Food Security

Food Security Programs and Policy Successes in Arkansas

Arkansas faces significant challenges regarding food security, with high rates of food insecurity, particularly among children. However, various programs and policy successes are working to address these issues at the state and local levels.

State-Level Programs and Policies:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Administered by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), SNAP provides food assistance to eligible low-income households through Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. Participants use these benefits at authorized retailers, including farmers' markets. The program also offers nutrition education and employment and training opportunities.
• Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT): This program, continued in 2025, provides $120 in food benefits per eligible child during the summer months when school meals are unavailable. Eligibility extends to children receiving SNAP or those individually determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
• Free School Breakfast and Lunch: A significant policy success includes the recent legislation mandating free breakfast for all public school students, regardless of family income. Additionally, legislation passed in 2023 provides free school meals for children who qualify for reduced-price meals.
• Arkansas Foodbank: As the largest hunger relief organization in the state, the Arkansas Foodbank supports over 300 partner agencies, ensuring food and funds reach local feeding programs. They also run programs like Food For Kids and Food For Seniors.
• Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance: This alliance coordinates various programs and initiatives to combat hunger, including SNAP outreach, the Arkansas Beef Project, and the Arkansas Gleaning Project. They also work on policy advocacy to improve food security.
• No Kid Hungry Arkansas: This campaign connects children with federal food and nutrition programs like school breakfast, summer meals, and afterschool meals. They also provide nutrition education through programs like Cooking Matters.
• WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children): This program provides food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals to low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five.  

Local Community Initiatives:

• Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens: Numerous local food pantries, often run by churches and community organizations and supported by the Arkansas Foodbank and other regional food banks, provide direct food assistance to needy individuals and families.
• School Pantries and Backpack Programs: Many schools have established food pantries on-site to provide discreet assistance to students facing food insecurity. Backpack programs send children home with nutritious food for the weekends.
• Community Gardens: Community gardens are being established and strengthened to increase access to fresh produce in underserved areas. Initiatives like the Seed Sharing and Seed Tending program in Yell County exemplify this.
• Mobile Markets: Innovative approaches like mobile market "pop-up" shops in Little Rock aim to assess the feasibility of bringing fresh produce to food deserts.
• Farmers' Markets and Double Up Food Bucks: Many farmers' markets accept SNAP benefits and participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches SNAP purchases of local produce, increasing access to healthy food and supporting local farmers.
• Food Recovery Programs: Local efforts to recover and redistribute surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, and farms help reduce food waste and feed those in need.
• Nutrition Education and Cooking Demonstrations: Local organizations and initiatives, such as those supported by the UAMS Culinary Medicine Teaching Kitchen, offer cooking demonstrations and nutrition education to help individuals and families make healthy food choices on a budget.
• Community Action Agencies: The Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association is launching initiatives like "Harvesting Hope" to unite local congregations and communities in addressing hunger and improving nutrition.
• Hospital and Clinic Initiatives: Healthcare providers are increasingly screening patients for food insecurity, providing education about available resources, hosting on-site food pantries, or connecting patients with local food assistance programs.

Policy Successes:

• Universal Free School Breakfast: The recent mandate for free breakfast for all public school students significantly reduces child hunger and improves academic outcomes.
• Expansion of Summer EBT: The continued implementation and funding of the Summer EBT program provide crucial nutritional support for children during the summer months.
• Reduced-Price School Meals Coverage: The 2023 legislation ensuring free school meals for students who previously qualified for reduced-price meals has eased the burden on many low-income families.
• Increased Summer Food Service Program Flexibility: Federal legislation has increased summer meal programs' flexibility, allowing alternative meal service options like "grab-and-go" and home-delivered meals, particularly benefiting rural communities.
• Summer EBT as a Permanent Program: Establishing a permanent, nationwide Summer EBT program starting in 2024 ensures continued support for children during school breaks.
• Allocation of Funds to Combat Food Insecurity: The state government has allocated significant funds, including CARES Act funding, to organizations like the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance to address the increased need for food assistance.
• Food Desert Elimination Grants: The Arkansas Minority Health Commission's grant program targeted organizations working to eliminate food deserts and improve access to healthy food in underserved communities.
• Act 870, the Healthy Food Retail Act of 2025:  The Act establishes a Healthy Food Retailer Program, to the extent funds are available, that provides funding directly and indirectly to healthy food retailers that increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables and other affordable healthy food in underserved communities.

