This report is an exploratory study intended to add to the growing body of knowledge about how states are modernizing their programs by focusing specifically on how they monitor and measure the success of discrete aspects of their initiatives.
States have implemented a variety of modernization initiatives to improve access and delivery of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to manage increasing caseloads under budgetary constraints. Modernization initiatives can include the following types of activities: policy simplification, restructuring organizational and administrative functions, partnering with other organizations and implementing new technology. As these efforts have multiplied and expanded, so has the Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) interest in how states implement and monitor their efforts. Similarly, states have an interest in seeing how other states are performing.
This exploratory study was conducted to determine the measures states have in place across eight modernization initiatives, including call centers, online systems, document imaging, kiosks, partnering, waiving the face-to-face interview, shortened interviews and online expedited applications. A review of SNAP performance standards and reporting requirements as they pertain to these modernization initiatives was conducted.
The effort resulted in two reports. The first report integrates and summarizes findings across the 45 study states (44 states plus the District of Columbia) on how they monitor and measure performance. It also includes suggestions for performance measures and standards for FNS and states to consider. The second report delves into details on how each of the 45 states measures performance and describes the performance standards in use.