Previous PTIG Award Recipients

Previous PTIG Award Summaries 2016 - 2019

Summaries of Process and Technology Improvement Grant (PTIG) awards for projects that have been completed:

FY 2019

Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (MA) – $815,250
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance will implement and evaluate a pilot to test the effectiveness of a text messaging intervention at reducing SNAP churn. The text messaging intervention will send reminders to simplified reporting SNAP clients who have upcoming reevaluation process requirements such as submitting interim reports or recertification forms, verifications and/or completing interviews.

Mississippi Department of Human Services (MS) – $1,366,223
Mississippi Department of Human Services will use the FNA-developed SNAP Model Notice Toolkit to modernize the notice-generation process and improve the state’s CAPER rate. Mississippi will transition to a notice-generation platform that connects with real-time data in the eligibility system and automatically generates a notice based on eligibility staff action on a case. The current system requires many decisions and redundant manual input by eligibility workers, leading to errors.

Illinois Department of Human Services (IL) – $658,705
Illinois Department of Human Services will take advantage of the state’s new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) infrastructure to develop a single telephonic entry point for customers, create a new centralized case maintenance call center, and develop a robust phone call data monitoring system. This will address a significant problem in Illinois, where customers contact offices directly which causes a large volume of unanswered calls leading to walk-ins and unhappy customers.

Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (NV) – $776,000
Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services will increase awareness and access to Education and Training (E&T) activities by developing an online assessment that SNAP recipients will access through an existing self-service portal. The assessment will support case managers in developing an individualized E&T service plan for recipients to access services.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MI) – $538,116
Michigan Department of Health and Human services will address the SNAP payment error rate by developing an error-prone profiling system that will nudge specialists based upon the error profile assigned to them. The specialist will then be able to review the case paying special attention to the error and then it will be flagged to the supervisors for additional review before benefits are issued.

Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department (MN) – $845,706
Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department will develop and implement tools to improve application processes such as requesting information/verification in an electronic workflow and designing, developing, and implementing an online self-service portal.

FY 2018

Alabama Department of Human Resources (AL) – $1,184,608
Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) will develop a process to store individual notices that were sent to clients automatically, including both the automation of adding these notices to their document management system, as well as linking them electronically to individual casefiles. DHR will also create a worker dashboard to help caseworkers track and process cases more timely and efficiently, including providing worklists to workers to prompt them on next steps in an application, the ability to query previously difficult to obtain historical data, as well as providing a variety of metrics and statistical data on the current caseload.

Broome County (NY) – $39,000
Broome County will improve case processing by shifting their current document imaging processes whereby they store casefiles in their local document repository system (OnBase), to now be able to begin to use the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s new system for electronic document records, the Imaging & Electronic Document Repository (I/EDR). Clients will be able to electronically upload their documents and have the totality of their case record be in one place, and caseworker processing will become more efficient.

District of Columbia Department of Human Services (DC) – $220,942
The District of Columbia Department of Human Services will create a mobile application called SNAP SENTral. The initial version of this mobile app will allow customers to take a photo of their signed mid-certification forms and upload it directly into the document management system. That report will then be able to be associated with their casefile, and a caseworker will be alerted that a customer has submitted new documents to review. This mobile app will have the capacity to be expanded to accept recertification forms and verification documents in the future.

Kansas Department for Children and Families (KS) – $1,475,303
The Kansas Department for Children and Families will use a human centered design approach to develop, implement, and evaluate a strengths-based mobile-enabled website to improve communication between work registrants (and Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents, or ABAWDS) and State staff. The website will include appointment reminders, goal-setting and achievement tracking tools, task lists with reminders and alerts, document submission, and a place to house and easily access job search tools, among other items.

New Mexico Human Services Department (NM) – $525,701 The New Mexico Human Services Department (NM-HSD) will purchase and implement a lobby management system that includes self-service kiosks, overhead monitors, audio guidance, and associated software. These lobby management tools will announce the queue position of waiting customers, allow customers to schedule appointments online, check customers in when they arrive at the field office, automatically route customers to the appropriate staffer based on their individual needs, and capture data about field office visits. The project will be undertaken at all 33 NM-HSD field offices.

