Little Rock, Arkansas – The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) is sounding the alarm as the government shutdown stretches on, warning that more than 1,500 state employees could be furloughed if federal funding is not restored by early November. The agency also cautioned that offices across the state may be forced to close temporarily, creating widespread disruptions to services that thousands of Arkansans depend on daily.
DHS Secretary Janet Mann described the situation as both urgent and distressing. “The government shutdown has put enormous strain on many services we offer, and we are deeply concerned that important benefits Arkansans rely on will suffer as a result,” Mann said. “First and foremost, this will be painful for the beneficiaries we serve, and we regret that we have been placed in this position. It will also be painful for the hundreds of employees within our agency who will not be paid for as long as this shutdown continues. My message to federal partners who continue to vote against reopening the government: Reopen now, and let us turn our full attention back to our critical mission of helping Arkansans in need.”
If the shutdown continues through the end of next week, the first wave of consequences will be felt starting Monday, November 10, when additional furloughs are expected to take effect. Already, a number of employees have been temporarily laid off, including 37 staff members in the Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance who have been furloughed since the shutdown began. By November 1, 34 more employees from the DHS Office of Payment Integrity, the Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services, and the Division of County Operations will join them.
The shutdown is also affecting Arkansas’ partner organizations and the services they provide. Funds administered through federal programs such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) are suspended. Partner agencies reliant on DHS funding—including the Arkansas Department of Education, Area Agencies on Aging, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, Community Action Agencies, and multiple TANF subgrantees—have been instructed to halt programs and hold all invoices until federal funding is restored.
The impact on the state’s cash assistance programs is equally severe. Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) and Work Pays programs will be suspended for newly approved beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is facing disruptions, with benefits for November at risk. These interruptions could leave many families struggling to access critical resources just ahead of the holiday season.
Should the shutdown persist past November 7, the situation will escalate even further. DHS warns that offices in every county could close entirely to public access. Approximately 1,500 employees within the Division of County Operations (DCO) would be furloughed, leaving only a skeleton crew to handle Medicaid applications and renewals, which remain funded through the end of the year. At the same time, SNAP applications and renewals would be paused until federal funding resumes, affecting food assistance for tens of thousands of Arkansans.
DHS officials are maintaining close oversight of the situation and plan to provide updates as additional impacts become clear. For those affected, the agency has made resources available online to track changes and updates to services.
While the state braces for the potential fallout, Secretary Mann emphasized the human cost behind the numbers and furloughs. “It will be painful for the beneficiaries we serve… It will also be painful for the hundreds of employees within our agency who will not be paid,” she said, highlighting the dual strain on both families and state workers.
With the shutdown showing no immediate signs of resolution, the DHS warning serves as a stark reminder of how federal gridlock can ripple down to state agencies and ordinary citizens. The looming furloughs and service interruptions are a clear message: without federal action, essential services in Arkansas could face a crisis, leaving thousands of residents and state employees in a precarious position.
