CONNECTING OLDERMARYLANDERS TO FOOD

STAMPS

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ABOUT BDT“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

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.

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OUR SUCCESS“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. NutterCity of Philadelphia

TOTAL • Over 300,000 applications submitted• Applied for an estimated $840 million in

benefits

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

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THE BDT MODEL“Benefits Data Trust is a sort of secret-pal fairy godmother of

government programs, finding

eligible seniors and guiding them through

complicated enrollments.”

Philadelphia InquirerJuly 12, 2010

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KEY PARTNERSHIPDEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT

• Collaboration• Communication• Transparency• Flexibility

“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

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TARGETED IDENTIFICATION

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

Programs that use lists of likely eligible individuals incur, on average, 40% lower

costs than those that do not. 5

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Programs that use a trained phone-based application assistance model incur half the cost of face-to-face

models. 6

EFFECTIVE OUTREACH

• 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

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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

Pre-populating forms from existing data

sources can generate a savings of over 3 times the cost of

traditional programs.7

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FOLLOW-UP ANDSUCCESSFUL 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

For every 10,000 applications

submitted via batch processing,

approximately $25,000 in staff time

is saved.

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EVALUATION"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”

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

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INFLUENCING POLICY

BDT’s model and outreach projects will inform policy around:• Using data effectively• Streamlining outreach and enrollment efforts• Informing ACA implementation

“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

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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).

“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

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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

“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

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Partnerships In Maryland:

• AARP Foundation• Maryland-AARP• Maryland Department of

Human Resources• Maryland Hunger Solutions

“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

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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

“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 oldQualified for $140/month in SNAP

benefits

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Outreach LetterPrograms that use

lists of likely eligible individuals incur, on average, 40% lower

costs than those that do not. 5

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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%).

For every 10,000 applications

submitted via batch processing,

approximately $25,000 in staff time

is saved.

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OUTCOMES

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

“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 oldQualifies for $500 in Property Tax

and Rent Rebate and $367 /month in SNAP benefits

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THANK YOU.

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Endnotes1. U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2006-2008 Estimates2. 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/NYElderIndexFINAL.pdf

3. 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

4. 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)

5. Access to Benefits Coalition: Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes. 2005

6. Access to Benefits Coalition: Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes. 2005

7. Access to Benefits Coalition: Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes. 2005