JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Missouri鈥檚 next governor will face a $14 million decision in January aimed at addressing the state鈥檚 long-standing issues with granting welfare benefits to the state鈥檚 poorest residents.
Less than a year after Missouri was among 16 states flagged by the federal government for long waiting times for applications for Medicaid and food stamps, the state Department of Social Services is asking for funding to hire 220 additional employees.
The agency is in need of the workers 鈥渢o support the delivery of timely and accurate benefits to Missouri citizens due to increased caseloads,鈥 a new budget request notes.
In addition to $11 million to hire the new caseworkers and supervisors, the budget request asks for $3.3 million to lease additional office space.
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State officials don鈥檛 really have a choice but to ask lawmakers to approve the spending. A federal lawsuit has put the agency under the microscope of a federal judge, requiring monthly progress reports showing how long people are waiting for assistance.
The most recent report shows waiting times have dropped from an average of 1 hour and 19 minutes in May to 38 minutes in August.
The report also notes that 37% of food stamp applications were rejected because the applicant failed to get an interview with a department representative, primarily because of the lengthy waiting period.
As term-limited Gov. Mike Parson wraps up six years in office, the decision to boost spending on the programs will come down to Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe or Democrat House Minority Leader Crystal Quade who are vying to become Missouri鈥檚 next chief executive.
Quade said Kehoe, as an ally of Parson, deserves some of the blame.
鈥淓nsuring our state鈥檚 basic functions are happening should be the biggest priority. The fact that Missourians can鈥檛 get a hold of their government when needed is ridiculous and the Parson/Kehoe administration should be ashamed of how much of a failure this all is,鈥 Quade spokesman Andrew Storey said Tuesday. 鈥淭his continued failure is costing the state money and Missourians are suffering.鈥
Kehoe did not respond to a request for comment.
Under Parson, the Department of Social Services has been under near constant surveillance from the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, which has rapped the state for lengthy waiting times.
In 2023, for example, CMS said long wait times and high abandonment rates for calls 鈥渁re impeding equitable access to assistance and the ability for people to apply for or renew Medicaid.鈥
Parson, who resisted calls to expand Medicaid until voters approved it in 2020, has blamed staffing shortages across state government on low wages. During his tenure, he has boosted employee pay by more than 20% as a way to draw workers back to the public sector.
The budget request acknowledges why the money is being sought.
鈥淭he additional staff are needed to ensure that the agency is compliant with federal and state requirements for timely processing and accuracy rates and maintains a reasonable wait time in the call centers and Resource Centers ensuring Missourians are being provided timely services and the agency avoids federal penalties or other costly legal actions,鈥 the request notes.
The department said it decided to request additional workers after a consultant found the current employees were unable to complete applications and other tasks in a timely manner.