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.
This fact sheet outlines the key principles for designing an effective Child Tax Credit that reduces child poverty, supports working families, promotes racial and economic equity, and delivers long-term benefits for children and the economy.
This memorandum summarizes the fiscal and programmatic impacts of Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1 – “One Big Beautiful Bill”) on the state, detailing major provisions related to SNAP, Medicaid, higher education, taxation, and other federally funded programs.
The report discusses how state Medicaid agencies can enhance efficiency and maintain coverage for eligible individuals by implementing ex parte renewals, which automatically renew beneficiaries' coverage using existing data without requiring action from enrollees.
Together, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) are working to design and build a sustainable process to improve cross-enrollment for families eligible for both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This report outlines how Kansas will integrate data matches between SNAP and WIC—as well as targeted outreach— within the ongoing business processes of the agencies to help streamline the experience of accessing nutrition supports for clients. These functions will contribute to the agencies’ shared goal of reducing rates of food insecurity in Kansas.
American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)
This article discusses how Code for America enhanced the CalFresh application process to better assist self-employed individuals in accessing their full benefits by clarifying self-employment definitions and simplifying income verification.
The report highlights that many eligible low-income children are not receiving WIC benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, with participation rates varying significantly by state and lagging behind programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
Building on our February 2022 report Benefit Eligibility Rules as Code: Reducing the Gap Between Policy and Service Delivery for the Safety Net, the Beeck Center’s Digital Benefits Network (DBN) recently held a convening to share progress and potential in digitizing benefits eligibility and to begin addressing how a national approach could be started.
This report provides an initial fiscal analysis of how H.R. 1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill”) will affect the state’s federally funded programs across agencies, estimating multi-billion-dollar reductions in SNAP, Medicaid, education, and infrastructure revenues.
This budget request details ADES's FY2027 funding priorities—including developmental disability services, child care, IT modernization, and compliance with H.R. 1—and outlines projected fiscal impacts, caseload growth, and programmatic needs across the state
This report provides supplemental estimates on how Public Law 119-21—tied to H.R. 1—will affect SNAP participation, benefits, and state administrative costs over 2025–2034.