New York City Human Resources Administration (NY) – $1,237,950
The New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) will invest grant funds to better manage the approximately 60,000 SNAP documents that they receive on a daily basis. HRA will develop and implement a customized Document Identification technology that will automatically identify, index, and extract text from 24 of the most frequently submitted types of documents by SNAP applicants and clients, including birth certificates, pay stubs, and Social Security cards. This project will reduce the number of documents that need to be manually indexed, improving the efficiency of the process.

Pitt County (NC) – $316,496 Pitt County will improve lobby management, document processing and case management by: (1) purchasing a confidential self-registration system to avoid long lines and allow customers to see wait times; (2) providing scanners for SNAP staff and kiosks for client self-scanning of verification documents in order for documents to be entered into the State’s automated system more quickly; and (3) implementing recertification communications, including text messages and email reminders to help clients avoid an interruption in benefits.

FY 2017

Benefits Data Trust (NY) – $500,000
Benefits Data Trust will leverage SNAP data from the New York City Department of Social Services to send text and phone messages to households who meet one or more of the following conditions: SNAP single issuance cases that have completed the interview but have not submitted documents required for ongoing benefits; Current SNAP enrollees who are up for recertification within the next 60 days; SNAP applicants who have not yet completed the interview; SNAP applicants who have not submitted their documents.

Code for America, Inc. (MI)– $1,000,000
Code for America will work with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to design a mobile-enabled website that will allow Michiganders to apply for SNAP, submit verification documents, and periodic reports using their smartphone or computer. A real-time SMS chat system to support general inquiries and text reminders will also be developed. Code for America will build off of their knowledge and experience from their development of the digital enrollment system known as “GetSNAP”, which is currently being used in California by people applying for CalFresh, and design a website that meets the needs of SNAP applicants and participants in Michigan.

County of Atlantic (NJ) – $746,131
Atlantic County will invest grant funds in improvements to its phone management system by employing robo-calls, SMS, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), and skills based phone routing to provide more self-service options and better customer service to its clients. These improvements are designed to significantly enhance the County’s ability to capture key metrics in accordance with BPR principles, automate tasks where possible for self-service information, and ultimately reduce churn. Additionally, temporary staff members will be employed to take calls as existing staff currently tasked with processing and filing using a paper based case management system is retrained.

County of El Paso Department of Human Services (CO) – $614,736
The Counties of El Paso, Adams, and Pueblo will partner to implement the Automated SNAP Assistance Processing project (ASAP!), which includes a new workflow management system, HSConnect. HSConnect overlays with the State eligibility system so that caseworkers spend less time searching for documents and managing eligibility activities and promotes greater efficiency and transparency across divisions of the county’s Department of Human Services (DHS) through use of document imaging. Arapahoe County DHS originally developed HSConnect. Arapahoe County will provide the three partnering counties with technical expertise about the configuration of the proposed system in each county, respectively. This work will also include supporting each county in its business process reengineering work.

County of Fresno Department of Social Services (CA) – $900,000
Fresno County Department of Social Services will establish various self-service options for their clients by providing them with the ability to check their case status and receive updates through an online portal, mobile app, or via phone using Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Clients will also be able to submit documents using an online portal or app.

Mississippi Department of Human Services (MS) – $710,000
Mississippi Department of Human Services will partner with the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC) to implement enhancements to MyDHS mobile application. These enhancements will improve the recertification process by allowing SNAP clients to receive notices, case status updates, upload verification documents, receive push notifications, and also check their EBT balance.

Wyoming Department of Family Services (WY) – $529,133
Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) will use grant funds to create a document management system. This system will include document imaging and workflow functionality which will enable document sharing of case file records among local offices across the State and provide the capability to assign eligibility workers to various SNAP certification related tasks. Currently, DFS operates using a paper-based system to maintain and store all documents and narratives used to reach an eligibility decision for its SNAP cases. Creating an electronic based system to manage and store SNAP case file information will greatly improve overall efficiency of case management by providing SNAP eligibility workers and managers with immediate access to case material when performing reviews, discussing inquiries with clients, resolving complaints, and distributing caseloads.

