Snap Employment And Training

SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) is an important component of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) that supports a variety of education, training, employment, and related services for SNAP recipients. It gives recipients opportunities to gain skills, training, or experience that will improve their employment prospects and reduce their reliance on SNAP benefits. Moreover, it may help SNAP recipients meet program work requirements. Using funds allocated from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), all states are required to operate SNAP E&T programs. Washington State's Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET) is one of the most robust SNAP E&T programs in the country and is an important part of the state's comprehensive workforce development system. This publication provides details on the history of BFET and the growth of the program. BFET's crucial innovations include: (1) BFET has spurred colleges and community agency partnerships; (2) Participants engage in vocational training that addresses the local skills gap; and (3) BFET tracks outcomes for participants through streamlined tracking between Washington's Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and its contractors. While BFET has been a widely successful program, its growth has been slowed by changes in guidance and limits to the scope of services.