Clients who receive Basic Food, cash benefits will be temporarily without access for up to 10 hours July 16-17
OLYMPIA—Due to a decision by financial institution JPMorgan Chase to leave the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) business, the 
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is switching vendors to Fidelity Information Services effective Saturday, July 16, 2016. Beginning at 10 p.m. July 16 and for up to 10 hours thereafter, while the vendor switch takes place, clients who receive benefits on an EBT card, such as Basic Food (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) benefits, will not have access to those benefits.
“While we expect this switch to take place seamlessly and for clients to be able to make purchases with their EBT cards as soon as the switch is complete, we realize this potentially impacts people’s ability to pay bills and feed themselves and their families,” explained David Stillman, assistant secretary for DSHS’ Economic Services Administration, which manages EBT programs. “We hope clients will access those benefits prior to the switch so there will be as little disruption to their services as possible.”
More than 500,000 households and 5,000 merchants were notified in writing in June that the switch was taking place. Meetings with public stakeholders about the switch have also taken place over the past month. The decision to make the switch in mid-July was based on the knowledge that most clients will have accessed the bulk of their benefits by the middle of the month as well as falling in alignment with DSHS computing system’s routine quarterly maintenance schedule. In addition, the overnight timing further ensures the fewest clients possible are impacted.
The choice to switch to Fidelity Information Services was made as result of a competitive procurement process. JP Morgan Chase made the decision to cease EBT services in 2013 and extended its contract with DSHS through 2016 to allow for a smooth transition. Existing clients will not be issued new EBT cards; however, new clients will receive a newly redesigned, very slightly different EBT card that functions in exactly the same way as the old cards.
Clients are encouraged to use their benefits prior to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 16. As soon as the switch is complete, expected to be 8 a.m. Sunday, July 17, clients will have immediate access to their benefits again. Updates to the switch status will be made on the DSHS public website as well as its Facebook and Twitter accounts.