Author: Sara Soka
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Integrating Renewals and Correspondence
This resource highlights strategies for integrating benefits renewals and correspondence, potentially reducing administrative burdens for both clients and caseworkers.
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Human-Centered Design Incremental Steps to Integrated Benefits
By taking on one or more steps to integrate benefits incrementally, on a small, more localized scale, benefits administrators can make progress towards improving resident and staff experiences. This guide outlines ideas for launching an integrated benefits application in stages, and strategies to pilot new tools.
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Human-Centered Design Going Big with Human-Centered Redesign
This guide provides practical insights for benefits administrators on redesigning benefits systems using human-centered design to ensure all eligible residents can access crucial social safety net resources.
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Cross Training Government Staff and Community Assisters on Multiple Benefits
While some approaches to benefits integration use technology to improve processes and user experience, other approaches rely less on technology or datasets and more on improving frontline staff’s knowledge and capacity. The examples in this guide describe how peer-to-peer training and updated interview scripts can help connect residents to the benefits they are eligible for.
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Data Conducting Outreach for Benefits Cross Enrollment
This resource outlines strategies for cross-enrollment outreach, which can break down silos between programs and reach applicants who may be eligible for under-enrolled benefits programs.
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Procurement Building Modular, Reusable, and Flexible Components, Tools, and Formats
This resource contains specific examples that highlight the advantages of designing reusable code components, software tools, or design formats. This guide also illustrates the possibilities for connecting new components to existing system infrastructure.
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Build and Fund Staff Capacity in Your Government Agency to Integrate Benefits
This resource guide outlines one approach to integrating benefits: building the in-house capacity to champion and supervise benefits integration.
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Digitizing Policy + Rules as Code Benefit Eligibility Rules as Code: Reducing the Gap Between Policy and Service Delivery for the Safety Net
This report examines how the U.S. federal government can enhance the efficiency and equity of benefit delivery by simplifying eligibility rules and using a Rules as Code approach for digital systems.
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Communications Accessible Benefits Information: Reducing Administrative Burden and Improving Equitable Access
This guide highlights best practices in benefits access, showcasing how Michigan, New York City, and San José improve accessibility through plain language, multilingual translation, resident co-creation, and technology tools.
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Human-Centered Design Technology, Data, and Design-Enabled Approaches for a More Responsive, Effective Social Safety Net
This landscape analysis examines data, design, technology, and innovation-enabled approaches that make it easier for eligible people to enroll in, and receive, federally-funded social safety net benefits, with a focus on the earliest adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Human-Centered Design Minnesota: Rolling Out an Integrated Benefits Application in Stages
Minnesota is a good example of an organization that started small in its drive to integrate benefits programs. For instance, its recent statewide rollout of its online integrated benefit application website, MNbenefits.mn.gov, started as a pilot in 2020 with Code for America. The pilot encompassed two counties including Hennepin County, where Minneapolis is located. The pilot later expanded to four counties, then 16 and a tribal nation. The final roll out, which took 12 months to implement, included the state’s 87 counties and three tribal nations.