FY 2016

Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DE) – $667,618
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services will design, develop, and implement a triage solution in each of its 18 local SNAP offices. A Triage Specialist will be stationed in the lobby area of each location to welcome clients as they enter and perform “triage” on the purpose for their visit. Triage Specialists will be equipped with a tablet that has a camera and wireless access which will enable them to connect to DE Worker Web application and view case status information. The Triage Specialist will be able to take photos of the client’s supporting documentation and email the photos to the Document Imaging System (DIS) Inbox, renewals Inbox, or other designated email inboxes. One of the applications available on the tablet will be a cloud-hosted rules-based expert system that will contain rules and decision logic to assist the Triage Specialist in addressing clients’ needs. The application will prescreen for potential eligibility but will not determine benefit amounts. This will help Triage Specialists accurately address a wide variety of client questions.

Florida Department of Children and Families (FL) – $447,282
The Florida Department of Children and Families will use grant funds to improve the EBT card replacement and address change reporting process for SNAP recipients. System programmers will make changes to existing software to allow clients to report if their EBT card was Lost, Stolen, or Damaged and submit a request for a replacement EBT card in the web-based self-service portal. The EBT vendor will make changes to existing software to interface with the State’s eligibility system to allow the EBT system to accept the transmission of a replacement card request, change the status accordingly, and also create the necessary logs for tracking and reporting purposes. This will streamline the replacement EBT card process and improve the accuracy of the mailing addresses on file for clients. In turn, this will reduce the amount of returned mail and provide replacement cards to customers in a timely manner.

Maryland Department of Human Resources (MD) – $723,065
The Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR) will use grant funds to better coordinate case management service across American Job Centers, community-based SNAP E&T providers, and local Departments of Social Services. DHR will pilot the implementation of ICF Incorporated’s proprietary tool, wQ®, in Baltimore City and the eight Maryland counties that have implemented FNA Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) time-limit waivers. DHR will integrate wQ® with the existing Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) and a suite of SNAP E&T tools. By sharing key client information collected in wQ® with the MWE system, DHR hopes to increase the rate of referral to MWE by SNAP caseworkers and partners, simplify the registration of clients into MWE, improve the usage of MWE by SNAP clients, and ultimately help SNAP clients meet their work requirements on their pathways to self-sufficiency.

Missouri Department of Social Services – $955,035
The Missouri Department of Social Services will use grant funds to rewrite the MO Benefit Center platform using Microsoft .NET to enable mobile capability. The project will also expand the customer portal to offer self-service functionality which will include the ability to submit a SNAP application, report changes in household circumstances, and provide the option to receive automated reminder calls or text messages. New geographic information will also be available on the MO Benefit Center website to help clients locate the nearest food bank, resource centers, Veteran’s Affairs facilities and Workforce Development Job Centers.

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NE) – $607,000
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ project consists of three initiatives to achieve customer service outcomes to improve access to SNAP benefits by eligible applicants. 1) Workforce optimization software will be purchased to provide information to managers and supervisors needed for scheduling or forecast staffing. 2) Communication boards will be purchased and a network will be developed to connect the dashboard programming to the operating systems (phone, document management, and eligibility). Changes to the N-FOCUS eligibility system will be made to create automated lists of clients who consent to receive text message alerts along with their phone number and a daily file of text messages to be sent. Text reminders will be sent to clients to alert them if verification is needed, if recertification is due, changes in case status, and other changes affecting eligibility. This will serve as a complement to mailed or emailed notices for those who have opted to receive electronic notices through Nebraska’s FNA approved Electronic Notice waiver.

Info Line of San Diego 2-1-1 (CA) – $100,000
Info Line of San Diego 2-1-1 (CA) will use funding to connect three systems as part of the region-wide data exchange. Through this project, the telephone system (inContact), the appointment setting system (TimeTrade), and a new text messaging system will auto-populate information into 2-1-1’s Client Management System (Salesforce). This information will interface and ultimately 2-1-1’s client records will be accessible to the County of San Diego as part of a community-wide initiative to streamline client access to services and to share client data across stakeholders. The County will be able to see relevant pieces of work completed prior to an application being submitted by 2-1-1 along with relevant data that the client shared.

Washington Department of Social and Health Services (WA) – $1,500,000
The Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) will use grant funds to develop a mobile app that will provide SNAP clients and applicants with the ability to upload documents, review, and update their case information using an app designed for smartphones and tablets. This project will also enable DSHS to use web platforms to send text message alerts and reminders to clients informing them of upcoming appointments or needed documentation.