BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Health gained control of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday. 

SNAP provides monthly benefits to low-income households to buy food needed for health improvement.

The LDH said the move is part of the Project One Door legislation, which consolidates SNAP and other government benefits under the Department of Health. 

"The shift simply brings SNAP under LDH so that nutrition assistance can be better aligned with other services under the Department, such as Medicaid," LDH said in a release about the transition. 

In addition to SNAP, the LDH is receiving Disability Determination Services, Electronic Healthy Incentives Project, Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program, Kinship Care Subsidy Program, and Sun Bucks. 

"This marks an important step forward, not only improving how government delivers services, but helping move individuals from dependence to independence,” LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein said. 

Officials say that families should not see any pause in services through the move and anyone having issues with their benefits can still call 888-524-3578 or email LAHelpU.dcfs@la.gov.