The Digital Service Network (DSN) spoke with staff from ODX — Megan Evans Seeds, chief digital officer, and Lisa Yang, digital accessibility coordinator — to discuss their efforts to help center digital accessibility across Hennepin County government.
Millions in government benefits go unclaimed annually due to complex applications and lack of awareness. Simplifying processes, targeted outreach, and streamlined support can increase accessibility and ensure eligible individuals receive assistance.
This resource describes how different agencies have updated their systems to increase online and mobile access to benefits information and applications, including using text messages to share benefits information with residents.
This Urban Institute report explores the impact of benefit cliffs, plateaus, and trade-offs on families receiving public assistance, examining how changes in earnings affect access to essential benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, and housing subsidies.
Code for America partnered with the CBPP, Civilla, and Nava to launch the Integrated Benefits Initiative, testing and piloting human-centered approaches to improve outcomes and learn what an optimal safety net could look like. This article describes key takeaways from short-term pilots implemented as part of this project.
This article shares insights from Minnesota-based focus groups, revealing that low-income women navigating unemployment insurance often face confusion and uncertainty around eligibility, complex administrative processes, and additional challenges related to childcare, housing stability, and mistrust of benefit systems.
This article highlights how state unemployment insurance (UI) agencies are leveraging data to modernize systems and enhance access for unemployed workers.
This article highlights how the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County are advancing equitable access to climate-resilient green careers through their participation in TOPCities.
