Guardrails: Automated SNAP Recertification Assistance
The GuardRails Strategy uses behavioral nudges to help NYC SNAP recipients complete recertification and avoid benefit loss.
Developed by Benefits Data Trust (BDT) in partnership with the NYC Department of Social Services and Robin Hood, GuardRails leverages text messages and automated voice reminders to prompt SNAP recipients to complete their recertification on time.
Many eligible recipients lose benefits due to procedural barriers, and GuardRails aims to reduce this “churn” by providing timely, multilingual reminders with clear action steps, encouraging recipients to use the ACCESS HRA mobile app for easy submission. Early results indicate that targeted, dynamic text messaging improves response rates and helps vulnerable households retain their benefits more efficiently. The strategy has potential applications beyond SNAP, including WIC and utility assistance programs.
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