by Tonya Sams

     (Plain Press September 2025) Trying to get access to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can be a complex process to navigate but The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland may be able to offer some assistance.

     “Individuals applying for Medicaid and SNAP must apply through their county’s Job and Family Services (JFS) office. Oftentimes there are more applications than there are workers to process them, so individuals may have a hard time getting their application processed timely,” said Emily Adams, Senior Attorney in the Health & Opportunity Practice Group at Legal Aid. “We have contacts at JFS that we are able to alert that an application has been submitted, and we work with them to get them processed.”

     If someone contacts Legal Aid when their Medicaid and SNAP benefits have been terminated, Legal Aid staff will evaluate the case to determine why benefits were denied. If benefits were denied because of failure to recertify, missing documentation, and in the case of SNAP, being unable to reach someone at JFS to complete an interview, Legal Aid will help the applicant get their application in, submit the necessary paperwork and get an individual’s interview rescheduled.

     “We’ll try to figure out why an individual lost their Medicaid or SNAP benefits,” Emily Adams said. “If it’s because the individual doesn’t qualify anymore because they make too much income, we can look at the individual’s pay stubs, look at income criteria to qualify for benefits and assess whether they meet the criteria. If they do meet the criteria, we submit that information to JFS and work with them to get the individual qualified again.”

     But the Medicaid and SNAP benefits may become even more difficult to obtain and keep with new upcoming requirement changes. Starting December 31, 2026, to qualify for Medicaid, applicants will be required to work, be in school or job training for at least 80 hours a month. Effective immediately, SNAP will increase the age limit for able bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64. This means that older adults will have to meet the 80 hours a month requirement.

     Legal Aid may be able to help with benefit issues! Call 888-817-3777 or complete an online intake at lasclev.org/apply.  For a full list of dates and times of Legal Aid Brief Advice Clinics visit: lasclev.org and click the “Events” tab.

Tonya Sams is a Development & Communications Manager with The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.