WIC enrollment has declined over the last decade, preventing millions of eligible low-income individuals from accessing its benefits. This report examines state WIC outreach pilots and discusses the effectiveness of text message outreach and key considerations when developing and launching targeted text outreach campaigns.
A brief report on our quantitative research about messages that increase people's take-up of government benefits by making them feel like those benefits belong to them.
This publication shares ten ways states can improve start-to-finish customer experience for unemployment insurance claimants. These approaches can increase overall equitable access and system integrity for UI administration.
Demand for public benefits is rising in response to continued economic pressure on vulnerable people, in addition to changes in eligibility rules for some safety net programs. This report summarizes existing benefits access efforts, studies the successes and challenges of benefits expansion efforts through a subset of in-depth case studies, and analyzes the potential for sustaining, expanding, and replicating successful efforts.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
This Playbook is produced by the New Jersey State Office of Innovation’s to help government resources better connect their audiences and constituents to their programs.
This report analyzes the impact of waivers that allowed WIC participants to be certified without in-person visits during the COVID-19 public health emergency, assessing effects on access, participation, and service delivery.
An evaluation of the impact of the USDA’s FFRCA waivers on the WIC program during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on how temporary flexibilities such as remote certification and relaxed physical presence requirements affected participant access, program operations, and staff capacity.
A toolkit that outlines seven practical steps for government agencies to build or strengthen a communications program aligned with audience needs and organizational goals.
An online hub that connects WIC agencies and their partners through a national Data Matching Community of Practice, offering quarterly virtual convenings to share best practices, case studies, and peer learning on strategies to improve WIC outreach and enrollment.
The Texting Playbook provides guidance and well-researched strategies to help state agencies implement texting in support of Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, and other benefits programs. It provides an overview of how to start texting clients; the types of messages to send, including real examples; Federal Communications Commision (FCC) policy guidance; how to encourage opt-ins and collect consent; how to avoid coming across as spam; and a cost analysis of texting.
Initially created to inform federal staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this tip sheet highlights the importance of using equitable communication and includes tips, guiding questions, and additional resources.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
