed the bill March 27 that prohibits schools from offering food that contains seven food dyes as well as potassium bromate and propylparaben. Food dyes, particularly Red Dye No. 40, has been linked to cancer in laboratory tests for decades. The use of synthetic food dyes in general can result in hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children. Potassium bromate is a white powder or crystal added to flour but is classified as a potential cancer-causing agent. The Environmental Working Group says it has been banned in several countries, including Brazil, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom. Despite health concerns, it is legal for use in the United States and has not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration since the early '70s. Its use is pervasive because it makes dough rise higher and strengthens it. EWG says it is found in more than 130 products. Propylparaben comes from the family of parabens, a category of substances used as preservatives, mostly in cosmetics, foodstuffs and medicines. Due to efficiency of action and cost-effectiveness, parabens have become popular in manufacturing several consumer products. They are, however, equally countered by their negative aspects due to potential harmful impacts on human health, which include altered endocrine activity, carcinogenesis, infertility, obesity and hypersensitivity, along with their psychological and ecological effects, according to Science of the Total Environment. They are classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds that can fuel respiratory, cardiac, reproductive, metabolic and carcinogenic issues. The major problems with context to the application of paraben in consumer products are their ability to mimic endogenous hormones, including potential interactions, such as the HER2 pathway, which is crucial for the growth of breast cancer cells. They are widely used as preservatives in common products such as cosmetics, body lotion and even laundry soap — leading to water contamination. Another contentious bill was HB81, sponsored by Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain. With the governor's signature of the measure, Utah became the first state in the country to ban the introduction of fluoride into public drinking water systems. Like food dyes and a host of other potential problematic substances, Kennedy has been a steadfast opponent of the use of supplemental fluoride in water. In a social media post, Kennedy vowed to have fluoride removed from public drinking water systems. The fluoride added to drinking water systems in Davis and Salt Lake counties — approved by voters more than two decades ago — is derived from hydrofluorosidic acid. In its concentrated form it is a waste byproduct derived from phosphate mining operations and contains lead, chromium and arsenic. A federal judge in September concluded its addition to drinking water presented an unacceptable risk to young children due to its impact on neurological development. It has been linked to lower IQ in young children. Gricius' bill leaves open for parents and other consumers the ability to purchase fluoride tablets from a pharmacy without a prescription. When fluoride was first introduced on a massive scale in the United States in public drinking water, it was before it was added to toothpaste and mouthwash. Critics have since complained how easy it becomes to have higher than safe doses of the element when it is added to drinking water. While naturally occurring in water, fluoride in drinking water left a bad taste in the mouth of hundreds of Sandy City residents after an accidental overfeed in 2019. Utah Poison Control records contained in a state summary show it handled 316 cases possibly linked to the fluoride overfeed, with 163 of those cases followed to a known outcome. Fluoride was detected at 40 times the federal limit after the release, and two weeks of free blood testing for lead showed one person with elevated levels, according to Salt Lake County health officials. An independent investigation by a law firm blasted how local government and the state handled their response to the exposure. Dental and medical associations loudly opposed the bill, arguing that fluoridated water systems are the most effective way to prevent dental decay. They lobbied Cox hard to veto the bill, but he signed it March 27.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How can Utah facilitate DOGE efforts? No soda for SNAP recipients
A man shops for groceries at a Chicago supermarket. Inspired by now confirmed federal Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views, several states are considering bills to prevent food stamps from being used to purchase candy and soda. () A Republican lawmaker says she's heard legislators ask how Utah can facilitate efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, Elon Musk's federal task force focused on 'slashing' federal funding. One way Utah can lead, Rep. Kristen Chevrier says, is by creating a pathway for the state to disallow food stamp use for the purchases of soft drinks. A bill from Chevrier, R-Highland, would direct Utah's Department of Workforce Services to request a waiver from the federal government to prohibit the purchase of soda with the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. HB403 passed the Utah House of Representatives in a 54-14 vote, along party lines Thursday. Chevrier doubled down on her statements from last week's committee hearing that the Trump administration would welcome this waiver. 'This is a common-sense proposal, one that is being considered by at least a dozen other states this year, and one that will be well received by the Trump administration, but also by anyone who's concerned about the overall health of our nation,' she said. Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, said her concern with the bill surrounded people's dignity and how it discriminates against people who use government assistance. 'I wonder how everyone in this body would handle (it) if we were told we couldn't have a Diet Coke … for a day,' she said. Around $10 million of SNAP funds in Utah are spent on soda, Chevrier added. 'As legislators, we must be concerned both about our stewardship over taxpayer funds and our role in encouraging healthy habits,' Chevrier said. 'We should not force Utahns to eat certain foods, and we are not doing that, but we should also not use tax funds to subsidize choices that don't have nutritional value.' The estimated $10 million spent on soft drinks would not be saving taxpayers money, Chevrier clarified, but could instead be directed towards other foods. HB403 originally would have required the waiver to also seek to ban candy, but a substitute to the bill removed that provision. If the bill takes effect, Utah's Department of Workforce Services would have to submit the waiver by July 1, 2025. Chevrier's bill is part of a push by Republican legislators across the country to align with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views on healthy living. In a statement, Utah House Democrats said enacting dietary restrictions for SNAP recipients undermines their autonomy and dignity. 'Research shows that such restrictions do not effectively change dietary habits but instead undermine the autonomy and dignity of those relying on SNAP. While this bill claims to promote healthier choices, it imposes restrictions without offering constructive or evidence-based solutions,' House Democrats said. 'Additionally, this legislation will be complicated to implement — requiring costly updates to point-of-sale systems, staff retraining, and compliance monitoring, all without guaranteeing better health outcomes.' The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported there are questions about the feasibility and effectiveness of restricting the use of food stamp benefits, including a lack of existing standards to define foods as healthy or unhealthy, implementation challenges that could further complicate SNAP, the fact that restrictions might not actually change purchasing habits, and no substantial evidence showing that SNAP benefits directly contribute to poor food choices and negative dietary outcomes. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, in partnership with Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, has introduced legislation that would exclude soft drinks, candy, ice cream and prepared desserts from being purchased with SNAP at the federal level. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