These programs and policy successes demonstrate a multi-faceted approach to tackling food insecurity in Arkansas, involving state agencies, non-profit organizations, local communities, and federal initiatives. Continued collaboration and innovation will improve food security for all Arkansans.

Environmental Justice

Environmental justice in Arkansas is a developing area with some policy frameworks and community initiatives.

Environmental Justice Policy in Arkansas

• Arkansas Environmental Equity Act: Enacted in 1993, this act aims to prevent the disproportionate siting of solid waste management facilities in low-income or minority communities. It establishes a "rebuttable presumption" against permitting new high-impact solid waste facilities within 12 miles of existing ones unless certain conditions like increased employment or host fees are met or there's a lack of suitable alternative sites. This is considered one of the earliest and most substantive state-level environmental equity laws in the U.S.
• Consideration in Permitting: Generally, Arkansas lacks comprehensive statutes or regulations that mandate the consideration of environmental justice impacts across all permitting processes. The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (ADEQ) can request baseline health surveys before new commercial hazardous waste facilities begin operating. They are also required to conduct epidemiological investigations if there's a reasonable probability that emissions from such facilities are linked to disease.
• Non-Discrimination Policy: ADEQ does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in its programs and activities, following federal regulations like Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. They have a process for filing discrimination complaints.
• Public Participation: ADEQ does not have specific enhanced public participation procedures targeted at environmental justice communities. However, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) has a Public Participation Plan that includes efforts to reach underserved populations and a Limited English Proficiency Plan.
• EPA Involvement: In 2017, EPA Region 6 developed an Arkansas Environmental Justice Action Plan outlining actions taken by ADEQ. The EPA also emphasizes the meaningful involvement of communities in decisions affecting their environment and health.

Successful Environmental Justice Programs in Arkansas

While specific, widely recognized "successful" environmental justice programs with measurable outcomes at the state or local level in Arkansas are still emerging, there are initiatives and efforts that align with environmental justice principles:

• Little Rock Sustainability Commission: Established in 2018, this commission focuses on areas including environmental justice and equity in Little Rock. Their work involves developing strategies to promote environmental and economic health within the city. They also present "Sustain The Rock" awards annually to recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations contributing to sustainability through efforts like conservation, renewable energy, social and environmental justice, and community engagement.
• Community Engagement Initiatives: The EPA's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs) aim to involve local communities in environmental justice efforts. While Arkansas is currently underrepresented in applicants, the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice in New Orleans serves Region 6, which includes Arkansas.
• Educational Programs: Programs like the Summer LEAP (Learning, Engagement, and Advancement in Place) session at Hendrix College introduce environmental justice concepts to students, focusing on local issues in Little Rock and providing skills in environmental analysis and advocacy, particularly for underrepresented minority students.
• Community-Based Organizations: Various environmental organizations in Arkansas work on conservation and environmental protection, which indirectly benefits environmental justice communities by improving overall environmental quality. These include groups focused on sustainable agriculture, water quality, and land preservation.
• University-Led Initiatives: The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Translational Research Institute (TRI) offers the Community Partners Educated as Arkansas Research Leaders (CPEARL) program. This program aims to enhance research partnership and program development competencies within community-based organizations, which can include those addressing environmental justice issues.
• Grant Opportunities: Various grants can support environmental justice initiatives in Arkansas, including those from the EPA's Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program and other foundations focused on environmental issues and community development.

Local Community Examples

• Little Rock: The Little Rock Sustainability Commission and the "Sustain The Rock" awards highlight local efforts to promote sustainability and environmental justice within the city. The Hendrix College LEAP program also focuses on environmental justice issues specific to Little Rock.
• Crossett: While not a "successful" program in the traditional sense, the situation in Crossett, home to a Georgia-Pacific paper mill and a significant African American population, has been a focal point in discussions about environmental racism in Arkansas. It underscores the challenges and complexities of addressing environmental justice concerns in communities with long-standing industrial facilities.

It's important to note that while Arkansas has taken some steps to address environmental justice, it is an ongoing process with room for further development of comprehensive policies and targeted programs at both the state and local levels. Community engagement, data collection on environmental disparities, and integration of environmental justice principles into all levels of decision-making will be crucial for advancing environmental equity in the state.

