CONNECTING OLDER
MARYLANDERS TO FOOD STAMPS
“Benefits Data Trust is
a hub of a new
outreach and
enrollment system that
combines a
multi-agency
back-office innovation
with the individual
agencies’ need to
qualify applicants
separately for each
program.”
Feather O’Connor Houstoun, Former
President of the William Penn
Foundation; appeared in Governing:
Connecting America’s Leaders
ABOUT BDT
BDT is a not-for-profit organization
committed to transforming how people
in need access public benefits
To meet this mission, Benefits Data Trust:
•
•
•
Partners with diverse stakeholders to
implement cost-effective and scalable
outreach and enrollment strategies.
Takes the time to inform and support
individuals through a simplified application
process.
Delivers data and technology driven solutions
to create a more coordinated benefits access
system.
2
“BenePhilly has successfully
infused millions of dollars
into the pockets of seniors.
It has helped thousands of
older Philadelphians cover
the cost of food, shelter,
medicine and
healthcare…Beyond the help
that BenePhilly provides to
individuals, it creates a
tremendous economic
stimulus for our City. The
money individuals save and
the benefits they receive are
spent right here in our
community…at pharmacies,
farmers’ markets and
bodegas.”
Mayor Michael A. Nutter
City of Philadelphia
OUR SUCCESS
TOTAL
•
Over 300,000 applications submitted
•
Applied for an estimated $840
benefits
million in
PARTNERS:
• AARP Foundation
• PA Department of Public Welfare
• PA Department on Aging
• Philadelphia, Office of the Mayor
• NY Department of Health
• National Coalition on Aging
• Maryland Department of Human Resources
3
“Benefits Data Trust is
a sort of secret-pal
fairy godmother of
government
programs, finding
eligible seniors and
guiding them through
complicated
enrollments.”
THE BDT MODEL
Philadelphia Inquirer
July 12, 2010
4
“The benefit enrollment
campaign we implemented
with Benefits Data Trust was
an incredibly successful
project that yielded an
impressive return on
investment for our
community. Our collective
efforts helped hundreds of
community members enroll
into benefits with relative
ease. Working with BDT
staff was a pleasure and we
are looking forward to
working with them in the
future.”
Brian Gralnick, Director Center for
Social Responsibility
Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia
KEY PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT
•
•
•
•
Collaboration
Communication
Transparency
Flexibility
5
TARGETED IDENTIFICATION
Programs that use lists
of likely eligible
individuals incur, on
average, 40% lower
costs than those that
do not. 5
Targeted outreach to likely eligible
individuals, results in:
• Higher response rates
• Better quality responders
• Reduced outreach costs
• Reduced time spent by staff
screening ineligible individuals
6
EFFECTIVE OUTREACH
Programs that use a
trained phone-based
application assistance
model incur half the
cost of face-to-face
models. 6
• Diverse outreach methods
meet people where they are
• Iterative attempts maximize
targeted data
• Letters sent from a trusted
source (mayor, administrator,
community leader)
• Simplified single call to action
7
Pre-populating forms
from existing data
sources can generate
a savings of over 3
times the cost of
traditional programs.7
IN-DEPTH APPLICATION SUPPORT
• Staff are respectful, patient and
compassionate with clients
• Customized database manages
client information to ensure service
is streamlined
• Clients can call BDT multiple times
to receive the right level of support
• All parties are protected: calls and
interactions are recorded
8
For every 10,000
applications submitted
via batch processing,
approximately $25,000
in staff time is saved.
FOLLOW-UP AND
SUCCESSFUL SUBMISSION
• BDT follows up with clients via
phone and mail to ensure that
all documentation is collected
and submitted with the
application
• All documents are securely
scanned and stored
9
"Benefits Data Trust has done
a terrific job of using new
technologies and high
standards of service to
develop efficient methods of
food stamp enrollment. They
have given thousands of low
income elderly people, who
were not able to deal with the
paper work, or long lines at
the welfare office access to a
significant benefit that helps
their budget and makes it at
least a little easier to buy
healthier food.”
Mary Summers, Senior Fellow, Fox
Leadership Program, University of
Pennsylvania , School of Political Science,
Author, “Making Food Stamps Work: A
Report on the Greater Philadelphia
Coalition Against Hunger’s Food Stamp
Enrollment Campaign 2003-2006”
EVALUATION
BDT’s Model is measurable and
evaluative
• All steps of process evaluated
on an ongoing basis
• Customized database allows for
the analysis of key metrics
• Outreach & assistance can be
refined and enhanced as
needed - immediately
10
“We need this so
desperately. Thank you.
My husband worked his
whole life and we never,
ever collected any kind
of Food Stamps or
prescription help…A lot
of people are
embarrassed and go
without food and
prescriptions. Thank you
for reaching out to me.”
Mrs. A, 78 years old
INFLUENCING POLICY
BDT’s model and outreach projects
will inform policy around:
• Using data effectively
• Streamlining outreach and
enrollment efforts
• Informing ACA implementation
11
“In the past, I have felt
that certain Customer
Service Reps were not
sensitive to my needs and
provided the quickest and
most convenient solution
to my problems from their
perspective. But not in
this case…I am completely
satisfied. ”
Mr. G.
