SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) is a program designed to provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants with the ability to gain in-demand skills that lead to higher paid employment, educational opportunities, and job placement in critical employment sectors. SNAP E&T is a package of services offered to participants that includes assessment, employment and training activities, and wraparound supportive services.
Any person ages 18 or older who receives SNAP and wants to improve their situation is eligible to participate in SNAP E&T. SNAP clients who are interesting in participating should be prepared to enter the workforce upon completion of their SNAP E&T program. If you are eligible to receive SNAP benefits, the E&T program can help you to obtain the necessary skills to acquire employment, become self-sufficient and reach your goals.
Often, education and training are financial hurdles, which for many becomes a barrier to employment. The Bureau for Family Assistance (BFA) has a wide workforce network that can provide training at no cost to the participant. SNAP E&T provides the opportunity to improve job skills, gain confidence and assistance to help you reach your full potential. Each participant will receive a case manager who will help to navigate your short-term and long-term goals.
What can SNAP E&T help with?
Adult Basic Education and high school equivalency classes, English language skills
Flexible case management services
Resume writing, dress for success, job readiness
Financial literacy
Support services i.e., Transportation assistance and necessary items for training
Funding opportunities like Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA)
Placing participants in apprenticeship and trade programs, such as CDL, nursing and dental programing, heating and cooling, plumbing, construction and much more.
On the job training and working with our third-party partners Goodwill of Kanawha Valley, Coalfield Development, West Virginia Women Work, Blenko Glass Company.
Opportunities for placement in paid employment
Referrals to partner agencies such as Jobs & Hope WV, Division of Rehabilitation Services, Family Support Centers
Individuals who are interested in participating in SNAP E&T should contact their local county Department of Human Services (DoHS) office, or DoHS Customer Service at 1-877-716-1212 and ask to be referred to SNAP E&T. After the E&T case manager receives the referral, you will be scheduled for program orientation and receive a letter in the mail. If you need to apply for SNAP benefits, please visit
www.wvpath.wv.gov or request an application from your county DoHS office.
A BFA Job Developer trying out a Caterpillar machinery training simulator with STRIVE WV at Randolph County Housing Authority.
The BFA SNAP E&T Program Manager working with hot glass at Blenko Glass Company.
The above mural can be found on a wall in the Charleston Goodwill Prosperity Center, a job placement facility operated by SNAP E&T partner organization Goodwill Industries of the Kanawha Valley.
DoHS Recognized for Innovative Voluntary SNAP Employment & Training Partnership
2/24/2024
The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Family Assistance (BFA) and Coalfield Development Corporation have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for their innovative partnership through BFA’s voluntary SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) program available to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants.
As part of its new More Than a Job campaign to promote SNAP E&T nationwide, the federal agency has released a video highlighting this uniquely West Virginian partnership. The video is designed to serve as a model for other states in how to effectively structure their own SNAP E&T programs.
While all states are federally required to operate SNAP E&T programs, states like West Virginia only receive a small amount of federal funding for this purpose. West Virginia, like most other states, operates the program on a voluntary basis to more effectively help SNAP recipients develop skills that lead to better long-term employment opportunities and decrease reliance on the federal benefits that SNAP provides.
“We first partnered with Coalfield in 2020 as part of our efforts to make our voluntary SNAP E&T program the best in the nation. This collaboration has been wonderful for the clients we share with them,” said Janie Cole, DoHS Bureau for Family Assistance Commissioner. “The new video from USDA really is a powerful testament to what Coalfield does for SNAP recipients who volunteer to participate in the E&T program. We hope to continue this wonderful partnership, as well as our other excellent partnerships with Goodwill, WV Women Work, and Blenko Glass.”
Like the partnership with Coalfield, DoHS’s partnership with Blenko Glass also serves as a model for other states. The partnership, which started in November 2023, is one of only a few SNAP E&T partnerships with a for-profit business nationwide.
SNAP/SNAP E&T clients who are interested in job opportunities should speak with their DoHS county office caseworker. Organizations interested in partnering with DoHS to serve SNAP E&T clients are encouraged to contact BFA by visiting dhhr.wv.gov/bfa/contact/Pages/default.aspx.
# # #
DoHS Bureau for Family Assistance is a proud partner of
No Wrong Door In. If you need help and do not know where to start, please visit
https://nowrongdoor.wv.gov/.
Visit some of our partner organizations:
The West Virginia Department of Human Services Bureau for Family Assistance is a proud partner of the American Job Center network.
The United States Department of Labor hosts several powerful online tools to help jobseekers, including skill transferability tools, career exploration tools, credential listings, and job openings through their American Job Center network. Visit
www.jobcenter.usa.gov to learn more.