These guidelines provide technical requirements for federal agencies implementing digital identity services and are not intended to constrain the development or use of standards outside of this purpose. These guidelines focus on the authentication of subjects interacting with government systems over open networks, establishing that a given claimant is a subscriber who has been previously authenticated.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
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. This page includes data and observations about authentication and identity proofing steps specifically for online unemployment insurance applications.
The California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP) simplifies transit benefits eligibility by developing the Benefits App, which uses Login.gov to securely verify age-based discounts for public transit riders. The project aims to create a standardized, interoperable system for verifying transit benefits, improving accessibility for low-income and special groups while reducing administrative burdens for transit agencies.
In this updated primer, the DBN describes how identity proofing and authentication show up in public benefits applications and outlines equity and security concerns raised by common identity proofing and authentication methods.
In this updated primer, the DBN introduces the concept of digital identity, and provides brief snapshots of digital identity-related developments internationally and in the U.S.
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."
This page provides a U.S. Web Design System pattern for collecting race and ethnicity information in user profiles in a way that respects identity, supports data standards, and promotes inclusion.
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.
Federal guidelines for digital identity services, outlining technical and procedural requirements for identity proofing, authentication, and federation.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Created for use in the Digital Doorways research project, this design stimuli shows the steps of submitting an application, sharing personal information, and verifying identity for New York's integrated online application that includes SNAP and Medicaid.
