By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – Human services advocates say a new evaluation of assets to be able to qualify for food assistance will prevent many people from getting the help they need.
The Michigan League for Human Services says changes from the state to the federally funded program will overburden caseworkers with new forms to fill out and questions to ask people who are seeking food assistance. Gilda Jacobs is with the League.
"We're very concerned that this new change in policy - because so many people will have their benefits checked, and workers are going to have to go through very carefully and check off new boxes and do things all over again - that we just know because of human error that mistakes are going to be made," Jacobs says.
Jacobs says mistakes could cost taxpayers millions of dollars if the federal government sanctions the state for errors. Most states do not have assets tests for people seeking food assistance. The assets test goes into effect this weekend.