Arkansas DHS Fair Hearing and Benefits Appeal Process

When a DHS Notice of Action arrives saying your grandchild's TEA grant, SNAP benefits, or ARKids coverage has been denied, reduced, or terminated, the instinct is to call the caseworker and ask what happened. That is fine — but it does not stop the clock. Two deadlines are running the moment that notice is dated, and missing them costs real money.

The Two Deadlines

30 calendar days. You have 30 calendar days from the date printed on the Notice of Action to file a written appeal with the DHS Office of Appeals and Hearings. Miss this window and you lose the right to challenge the decision through the administrative process.

10 calendar days (aid paid pending). If your benefits are being reduced or cut off — not a fresh denial, but a change to something you were already receiving — file within 10 calendar days of the notice date and explicitly request continued benefits to maintain your current benefit level while the appeal is processed. This is called "aid paid pending." If you wait until day 11, you can still appeal within the 30-day window, but your benefits drop to the reduced level (or stop) while you wait for the hearing.

The difference between day 9 and day 11 can be months of lost benefits.

How to File

Use Form DHS-1200 (Request for Appeal Hearing). You can submit it by:

• Hand delivery to any DHS office
• Fax
• Mail to: DHS Office of Appeals and Hearings, P.O. Box 1437, Slot S101, Little Rock, AR 72203
• Email to [email protected]

Verbal complaints, phone calls to your caseworker, or conversations with a supervisor do not count. The appeal must be in writing. Use Form DHS-1200 and submit it by the deadline; if you cannot access the form, contact the Office of Appeals and Hearings promptly for instructions.

If you later decide to withdraw the appeal, use Form DHS-1201 (Withdrawal of Request for Fair Hearing).

What Happens at the Hearing

An Administrative Law Judge from the DHS Office of Appeals and Hearings conducts the proceeding, typically by phone or teleconference. Before the hearing:

• You have the right to inspect your complete DHS case file, including all income calculations, agency worksheets, and evidence
• You can represent yourself, bring a family member or advocate, or have an attorney from Legal Aid of Arkansas represent you

The ALJ's decision is binding and based strictly on state policy. If the agency made a calculation error or applied the wrong income rules, the hearing is where that gets corrected.

If You Lose the Appeal

If the ALJ upholds the benefit reduction and you were receiving aid paid pending, the state may seek repayment of the excess benefits paid during the appeal period. Overpayment recovery follows its own rules; read any repayment notice and contact DHS with questions about it.

Practical Advice

Read the Notice of Action the day it arrives. Mark two dates on your calendar: 10 days out (for aid paid pending) and 30 days out (final filing deadline). If you are within the 10-day window and your benefits are being reduced or terminated, file immediately — you can sort out the details of your argument later.

Our Arkansas Financial Help for Kinship Caregivers guide includes a walkthrough of the appeal process with the exact deadlines, what to write on the form, and how to prepare for the hearing.

See more Arkansas guides →