Despite National Trend, Arizona Food Assistance Applications Decrease

Multiple states are seeing an increase in applicants for Medicaid and the food assistance program, SNAP. The increase is likely the result of integrating applications for the two programs.

While neighboring states like Nevada are seeing a 14 percent increase in SNAP applications, Arizona has seen a 6 percent decrease since 2013.

Lauren Moon from the Department of Economic Security said there is one indication as to why.

“The recession being over, people going back to work, those are truly the reasons that we’re seeing a decline in the need for food assistance,” Moon said.

At its peak in 2012, an average of 483,000 households were using food assistance programs in Arizona . As of 2014, that number dropped to 453,000.