A Review on the Supplemental Food Educational Program-Education

A Review on the Supplemental Food Educational Program-Education
Background
The federal Government has launched various Food Assistance and Nutritional Assistance Programs. Most of such programs are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). One such program is the Supplemental Food Educational Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). SNAP-Ed is a federally sponsored grant program, which supports education on evidence-based nutrition. Moreover, this program aims to prevent obesity by implementing obesity prevention interventions. These programs are extended to individuals those who are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). Hence, SNAP-Ed is an extension of SNAP. The SNAP-Ed program is extended through complementary direct education and multi-level interventions. SNAP-Ed also ensures nutritional assistance through the implementation of community and public health initiatives (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). This article presents a review on the Supplemental Food Educational Program-Education (SNAP-Ed). The article would focus on the domain of the program and the eligibility criteria of getting enrolled in SNAP-Ed.
Description of the Program: Domain and Perspectives of SNAP-Ed
The USDA extends food assistance programs through the Food and Nutrition Service agencies. This agency ensures food and nutrition through the SNAP. Approximately, 70.4 billion U.S. Dollars were dispersed in the FY 2010 for implementing SNAP in concerned stakeholders.

The grant was allocated for ensuring the stakeholders to purchase food for sustaining their families. However, with the rising obesity epidemic there was a growing concern that most Americans are not consuming healthy diet (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). Further, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) also categorized the American society to be prone to obesity (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). This is because most Americans are prone to over-eating, inculcate poor dietary practices and are physically inactive. Most studies indicate that obesity is strongly correlated with poor socioeconomic status. Hence, there was a need for ensuring educational efforts for SNAP recipients (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). This was the basis for implementing SNAP-Ed amongst concerned stakeholders. SNAP-Ed aims to increase knowledge and skills habits amongst SNAP recipients on healthy lifestyle and healthy dietary habits (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011).
Supplemental Food Educational Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) is supported by two key federal partners. The major partners for the SNAP-Ed program are the FNS (USDA Food and Nutrition Service) and the NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture). The USDA Food and Nutrition Service determine the national policies and framework for implementation of the program. It is also involved in monitoring the progress of the program and for ensuring administrative oversights to the program. This federal agency is also involved in facilitating resource sharing and delivering technical expertise for the smooth implementation of SNAP-Ed. On the other hand, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) facilitate communication between the federal, state and local stakeholders for ensuring the implementation of the program. Moreover, NIFA also provides programmatic leadership to the land-grant systems (cooperative extension service program implementers and/or land-grant University program implementers) for providing effective nutrition education and for implementing robust interventions for decreasing the prevalence of obesity amongst SNAP recipients(Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011).
The Land-grant Universities play an important role in implementing SNAP-Ed across the target population. These Universities have long educational roots in the United States. Hence, they provide the necessary infrastructure and partners with SNAP for ensuring practical and hands-on education amongst concerned stakeholders (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). NIFA aids to integrate different land-grant systems with other agencies for ensuring the deliverables of SNAP-Ed. SNAP-Ed is also facilitated through a third federal partner too. The third federal partner for ensuring the implementation of SNAP-Ed is the ERS (USDA’s Economic Research Service). This federal agency supports nutrition education through its research and evaluation services (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011).
Eligible Individuals: Stakeholders for SNAP-Ed
SNAP-Ed is available to the individuals and families those who are eligible for SNAP.SNAP-Ed is extended through contracts between state governments, federal governments and land-grant Universities. Such integrated ventures help to sensitize at-risk individuals regarding the importance of healthy dietary habits. SNAP-Ed helps at-risk individuals to gather necessary skills and knowledge on nutritive meals and importance of healthy lifestyle behaviors (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). Reports suggest that SNAP-Ed program has been successfully implemented amongst concerned stakeholders. In the F. Y. 2010, 58% SNAP recipients were females, 45% were non-elderly adults, 34% were whites, and 22% were African-Americans Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). On the other hand, 58% of SNAP-Ed participants were females, 61% were non-elderly adults, 72% were whites and 22% were African-Americans. Hence, the SNAP-Ed program could ensure healthy dietary and healthy lifestyle habits amongst more number of challenged individuals (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011). The SNAP help millions of Americans to purchase healthy and nutritious food. It was estimated that almost 85% SNAP resided under poverty. It was estimated that during 2010, SNAP benefits around 40.3 million individuals. On the other hand, the SNAP-Ed is an optional education component of SNAP and is tailor-made to meet the special needs of SNAP population (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2011).
Implementation of the Program in Missouri
Each participating SNAP household in Missouri receives an allotment of food benefits as per the USDA’s “Thrifty Food Plan”. This allotment is revised annually based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s analysis on cost of food. An Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) method is implemented in Missouri for ensuring SNAP amongst concerned stakeholders. Households could use the Missouri Electronic Benefit Transfer card in groceries and retail outlets for purchasing food and food products intended for human consumption. However, the concerned stakeholders cannot purchase alcoholic beverages or tobacco or foods intended for immediate consumption. However, the concerned stakeholders may purchase seeds and plants for their garden to produce food for personal consumption (USDA Food and Nutrition Services, 2012).
References
Coleman-Jensen, A., Nord, M., Andrews, M. & Carlson, S. (2011). Household food security in the United States in FY 2010. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Report Number 125. Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/err125.aspx
USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2012). Supplemental nutrition assistance program educational guidance. Retrieved from http://www.nal.usda.gov/fsn/Guidance/FY2013SNAP-EdPlanGuidance.pdf.