At the beginning of the pandemic, many adjustments were made to government assistance programs in order to help the expanded number of people in need. As the country has largely gone back to normal, or has settled into its new normal, many of these programs will be going back to how they were pre-pandemic.
SNAP Emergency Allotments provided temporary adjustments to the amount received by program members. SNAP benefits will return to their pre-pandemic amount starting this month. If you receive SNAP and have questions about what this means for you, visit dss.virginia.gov/benefit/snap.cgi or call the temporary information hotline at 1-855-635-4370, weekdays from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
The Medicaid Enrollment Process will also be returning to normal soon. As of April 1, 2023, Virginia will begin redetermining eligibility for Medicaid members. The best thing members can do is to make sure the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) has their correct contact information. This will allow DMAS to reach out to them with official notifications about the program. If DMAS cannot get in touch with you, you could lose health coverage. Update your information at CommonHelp.Virginia.Gov or by calling 1-855-242-8282.
At the end of the day, if you or someone you know needs help in any way, regardless of participation in any of these programs, the City of Chesapeake is here to help. Through the Chesapeake Thrives program, community members in need can be put in touch with available local resources. Reach out to Thrives by calling the Customer Contact Center (757-382-2489).