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State of Rhode Island Department of Human Services Office of Health and Human Services

Year End Reflections

2026: Year End Reflections

Throughout the year, the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) has worked to improve the customer experience while also preparing the agency for significant federal policy changes.

In 2026, DHS was tasked by the federal government with implementing broad changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Rhode Island Works, and General Public Assistance programs. To meet this task while also helping impacted Rhode Islanders, DHS worked to  keep benefits accessible, improve the delivery of services, and make operational and administrative adjustments that were focused on accuracy and efficiency. 

Importantly, DHS planned for the challenges ahead and strategically made decisions based on data to help ensure families and children continued to have access to essential services. This year was marked as one of strategic partnerships, planning, and implementation that has helped provide stability for Rhode Island families and children. From seeking additional FTE funding to Provider Engagement meetings to technology enhancements, the agency continued to move forward with a focus on people, processes, technology, and communication to deliver consistent and effective services across DHS. 

As DHS looks toward 2027, the Department is now working with our partners at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to prepare for federal changes coming to Medicaid.  The year-end highlights below reflect some of hurdles we’ve overcome as an agency as we work towards protecting access to benefits, improve accuracy, modernize services, and strengthen our workforce. 

DHS 2026 year-end highlights

Expanded Food Access and Support for Rhode Island Families
DHS secured significant investments to strengthen food access across Rhode Island. The Eat Well, Be Well program received an additional $4 million to continue providing SNAP incentives for healthy food purchases, while state designated grants increased to $6.37 million, including a major increase for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. These investments help extend food access and provide additional support to Rhode Island households. 

Increased Access to Child Care Assistance
DHS has been working to help make child care more accessible for Rhode Island families. In the enacted FY2027 budget, the CCAP income eligibility increased to 285% of the federal poverty level, with a 325% FPL exit threshold, while child care centers received a 5% increase to infant rates. Access to CCAP for eligible child care educators and staff was also extended through July 31, 2030, helping support both families and the state’s child care workforce. 

Provided Greater Financial Support to RI Works Families Through Child Support
The Office of Child Support Services has worked to implement an increase to the child support pass-through that is expected to bring $885,000 to RI Works families. OCSS also continued its audit and modernization work to strengthen the services provided to children and families across the state. 

Continued Improvements to SNAP Connect and Customer Access
DHS continued to build on SNAP Connect as an important tool for improving access to SNAP interviews. Approximately 9 in 10 SNAP phone appointments now occur through SNAP Connect, providing customers with another way to complete required interviews at a time most convenient for them while also helping DHS improve how services are delivered. 

Strengthened Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity
DHS continued implementing efforts to improve SNAP payment accuracy outlined in monthly reporting available online. Through a proactive approach, DHS has worked to implement solutions that directly address identified risks and root causes, reducing errors before they occur. While the PER has seen temporary spikes as changes were implemented, there has been clear evidence that solutions implemented are working.  

Prepared Rhode Island for Significant Federal Policy Changes
DHS continued preparing for major federal policy changes affecting SNAP and Medicaid. This work included planning for changes to eligibility rules, customer responsibilities, renewals, and other requirements, while providing training and resources to help staff and community partners understand changes as they take effect. 

Expanded Community Partner Engagement and Resources
DHS strengthened its engagement with organizations through more partner meetings, resources, planned webinars, and more.  Through the Community Partner Portal and Partner Engagement meetings, DHS has made opportunities to engage and resources easier to find. 

Improved Access to Data and Information
DHS also developed a Data Portal to provide community partners with agency data and insights that can support research, planning, and informed decision-making at their respective organizations. Additional information on making these requests were made available online. 

Strengthened Workforce Development and Operational Consistency
DHS expanded hiring, training, and continued embedding One Touch throughout workflows. One touch is an operational change to help customers have a more rounded and complete service interaction with DHS staff members, reducing the number of repeat customer visits by having staff take each case as far as they can take it. These efforts have aligned with DHS’ priority to improve error prevention and service delivery across all programs. 

Advanced Rehabilitation Services and Employment Outcomes
The Office of Rehabilitation Services aligned its strategy with broader DHS priorities and strengthened its focus on access, engagement, and successful outcomes for Rhode Islanders with disabilities. Through September 2026, ORS supported 351 customers in obtaining employment while continuing to provide vocational rehabilitation and other services designed to support greater independence and economic opportunity. 

