Business (CBO Staff)

Assessment of the Contribution of an Interview to SNAP Program Eligibility and Benefit Determination Study

Ap I_Site Visit and Interview Protocol

Business (CBO Staff)

OMB: 0584-0582

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APPENDIX I – SITE VISITS AND INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

M

OMB No. 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

ASTER INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

Respondent Type Key:

Under the Respondent Type column, a identifies that that type of respondent that will be asked that particular question.


Objective 1: Describe the no-interview demonstration in each state


Objective 5: Describe the response of SNAP staff to the no-interview demonstration

Objective 2: Describe any modernization activities in each state that complement the no-interview demonstration to make its application most effective.


Objective 6: Describe the response of community partners and other stakeholders to the no-interview demonstration

Objective 3: Describe the process for implementing the no-interview demonstration


Objective 7: Document the impacts of the no-interview demonstration

Objective 4: Describe the response of clients to the no-interview demonstration


Objective 8: Document the main take away points from the study to inform FNS and for consideration for future studies.















Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is 0584-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to be 1.5 hours per response including the time for participating in the interviews and providing the extant data collection. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Research and Analysis, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA, 22302, ATTN: Rosemarie Downer




NC or OR



Respondent type


Demonstration

Comparison

Utah

State

Local office director

Eligibility worker

CBO

Purpose: To initiate discussion, introduce the study, and learn about the respondent’s background








States have recently implemented reforms to change the way clients enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A central feature of the reforms is the waiver of the mandatory face-to-face interview, which allows states to process SNAP applications (and recertifications) more efficiently. For the purposes of this study, we are interested in understanding how certification and recertification information is collected with a face-to-face or telephone interview compared to no interview. We are also interested in how this affects eligibility determination and the client experience.

RESPONDENT BACKGROUND: What is your official job title? What are your primary responsibilities? How long have you been in this position? How are you involved with SNAP? What are your SNAP-related responsibilities? How long have you been involved with SNAP?

Purpose: To understand the state’s no-interview demonstration planning process and goals.








Why did the state apply for the grant? Who within the state drove the effort to apply for the grant? Was there widespread support of the application?





What are the goals for your no-interview demonstration?





What outcomes do you expect to be affected by your no-interview demonstration? How did you identify these outcomes?





Have your expectations about your anticipated outcomes changed since approval of your implementation plans? If so, how and why?





During the planning period, what was the process for planning? How was demonstration planning structured and organized? Why did planning occur in this manner? Who participated in planning and why? When did planning activities occur? Are planning activities still occurring? If so, what is occurring and why?





Were the processes perceived as effective for planning by your organization and its stakeholders? Who had the most influence in this process? The least? Why did these individuals and organizations have the most/least influence?





What were the challenges with the planning process? What strategies were used to address these challenges?





What was successful about the planning process?





What decisions do you perceive as critical in the implementation of your demonstration? Why were these decisions critical? Which individuals and organizations participated in making these decisions?





Purpose: To understand the application process within no-interview demonstration and comparison sites








Please describe your application process for SNAP benefits.


Describe available methods for applying: mail/fax, walk-in, online, CBO, telephone. How does the process differ for each method?


How do you identify which programs the individual wants to apply for? How does this differ for [walk-in, mail-in, call-in, or online] applicants?


Has the length of the application changed (since implementing the no-interview demonstration)? What new information do you ask for? What types of information have been removed from the application?


Living arrangements? Income? Expenses? Employment status or history? Deductions? Other information?


What kind of supporting documentation is required? How is supporting documentation submitted by the applicant?


If someone has a question about the application process, who do they contact? How does this differ for [walk-in, mail-in, call-in, or online] applicants? How often did clients need assistance?



How long does it take an applicant to complete the application?


How has the application process changed after implementing the no-interview demonstration?



Has the no-interview demonstration impacted [walk-in, mail-in, call-in, or online] applicants differently? Who is the application process more or less difficult for?



Purpose: To understand the certification process within no-interview demonstration and comparison sites








Please describe your process for certifying SNAP applications.


Once a completed application comes into your office, how it is processed? How does the process differ by how an application is received into the office?


How do you verify income and employment?


How do you notify the person that supporting documentation is needed?


How do clients submit supporting documentation?


What is the process for completing applications when information is missing from the submitted application?



About how frequently do you require follow-up contact with the client? What kinds of issues are typical reasons for follow-up?


How has this changed after implementing the no-interview demonstration


How do you notify an applicant that you need additional information to complete their application (beyond the required verification documents)?


How do you provide clients with information about client rights, how to access and use an EBT card, recertification procedures, other available assistance communicated to clients during a traditional interview?



What happens when there is a procedural denial? What is the process?


How do you notify the person that they may be eligible for multiple programs?


What do you do if a client requests an interview? How many clients requested a face-to-face interview? Were certain groups more likely to request a face-to-face interview?


How long does the no-interview certification/recertification process take? How long does any required follow-up typically take?