Health Care as a human right

While the concept of "Health Care as a Human Right" isn't explicitly codified in Arkansas law in those exact terms, several policies and programs demonstrate a commitment to ensuring access to healthcare services for its residents, particularly vulnerable populations. Here's a look at some successful initiatives and remaining policy issues:

Successful Health Care Policies and Programs in Arkansas:

• Medicaid Expansion (ARHOME): Arkansas was one of the first states to adopt a unique form of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, initially through the "Private Option" and now known as ARHOME (Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me). This program provides health coverage to adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level through qualified health insurance plans or traditional fee-for-service Medicaid. This has significantly reduced the uninsured rate in the state.
• ARKids First: This comprehensive program provides health insurance coverage to children and pregnant women in Arkansas. It includes ARKids A (for children in families with incomes up to 142% of the federal poverty level), ARKids B (for uninsured children with family incomes between 142% and 211% of the federal poverty level), and ARKids First for pregnant women. This initiative has significantly lowered the rate of uninsured children in the state.
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): This program provides comprehensive medical and social services to individuals 55 and older who require nursing facility care but can safely remain in the community with PACE support. It integrates primary, preventive, acute, and long-term care services.
• ARChoices in Home and Community-Based Services: This program offers alternatives to nursing home care for eligible adults aged 21 and over with physical disabilities or those aged 65 and older who need assistance with daily living activities. It provides a range of services in the individual's home and community.
• Medicaid for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled: This program provides full Medicaid coverage to individuals aged 65 or older and those determined blind or disabled based on Social Security Administration criteria who meet income and resource requirements.
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: The state provides various programs for mental health and substance abuse treatment and support, although access remains a significant issue. These programs are often administered through the Division of Behavioral Health Services.
• UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation (IDHI) High-Risk Pregnancy Program: This program utilizes telehealth to increase access to care for pregnant patients in rural Arkansas, aiming to improve outcomes for high-risk pregnancies.
• Interstate Licensure Compacts: Arkansas has recently joined interstate licensure compacts for healthcare professionals, which aims to improve access to care by making it easier for out-of-state providers to practice in Arkansas.

Policy Issues Remaining to Be Addressed:

• Access to Care in Rural Areas: Arkansas faces significant challenges in providing adequate healthcare due to hospital closures, shortages of primary care physicians and specialists, and lack of transportation.
• Medicaid Work Requirements (Historically): While currently paused, Arkansas previously implemented work requirements for some Medicaid beneficiaries. These requirements led to significant disenrollment and raised concerns about access to care for vulnerable individuals. The long-term implications and potential reinstatement of such policies remain a concern for healthcare advocates.
• Maternal and Infant Health: Arkansas has some of the highest maternal mortality and infant mortality rates in the nation, particularly among Black Arkansans. Addressing disparities in care, improving access to prenatal and postnatal care, and expanding support for new mothers are critical policy issues.
• Mental Health Care Access and Coverage: Despite existing programs, access to timely and affordable mental health care remains a significant challenge in Arkansas. Improving the availability of mental health professionals, integrating mental and physical healthcare, and ensuring adequate insurance coverage for mental health services are crucial.
• Healthcare Affordability: Even with insurance coverage, many Arkansans struggle with high deductibles, co-pays, and the cost of prescription drugs. Policies aimed at controlling healthcare costs and increasing affordability are needed.
• Uninsured Population: Despite Medicaid expansion and other programs, many Arkansans remain uninsured, limiting their access to necessary medical care. Further efforts are needed to enroll eligible individuals and address barriers to coverage.
• Scope of Practice Laws: Discussions around the scope of practice for various healthcare professionals (e.g., nurse practitioners, physician assistants) could improve access to care, particularly in underserved areas.
• Healthy Behavior and Chronic Disease Prevention: Addressing the state's low health rankings related to obesity, diabetes, smoking, and mental distress requires comprehensive public health initiatives and policies that promote healthy lifestyles and prevent chronic diseases.
• Postpartum Medicaid Coverage: Currently, Medicaid coverage for pregnant individuals ends 60 days postpartum. Extending this coverage could significantly improve maternal health outcomes.
• Addressing these remaining policy issues will be crucial for further advancing the goal of healthcare access for all Arkansans. The state has made strides, but ongoing efforts and policy adjustments are necessary to ensure that healthcare increasingly aligns with human rights principles.

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