Author: Elizabeth Bynum Sorrell
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Project Snapshot: Mes Aides
beta.gouv.fr, a French government incubator, developed Mes Aides, an online benefits simulator launched in 2014 to help residents assess their eligibility for various social programs, addressing the issue of unclaimed benefits. The tool, built with open-source technology, enabled users to quickly estimate their potential benefits but was later integrated into a broader platform in 2020 following internal government disputes over authority.
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Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Applications
This page includes data and observations about authentication and identity proofing steps specifically for online applications that include WIC.
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Dataset: Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing in Public Benefits Applications
On May 19, 2023, the Digital Benefits Network published a new, open dataset documenting authentication and identity proofing requirements across online SNAP, WIC, TANF, Medicaid, child care (CCAP) applications, and unemployment insurance applications.
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Project Snapshot: 18F’s Eligibility APIs Initiative
18F, a consultancy within the U.S. General Services Administration, developed a prototype API and pre-screener to model federal SNAP eligibility rules, aiming to simplify benefits access through open-source technology.
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Project Snapshot: Policy Rules Database
The Policy Rules Database (PRD), developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the National Center for Children in Poverty, consolidates complex rules for major U.S. federal and state benefit programs and tax policies into a standardized, easy-to-use format. This database allows researchers to model public assistance impacts, simulate policy changes, and analyze benefits cliffs across various household scenarios using common rules and language across different programming platforms.
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Project Snapshot: ACCESS NYC & Benefits Screening API
The NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) developed the NYC Benefits Platform, including ACCESS NYC, to help residents easily discover and check eligibility for over 80 social programs.
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Digital Identity Updates from the Digital Benefits Network at BenCon 2024
Announcements include the Digital Identity Community of Practice, updates on research with NIST and CDT, and upcoming data set.
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Research Process: Account Creation and Identity Proofing in Online Public Benefits Applications
This publication describes the research process and protocol used in the Digital Benefits Networks research project, "Digital Account Creation and Identity Proofing in Public Benefits Applications."
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Promising Practices for Digital Identity in Public Benefits
This piece highlights promising design patterns for account creation and identity proofing in public benefits applications. The publication also identifies areas where additional evidence, resources, and coordinated federal guidance may help support equitable implementations of authentication and identity proofing, enabling agencies to balance access and security.
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Webinar Recording: Digital Doorways to Public Benefits
The Digital Benefits Network at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University and Public Policy Lab co-hosted a webinar presenting breaking research on beneficiary experiences with digital identity processes in public benefits.
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Digital Identity 101: An Introduction to Digital Identity in Public Benefits Programs (Draft)
This introductory guide explains the core concepts of digital identity and how they apply to public benefits programs. This guide is the first part of a suite of voluntary resources from the BalanceID Project: Enabling Secure Access and Managing Risk in SNAP and Medicaid.
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Digital Benefits Network: 2024 Year in Review
Recap the work and achievements of the Digital Benefits Network in 2024.