Learning from Young Adults to Improve Public Benefits for All
This report explores how public benefit systems can better support young adults by addressing the barriers they face in accessing and maintaining vital services like SNAP, Medicaid, and WIC.
Based on interviews with young adults and public benefits experts, the report maps the journey of accessing benefits through real-life personas and highlights systemic issues such as eligibility complexity, stigma, and inconsistent outreach.
It identifies specific challenges unique to young adults—like fluctuating income, lack of stable housing, and limited support networks—and pairs these with actionable improvement strategies including streamlined applications, mobile-friendly tools, and peer-to-peer outreach. Ultimately, the brief advocates for person-centered, digitally accessible, and coordinated benefit systems that reflect the realities of young adults’ lives.
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