Supported customers year-round
Throughout FFY 2026, DHS helped Rhode Islanders meet basic needs through food assistance, child care, health care access, heating assistance, family supports, and economic stability programs. DHS served 101,979 SNAP households, helped provide access to medical visits and health care for 373,345 individuals, supported heating or cooling for 37,863 homes, and assisted thousands of Rhode Island families through child care, Rhode Island Works, and other programs.

2025: Year End Reflections

In 2025, the RI Department of Human Services worked to prioritize stability, access, and preparedness. DHS ensured uninterrupted benefits for Rhode Islanders, engaged community partners to prepare for H.R. 1 changes, and deepened its investments in technology, people, and processes. Building on momentum from 2024, DHS enhanced its processes and successfully rolled out SNAP Connect across the state, providing a new operational model that gives customers the flexibility to complete interviews at a time that is convenient to them. 

DHS opened its first appointment-only office in downtown Providence in the iconic Shepard Building, continued to see Call Center wait times improve, and also made strides in its efforts to improve payment accuracy, modernize facilities, and support the workforce - all key actions that will be considered in the year ahead. 

DHS 2025 year-end highlights include:

  • Supporting SNAP Customers During the Federal Shutdown

    DHS worked closely with the Governor’s Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and community partners to support SNAP customers during the federal shutdown, ensuring full benefit funding was available to all eligible beneficiaries despite a very challenging situation involving constantly changing benefit issuance guidance 

  • Minimizing Interruptions from Standard Utility Allowance Federal Change

    DHS worked to minimize disruptions from the implementation of the federally required changes to the Standard Utility Allowance. Using existing data sources to auto-match relevant heating and cooling costs, DHS saw few closures providing continuity of critical benefits to the vast majority of SNAP recipients in November 2025.

  • Improved Program Accuracy and Integrity

    In an effort to ensure DHS is compliant with consequential federal SNAP changes to take place in September 2027, the agency worked to develop a detailed payment error reduction plan that DHS has begun to implement. The plan positions Rhode Island to reduce error rates, avoid federal penalties, and ensure minimal disruptions to benefit issuances for Rhode Island households. 

  • Strengthened Readiness for Other Upcoming Federal Policy Changes

    Working with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, DHS accelerated its work in preparing for other H.R. 1 changes. This includes design and planning for six-month Medicaid redeterminations, community engagement requirements, retroactive coverage changes, and updated home equity caps. DHS continues to work across agencies to ensure the proper tools are in place ahead of any required implementation dates. 

  • Successfully Launched SNAP Connect Statewide 

    SNAP Connect was fully implemented statewide, allowing customers to complete interviews more quickly and efficiently by phone. This has led to increased one-touch resolutions, fewer missed or rescheduled interviews, and improved timeliness. 

  • Support Continues to Grow for Custodial Parents

    In 2025, the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) continued to prioritize the collection of child support, which provides families and children with the proper support they need to remain economically self-sufficient. As part of their continuous work, the OCSS is on track to disburse similar levels of payments from prior years and expects to have disbursed over $70 million in payments to families throughout calendar year 2025. Importantly, OCSS has continued to work diligently towards reducing the share of collections attributed to administrative costs wherever possible– with approximately 89% of all collections in 2024 going directly to families and thus also supporting the local economy.

  • Improved Operational Efficiency at ORS

    Through the Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS), more than 12,600 disability claims were processed by the RI Disability Determination Services unit with an average processing time of 114 days and an accuracy rate of 99.3%, exceeding national standards. 

  • Assisted Individuals with Disabilities Obtain Essential Skills and Gainful Employment

    ORS has provided vocational services for over 2,170 individuals, of which more than 300 have secured stable and competitive employment. Vocational services are intended to help eligible individuals with disabilities choose, prepare for, and maintain employment. 

  • Leveraged Technology to Enhance Disability Determination 

    With the goal of improving operational efficiency, ORS was among the first in the nation to deploy a decision-support tool called IMAGEN that is helping staff more easily find and identify information relevant to the determination process. This reduces wait times for determinations, helping improve the customer experience by providing services more promptly.

