New ACES Benefits System Expected to Reach Baldwin County SNAP, TANF Clients in 2027

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Baldwin County families who rely on food assistance or cash assistance will eventually be able to apply, check their case status and submit paperwork online through a new statewide computer system, but they will have to wait a little longer than residents of five other Alabama counties. The Alabama Department of Human Resources has begun testing its new ACES benefits system in a pilot that does not include Baldwin County.

DHR launched the pilot of the Alabama Combined Eligibility System, or ACES, on Monday, Oct. 5, in Montgomery, Elmore, Tuscaloosa, Dallas and Talladega counties, according to a department news release. The pilot lets the agency test the system with clients, caseworkers and workforce placement providers before a planned statewide rollout.

If the pilot is successful, ACES is tentatively scheduled to go live statewide in January 2027, bringing it to Baldwin County, Mobile County and the rest of Alabama.

What ACES does

ACES replaces a patchwork of older technology. The new system combines 12 existing systems into a single, modernized eligibility platform for two major public assistance programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.

The system includes three separate portals:

• A staff portal for DHR employees and caseworkers who process applications and manage cases.
• A client portal for current and prospective SNAP and TANF recipients.
• A provider portal for workforce placement providers, the organizations that help benefit recipients meet work and training requirements.

Once ACES is available statewide, the client self-service portal will allow Baldwin County SNAP and TANF clients to:

• Apply for benefits online.
• Check the status of an application.
• Submit recertification documents.
• Complete other tasks online without visiting a county office.

What DHR says it will mean

DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner said the project has been years in development.

“Creating this new eligibility system has been years in the making, but as we prepare for the final phases of launch, we are proud of what this new system will mean to our clients, providers and staff,” Buckner said in the release. “ACES creates a more user-friendly environment for our clients and providers, as well as improves the workflow for our staff as we strive to make both programs as efficient and accessible as possible.”

The pilot follows about a year of testing by the department, according to statewide news coverage of the launch. DHR officials have said the agency will closely watch timeliness and payment accuracy in the pilot counties over the coming months.

Will benefits change?

No. DHR said the transition to ACES will not affect when clients receive their benefits or the amount of benefits issued.

For now, the self-service portal is limited to clients in the five pilot counties. DHR mailed letters on Oct. 8 to SNAP and TANF clients in those counties with more information, quick tips and details about the transition. The ACES self-service portal is available to eligible clients in the pilot counties at acesselfservice.dhr.alabama.gov.

Baldwin County clients should continue to use their current process for applications, reporting changes and recertification until DHR announces the statewide switch. The department said clients outside the pilot can expect more information as the statewide rollout approaches.

What SNAP and TANF are

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is a federally funded program overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the states. In Alabama, DHR runs the program through its county offices, determining who is eligible and issuing monthly benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT, card that can be used to buy groceries at authorized stores.

The program is one of the state’s largest safety-net programs. In spring 2026, about 678,000 Alabamians were enrolled in SNAP, according to figures DHR’s SNAP director shared with state lawmakers and reported by the Alabama Reflector, down by roughly 44,000 from October 2025 following federal eligibility changes, including expanded work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.

TANF is a federal block grant program that provides temporary cash assistance to low-income families with children. In Alabama, TANF cash assistance is administered by DHR and is commonly known as the Family Assistance program. Recipients are generally expected to take part in work or job-training activities, which is why workforce placement providers have their own portal in ACES.

Why accuracy matters for the state budget

The rollout comes as Alabama faces pressure to reduce SNAP payment errors. Under federal changes enacted in 2025, states with higher payment error rates will be required to pay a share of SNAP benefit costs that the federal government has historically covered in full. According to the Alabama Reflector, the penalties are set to begin Oct. 1, 2027, at the start of federal fiscal year 2028, and will be based on error rates measured at the end of fiscal 2026.

A state with an error rate between 8% and just under 10% would pay 10% of benefit costs, while a rate of 10% or higher would mean a 15% share. Alabama’s official fiscal 2024 error rate was 8.32%, below the national average of 10.93%, but DHR officials told lawmakers this spring the current rate was running around 10%. State officials have estimated the cost to Alabama could range from about $174 million to $261 million.

Payment errors include both overpayments and underpayments and can stem from mistakes by clients or by agency staff. Modern eligibility systems are designed to reduce those errors by automating calculations, flagging missing information and reducing manual data entry, which is one reason states have invested in replacing older systems.

What Baldwin County clients should do now

• Keep using your current process. Until ACES launches statewide, continue applying, reporting changes and recertifying the way you do now.
• Keep your contact information current. Make sure DHR has your correct mailing address and phone number so you receive notices about the transition.
• Watch your mail. Pilot-county clients received letters before their switch; Baldwin County clients can expect similar information ahead of the statewide rollout.
• Meet your deadlines. Recertification and reporting deadlines still apply during the transition.
• Contact your county office with questions. The Baldwin County DHR office can answer questions about individual cases.

Storm-related assistance

With Hurricane Isaias making landfall on the Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Baldwin County households may face lost food or other storm-related hardships. Residents who need help should contact their county DHR office and follow announcements from state and local emergency officials about any disaster assistance that becomes available.

What happens next

DHR will use the pilot period to test ACES with clients, caseworkers and workforce placement providers in the five pilot counties. If the pilot goes well, the system is tentatively set to launch statewide in January 2027, at which point Baldwin County SNAP and TANF clients will be able to use the self-service portal.