“I mean, the word I would use is unprecedented. I think there were a lot of norms across HHS, across the White House I was in, even across Capitol Hill when I was there in DC, that are no longer followed.”
“We don’t have a choice. We have to find a way through this. These are really, really hard times, and the only way forward is through.”
Washington’s top human services official says the state is working to keep people connected to food and housing assistance as federal rules continue to shift. DSHS Secretary Angela Ramirez, who joined the agency two months ago, says changing SNAP mandates and other federal requirements are creating real challenges for residents and for frontline staff.
Ramirez told TVW’s Inside Olympia that DSHS is trying to stay flexible, communicate early and prepare people for changes that may come with little warning. “We’re meeting them where they are and finding these cross cuts to get them these services,” she said.
With H.R. 1 ushering in new work rules, eligibility checks and deadlines to programs previously thought to be partisan, including SNAP and the Farm Bill, Ramirez says the department has increased scenario planning, strengthened communication and focused on continuity of service. Her goal is to make government more accessible and consumer-facing while collaborating with lawmakers, the governor’s office and community partners.