Organization: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)
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Assessing Your WIC Certification Practices
This toolkit provides questions for agencies to consider, examples, and suggested resources for exploring ways to make certification easier for families and WIC staff.
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Diversity, Equity + Inclusion States Can Reduce Medicaid’s Administrative Burdens to Advance Health and Racial Equity
This report outlines strategies to reduce administrative burdens and expand Medicaid participation and advance racial and health equity. The report also offers historical context on Medicaid eligibility.
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State WIC Agencies Use Federal Flexibility to Streamline Enrollment
This report outlines how state WIC agencies can adjust their policies to remove enrollment barriers. The report also provides detailed research on the status of WIC eligibility practices and documentation requirements across states.
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Human-Centered Design Improving Users’ Experience With Online SNAP and Medicaid Systems
State and county agencies have made remarkable progress digitizing their forms and processes. But to take full advantage of online systems, agencies must also ensure that people can easily set up and sign into online accounts. This would not only benefit clients, but also significantly reduce the workload for caseworkers and administrators, allowing them to focus on clients that need more intensive in-person assistance.
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Data Toolkit: Increasing WIC Coverage Through Cross-Program Data Matching and Targeted Outreach
This toolkit is designed to help state and local WIC agencies leverage data from Medicaid and SNAP to measure enrollment gaps and increase enrollment using tools to plan, launch, and/or strengthen data matching and targeted outreach to eligible families who are not receiving WIC benefits.
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Human-Centered Design Improving Customer Service in Health and Human Services Through Technology
This paper outlines common challenges agencies face while administering benefits and gives examples of how technology can streamline the process. It also discusses the importance of user-centered design, and the necessity of utilizing technology as part of a holistic strategy to implement public benefits.
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Human-Centered Design LIFT Voices Describe Hardships Among Black and Latina Mothers in Pandemic
Black and Latina mothers have faced intensified material hardship during the pandemic due to institutional racism and sexism. LIFT describes the lessons it learned through working with parents to improve their personal well-being, increase their social connections, and strengthen them financially through coaching and direct financial assistance.
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States Are Using Much-Needed Temporary Flexibility in SNAP to Respond to COVID-19 Challenges
Since March 2020, states have been using temporary SNAP (food stamps) flexibility to provide emergency benefit supplements, and ease program administration during the pandemic. These options have allowed states to deliver more food assistance to struggling families, help manage intense administrative demands, and ensure that participants maintain much-needed benefits.
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Data Eligible Low-Income Children Missing Out on Crucial WIC Benefits During Pandemic
The share of WIC-eligible families participating in the program has declined, though the number of individuals eligible for WIC has likely grown substantially. By working together, state WIC, Medicaid, and SNAP leaders can use data to assess the extent to which WIC is reaching eligible families and enroll more of them.
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Human-Centered Design States Can Make Applications More Accessible During COVID-19 Crisis
The inability to apply for Medicaid and SNAP in person during the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a new way of interacting with social service agencies through online application submission. States can facilitate this by making online applications and systems more accessible and allowing for telephonic signatures on benefits applications.
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SNAP Online: A Review of State Government SNAP Websites
There is significant variation amongst states’ SNAP websites and their online services. This report summarizes the types of services available and which states offer them.
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Digital Identity Removing Barriers to Access From Remote Identity Proofing
Some states are adding unnecessary complexity to benefits application processes by requiring Remote Identity Proofing (RIDP) before applying or truncating other business. This paper provides background on RIDP, explains when it’s required, and makes recommendations on how states can preserve the security of online interfaces without the barrier of RIDP.