Applicants to federal aid programs face numerous barriers in accessing benefits they are eligible for. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare conducted an extensive qualitative user research study to better understand applicant experience in enrolling in public assistance programs. Based on the results, the study emphasizes the need for simplified, streamlined and less burdensome application processes.
The Department of Homeland Security's Biometric and Identity Technology Center (BI-TC) has hosted Biometric Technology Rallies to test new and emerging biometric technologies since 2018. This website hosts information about the 2022 and 2023 rallies.
This session from FormFest 2024 features the South Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council’s work developing a single portal to integrate applications for publicly funded programs and services, and the office of Federal Student Aid’s work on the FAFSA form.
This report explores innovative solutions and insights from CMS Innovation Center's Hackathon series to address the unique healthcare challenges faced by rural, Tribal, and geographically isolated communities.
Provides state and local Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies with a practical guide for developing or improving online WIC application systems.
This report outlines the U.S. Department of Labor’s comprehensive action plan to strengthen the unemployment insurance (UI) system by addressing chronic underfunding and proposing legislative reforms to support long-term modernization and resilience.
The study investigates how state agencies administering SNAP comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by providing language access for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).
This report details findings and lessons from a project to develop a calculator to help people anticipate how a change in earnings from employment would affect their net income and information on their estimated effective marginal tax rate.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Benefits Data Trust (BDT) is a nonprofit that connects people to public benefits through a streamlined, phone-based application system called Benefits Launch, which reduces redundant questions and speeds up the process for multiple programs. BDT's approach, supported by a custom-built rules engine, has facilitated over 800,000 benefit enrollments, helping secure over $9 billion for eligible households across seven states.
