Thousands waiting for pandemic assistance as Oregon deals with backlog

We are nearing the two-year mark in the coronavirus pandemic, and the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) is experiencing a first.

"As our application numbers have risen, our ability to get those applications turned around quickly has diminished," said Kim Fredlund, Eligibility Backlog Manager for DHS.

Fredlund says in December, the state saw the most people ever apply for medical, good, cash, and child care assistance. Thousands are in need, but the DHS is struggling to get the assistance out.

When asked why there is a delay, Fredlund answered, "we are seeing delayed applications just sheerly because of the volume of applications. I just wanna stop and say that an application really represents a person, it’s a person or a family that needs a really vital service.

Many of the applications, we are able to process within 48 hours. But again, the volume of some applications are taking us longer to process.

According to DHS, this month, staff processed 37% of applications in two days. But the rest - about 23,000 applications - are taking longer to get through.

The most common delays are for those applying for SNAP food assistance. DHS says a typical household gets $265 per month. It's a significant boost for those struggling, but many are waiting to get it.

Another reason for delays is staffing. DHS has asked state lawmakers to higher more people, but that request won't be heard until next month. In the meantime, Fredlund says they've moved employees within the agency to help process applications.

As far as when the agency could get through the backlog, that remains to be seen.

"I really think it’s too early to tell," said Fredlund. "We saw our highest month of applications in December so I don’t know if January is going to start to reduce or if we will see even higher numbers in January."

Until a new solution is found, people will have to wait for assistance.

While DHS is doing its part to get through applications as soon as possible, they say those applying can make the process smoother by having all necessary documentation on them when applying.

Fredlund suggests having the following documents on hand while applying: ID, proof of income, social security numbers, information on expenses. For more information visit the state's One System website.