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P-EBT Update from the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS)
Updated 06.21.2021 from the Arkansas Department of Human Services
Arkansas’s P-EBT Plan Has Been Approved By The Federal Government. Here Is What We Know So Far:
- Unlike last year, this benefit will only be given to eligible students of schools that reported school closures or virtual learning days due to COVID-19 concerns. This means to be eligible for this benefit, a student must have:
- been participating in a free or reduced lunch program through a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) AND
- their school must have reported school closures or virtual learning days to qualify for this benefit.
- or the student must have chose to attend school virtually
- This year, children aged 6 and under who attended childcare and were a part of an active SNAP case between October 2020 and May 2021 are also eligible. The benefit will be loaded onto the family’s EBT card by July 31.
- Benefits will be issued in four payments for meals missed due to school closures or virtual learning during the 2020 -2021 school year.
- THIS MEANS ALL FAMILIES NEED TO KEEP THE NEW P-EBT CARD UNTIL ALL BENEFITS ARE ISSUED.
- If your family has an active SNAP case and the address on the SNAP case matches the address on file with your child’s school benefits will be loaded onto your family’s existing EBT card.
- If your family has an active SNAP case, but the address on the SNAP case DOES NOT match the address on file with your child’s school, new cards will be issued by mail to the address on file with your child’s school. Cards should arrive by July 31.
- If your family does not have an active SNAP case, but your child qualifies for this benefit, new cards will be issued by mail in the child’s name to the address on file with your child’s school. Cards should arrive by July 31.
- THIS MEANS ALL FAMILIES NEED TO KEEP THE NEW P-EBT CARD UNTIL ALL BENEFITS ARE ISSUED.
- If your child was not enrolled in a free or reduced lunch program at a public or private school location or the school did not report school closures or virtual learning days due to COVID-19 concerns, they do not qualify for this benefit.
- Benefit amounts will vary based on the number of days a school was closed or had virtual learning days. This means the benefit will vary by school and children in the same household could see different benefit amounts.
If you have any questions about P-EBT Benefits, please contact the Arkansas Department of Human Services at (501) 682-1001.