Key Issues > Duplication & Cost Savings > GAO's Action Tracker > SNAP Employment and Training (2019-17)
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Training, Employment, and Education: SNAP Employment and Training (2019-17)

To ensure an efficient use of workforce development resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture should help states better leverage existing resources for their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program employment and training programs.

Action:

The Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service should take additional steps to assist states in leveraging available workforce development system resources for their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) programs. Such steps should include ensuring that state SNAP E&T plans provide the agency with sufficient information to verify that states have assessed available workforce development system providers.

Progress:

USDA agreed with this action and took steps that address GAO’s November 2018 recommendation. USDA issued addenda to the fiscal year 2020 SNAP E&T state plan handbook and template to reflect the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 requirement for SNAP agencies to consult with state workforce development boards, private employers, or employer organizations in designing their SNAP E&T programs. Further, USDA officials said they will ensure that state plans provide sufficient information for USDA to verify that states have assessed available workforce development system providers. By ensuring that all states take steps to identify potential workforce development system partners, USDA will help to promote a more effective use of resources among SNAP E&T programs and the broader workforce development system.

Implementing Entity:

Department of Agriculture
  • portrait of
    • Kathryn Larin
    • Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security
    • larink@gao.gov
    • (202) 512-7215