Qualifies for $233/month in SNAP
benefits
BDT’S WORK IN MARYLAND
• As part of AARP Foundation’s Drive to
End Hunger BDT is engaged in an
outreach and application assistance
project to help older Marylander’s
access FSP.
• Goal: Submit between 5,000-6,000 FSP applications
to the Maryland Department of Human Resources.
over the next 6-9 months
• Targeted Areas: Statewide, excluding Carroll,
Howard, Frederick, Charles and Baltimore Counties
(Baltimore city is included).
12
“The benefit enrollment
campaign we implemented
with Benefits Data Trust
was an incredibly
successful project that
yielded an impressive
return on investment for
our community. Our
collective efforts helped
hundreds of community
members enroll into
benefits with relative
ease. Working with BDT
staff was a pleasure and
we are looking forward to
working with them in the
future.”
Brian Gralnick, Director
Center for Social
Responsibility
Jewish Federation of
Greater Philadelphia
KEY PARTNERSHIP
•Referrals
• Clients who apply for SNAP through
BDT often request additional
support and services beyond the
scope of our work
• Maintaining a network of local
community organizations helps BDT
staff to refer client’s to additional
services
•Verifying outreach
• Clients may bring in, or mention
BDT outreach mailings or calls to
their support networks as a way to
verify legitimacy
13
“I would like to say thank
you to each and every one
who helped me get Food
Stamps that I so badly
need…I have gone
shopping twice and I am
very surprised at how
helpful food stamps are in
supplementing the
expense of going food
shopping. Thank you very
much again for all your
help.”
Mrs. G,
Qualifies for $84/month in SNAP
benefits
Partnerships In Maryland:
•
•
•
•
AARP Foundation
Maryland-AARP
Maryland Department of
Human Resources
Maryland Hunger Solutions
14
“Oh my goodness! I never
applied for them (Food
Stamps) because I didn’t think
I was eligible…I have never
received anything like this in
my life. I don’t even know
how you found me! …I’m in
shock and I can’t believe this.
My bills are horrible. My
husband died of Alzheimer’s
and we both worked all of our
lives. His Alzheimer’s
treatment ate up all of our
money. His drugs were over
$600 a month. Thank you so
much. Just thinking that
someone wants to help me
makes me happy.“
Mrs. T, 80 years old
Qualified for $140/month in SNAP
benefits
Targeting In Maryland:
BDT has identified 13,000 older
Maryland residents that are highly
likely eligible for SNAP using a list
of the Maryland Energy Assistance
Program (MEAP) enrollees
Additional outreach lists may target
• AARP Members
• Other state benefit program enrollees
15
Outreach Letter
Programs that use lists
of likely eligible
individuals incur, on
average, 40% lower
costs than those that
do not. 5
16
For every 10,000
applications submitted
via batch processing,
approximately $25,000
in staff time is saved.
Application Support and
Follow-up
Out of 542 outbound calls and
4,000 outreach letters, the
Maryland Benefits Center has
contacted 1,757 individuals (39%)
• Additional outreach attempts will
increase this rate further
Of the contacted individuals 1,218 have
started FSP applications (69%).
17
OUTCOMES
“We’re in a different place
financially now than we
were many years ago. I’ve
never had to ask for help
from anybody and this
was just magical. It’s
brought some optimism
back into a dark situation.
I would be lost and
overwhelmed without
you.”
Mrs. H, 66 years old
Qualifies for $500 in Property Tax
and Rent Rebate and
$367 /month in SNAP benefits
In 9 months, BDT will:
• Strengthen integrated partnerships
with government and community
entities
• Decrease barriers to SNAP access
for seniors in the following counties
in Maryland:
• Increase the efficiency of the SNAP
application process
• Apply 5,000-6,000 older
Marylanders for SNAP
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THANK YOU.
19
Endnotes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2006-2008 Estimates
The Elder Economic Security Initiative: The Elder Economic Security Standard Index for New York.
Accessed 7/25/11:
http://www.mccormack.umb.edu/centers/gerontologyinstitute/pubAndStudies/documents/NYElde
rIndexFINAL.pdf
NYC Hunger Safety Net, 2007: A Food Poverty Focus. Prepared for the Food Bank for New York City.
Accessed 7/28/11: http://foodbanknyc.org/files//Hunger_Safety_Net_2007.pdf
Analysis using: Number of Seniors under 200% FPL --- American Community Survey 2006-2008
Three Year Estimates Percent of Seniors Under 200% FPL Eligible for SNAP -- State Trends in
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility and Participation Among Elderly Individuals,
Cunnyngham, Karen. Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Sep. 2010 (p.165) Percent of Eligible
Seniors Enrolled in SNAP 00 State Trends in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility
and Participation Among Elderly Individuals, Cunningham, Karen. Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Sep. 2010 (p.91)
Access to Benefits Coalition: Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare
Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes. 2005
Access to Benefits Coalition: Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare
Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes. 2005
Access to Benefits Coalition: Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare
Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes. 2005
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