  • Deployed Technology Enhancements to Modernize Eligibility Processing

    DHS continued to modernize eligibility processing through intake improvements, clearer online application guidance, and enhanced verifications processing. These changes are helping reduce avoidable errors in new applications while also supporting frontline workers with better tools. 

  • Positioned Technology Adoption Days as Key Tool for Customers and Staff 

    DHS leveraged Technology Adoption Days as a key operational tool to educate customers on tools available and help staff ensure caseload backlogs remained manageable throughout the entire year. These days contributed to keeping applications within federal timeliness standards, providing staff with the necessary time to review applications leading to fewer calls about the status of benefits.   

  • Successfully Operated an Appointment-Only Service Model

    This year saw the successful operation of an appointment-only model at the Shepard Building in Providence, which provided customers with an experience that is shorter and more convenient. This operational model is helping DHS discover alternative ways to modernize and expand key customer-facing services. 

  • Increased Child Care Access 

    DHS’s Office of Child Care has worked diligently to implement initiatives intended to ensure access to child care. From opening the application window to the CCAP for the Child Care Staff Pilot, to increasing the eligibility threshold to 261% of the federal poverty level, and deploying the legislatively mandated 20% increase to infant rates for child care center providers, the Office of Child Care has been hard at work helping families and providers navigate the child care landscape effectively. This year also saw a major update to the Rhode Island Early Childhood Registry, which now has data on over 800 providers and 9,600 educators that will help inform statewide decisions to support the sector. 

  • Stabilized Housing for Families Through RI Works

    Through a TANF block grant, DHS mobilized to prevent evictions and assist at-risk families to move into stable housing. More than 1,300 children and 830 adults received critical support aiding in their social, mental, and physical wellbeing – helping minimize disruptions at work or school for these impacted households. 

  • Implemented Enhanced Fraud and Safeguard Features to Protect Customers 

    To support customers when there was heightened attention to SNAP fraud in 2025, DHS implemented enhanced verification protocols to protect customer data and benefits. EBT Edge remains a valuable resource for customers to monitor their benefits and encourages customers to remain vigilant for potential fraud techniques such as skimming. 

  • Increased Community Engagement Statewide

    Over the course of the year, DHS strengthened its relationship with community partners through outreach efforts. This involved creating a regular cadence of community partner sessions; engaging partners through the Staying Informed Webinar Series; and increasing participation in provider-focused events and presentations. These efforts expand DHS’s reach to customers, providing partners with essential guidance to navigate programmatic changes. 

2024: Year End Reflections

Over the last year, the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) worked diligently to improve access, operational efficiency, and leverage technology to enhance the customer experience. 

Initiatives such as Processing Wednesdays, Document Scanning Centers, IVR phone enhancements, and the focus on staffing have collectively improved the way customers interact with DHS to be a more positive and rewarding experience for them and their families. These initiatives have contributed to a reduction in the number of applications awaiting state action by about 48%, moved DHS closer towards its Call Center wait time goal, and helped the agency be able to more quickly implement policy changes for Rhode Island families, resulting in more assistance to working families. Importantly, the focus on these processes and initiatives are helping ensure Rhode Island residents have access to benefits and services they are entitled to receiving on a timely basis. 

With the introduction of Technology Adoption Days and SNAP Connect towards the end of 2024, DHS is excited to build on its momentum going into 2025 as we look to give customers more convenience and flexibility.

Other year end highlights: 

  • DHS launched the SNAP Eat Well, Be Well Pilot Program, which promotes healthier eating habits by reimbursing .50 for every $1 spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, up to $25 per month. Through this pilot, SNAP households have been issued over $3.2 million in extra SNAP benefits.
  • The SUN Bucks program was successfully launched to increase food security for eligible school age children when school is out of session. Every eligible child at a participating National School Lunch Program school received $120 in benefits.
  • The FY25 enacted budget included additional funding for 10 FTEs at DHS’s Call Center to support efforts to reduce overall wait times for customers calling in. The majority of these positions have been filled and the agency continues to make progress in reducing wait times.
  • The Office of Child Care at DHS led a competitive grant process and was awarded $4.95 million per year to support the continuation of a wide range of child care initiatives, including the Step up to WAGE$ initiatives, that intersects with the work of multiple state agencies.
  • The threshold to access CCAP increased from 200% to 261% of the federal poverty level, making more working families in Rhode Island eligible for essential child care beginning January 1, 2025.
  • The first release of the Early Childhood Education Workforce Registry launched in February 2024, marking an important milestone in centralizing child care data across the state. The system will help provide key insights into the child care sector to optimize resources and supports for families, children, providers, and educators.
  • This year, rates were increased for child care centers serving children in the CCAP program by 5%. The increase marks the first increase since 2022 for these providers and is comparable to the increase family child care providers received through collective bargaining.
  • Starting July 1, 2024, Rhode Island Works beneficiaries who have earned income received up to an additional $112.50. This additional support is the result of increasing the earned income disregard, which allowed RI Works families to keep a larger share of their earnings.
  • Beneficiaries of Rhode Island Works and Refugee Cash Assistance received a permanent 20% increase in cash assistance totaling $4.8M in federal funds, providing relief for low income working RIW families in Rhode Island.

2023: Year End Reflections

With the return of Medicaid Redetermination in April 2023DHS, in partnership with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and HealthSource RI (HSRI), quickly understood the task for 350,000 individuals in Rhode Island would  be one of the most important  undertakings to address. This would be the first time in three years such an effort would take place, with the end of the pandemic.

Lasting for a year, the plan included redetermining eligibility, going out in the community to provide education on this effort, and partnering with local community organizations. HealthSource RI, EOHHS, and managed care organizations all played an important role in the successful implementation of the strategy, creating innovative ways to educate, connect, train, and reenroll eligible Rhode Islanders.

Through the collective efforts of staff and DHS leadership, the agency saw 2023 as a year to implement creative solutions to address administrative and operational improvements. From greatly improving application processing, to the opening document scanning centers, and the opening of a new public-facing office on Holden Street, in Providence, DHS made great strides in enhancing access and helping the lives of many in the Ocean State.

Other highlights include:

  • DHS launched the Child Care Assistance Program for Child Care Staff pilot, which was approved in the FY 24 budget, and expands CCAP eligibility for educators and staff who work at DHS licensed child care sites needing affordable child care. The program expands income eligibility to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), up from 200%, for eligible staff. 
  • The Department also prioritized expanding the Child Care Assistance Program for college students. For college students striving to attend classes while raising a child, this program provides essential support and builds economic security for their families. Eligible students enrolled in associate or bachelor’s degree programs at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), Rhode Island College (RIC), or University of Rhode Island (URI) may qualify for benefits. The program directly reimburses the chosen provider up to a specified amount for child care services, with applicants contributing no more than 7% of their household income. 
  • In partnership with the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children (RIAEYC), the Step Up to Child Care WAGE$® Program (WAGE$) pilot has awarded 276 early childhood educators education-based supplements totaling $847,812. Step Up to WAGE$ provides education-based salary supplements to teachers, directors, and family childcare providers working with young children. 
  • DHS launched the first document scanning centers in 2023. The document scanning centers provide customers with a way to quickly scan and submit requested documents for their case, which helps expedite the in-person process by reducing lobby wait times and improving the customer experience. Most customers are in and out in about 15 minutes. 
  • DHS opened a regional, customer-facing office located at 125 Holden St., in Providence, on December 18. This customer-facing DHS office is conveniently accessible through public transportation and provides an array of customer services , including benefit applications, transactions, interviews, and a document scanning center. 
  • DHS in partnership with EOHHS and HSRI successfully restarted Medicaid renewals for more than 350,000 Rhode Islanders. This is the first time in three years the state has undertaken Medicaid redeterminations. Redeterminations are now more than halfway through the process at the end of 2023.
  •  DHS launched the Elderly and Disabled Simplified Application Project, which simplifies the application process and allows for a longer eligibility period for SNAP applicants and households that meet the following criteria: all members of the household are age 60 or older, receive disability payments regardless of age, or are a combination of both, no household members have income from working. 
  • Expanded RI Works eligibility to include pregnant individuals at the onset of pregnancy, rather the beginning of third trimester.
  • With General Assembly approval, DHS invested $3 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to increase access to early learning opportunities.
  • The agency continued to distribute child care retention bonuses to child care staff and early educators.
  • DHS increased the monthly, personal needs allowance from $20 to $45 for individuals on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) living in an assisted living facility.