Does no-interview certification/recertification take more or less time than with a telephone interview? Face-to-face interview?



Purpose: To understand the recertification process within no-interview demonstration and comparison sites








Please describe your process for recertifying SNAP participants.


How do you notify a client about recertification?


How do clients submit supporting documentation?


What is the process for completing recertification when information is missing from the submitted recertification form?



Has the length of the recertification form changed (since implementing the no-interview demonstration)? What new information do you ask for? What types of information have been removed from the form?



Once a completed recertification form comes into your office, how it is processed?


About how frequently do you require follow-up contact with the client? What kinds of issues are typical reasons for follow-up?


How has this changed after implementing the no-interview demonstration


What happens when there is a denial during recertification? What is the process?


How long does the no-interview recertification process take? How long does any required follow-up typically take?



Does no-interview recertification take more or less time than with a telephone interview? Face-to-face interview?



Purpose: To understand the staffing structure within no-interview demonstration and comparison sites and how staffing has been impacted by the no-interview demonstration








Please describe the staffing structure in local offices/your office as it relates to processing and managing SNAP cases.


Which staff collect client information? Verification information? Conduct follow-up with applicants or clients? Determine eligibility? Conduct interview?


How is it determined which staff will handle which cases for certification/recertification?


Do workers specialize by task or are they responsible for a caseload?


Is there any formal process for notifying the client they do not need an interview?



How many cases does a worker certify/recertify at any given time?


How has the staffing structure changed, if at all, since implementing the no-interview demonstration? What do you think accounts for these changes/lack of change?



Has there been any change in staff turnover rates or patterns?



Have program staff roles and responsibilities for re/certification and case management changed with the no-interview demonstration? If so, how?



Has the no-interview demonstration affected the way in which SNAP staff carry out case management functions? If so, how?



Purpose: To understand training or notifications provided to SNAP staff, partners, and clients to implement the no-interview demonstration








How was notice provided to SNAP staff, community partners, SNAP participants, and the low-income community about interview changes?


How effective were these methods in communicating information about interview changes? What would you do differently?


What training or instruction was provided to SNAP staff and community partners?


Who conducted the training (e.g. in-house by staff, external training vendor brought in, etc.)?


Who received it?


Was this training voluntary or mandatory?


If voluntary, was it well attended?


What topics did the training cover?


What methods are used to administer training?


Was the training helpful or useful?


Was the training sufficient?


Are there additional types of training you think are needed?


Purpose: to identify any infrastructure changes required to implement the no-interview demonstration








Were any technological, software, or hardware changes made to implement the no-interview demonstration?


Were any policies or procedures created or changed to implement the no-interview demonstration


Besides the application and recertification form changes you described earlier, were any other forms or materials changed to implement the no-interview demonstration? Brochures? Program packets? Outreach materials?


Purpose: to identify any unique local factors or modernization activities that affect performance or that might account for outcomes








Have any administrative modernization changes been made in the demonstration or comparison sites in the year prior to the start of the demonstration? If so, what and when? Have there been any changes during the demonstration period?



Have any technological modernization changes been made in the demonstration or comparison regions in the year prior to the start of the demonstration? If so, what and when? Have there been any changes during the demonstration period?



Are any administrative modernization activities needed to make the no-interview demonstration most effective but are not present? If so, what?



Are any technological modernization activities needed to make the no-interview demonstration most effective but are not present? If so, what?



Are there any unique state or local factors in STATE that contribute to the success or challenges with the no-interview demonstration?




Were there concurrent policy or political changes that might have affected SNAP program performance?



Were there unique economic factors in STATE that might have affected SNAP performance?



Purpose: To understand perceived client responses to the no-interview demonstration








Did the no-interview demonstration affect program access? If yes, how? If no, why not?


Did the no-interview demonstration affect program access for specific groups? If yes, how? If no, why not?


Was there anything about how changes were implemented that caused an increase/decrease in customer satisfaction? If so, how? If no, why?




Was there anything about how changes were implemented that caused an increase/decrease in customer satisfaction for specific groups? If so, how? If no, why?




Which aspects of the no-interview demonstration are most responsible for changes in customer satisfaction?




Were any specific groups negatively/positively impacted by the no-interview demonstration?




What could have been done differently to improve satisfaction among applicants and clients?




Has the loss of interview affected intake/eligibility determination for other programs? If so, how?




Purpose: To understand the role of community partners and other stakeholders in the no-interview demonstration








Who does your organization collaborate with on SNAP activities? Why and how does your organization collaborate with these partners? When did your organization develop relationships with these partners? How did the relationships form? How do partners contribute to SNAP activities?



How has collaboration changed over time as a result of the no-interview demonstration? What new collaborations developed? When and why did these new collaborations develop? Have any partners stopped collaborating? If so, which collaborations, and when and why did they end?




How does your organization collaborate with AGENCY on SNAP activities? When did your organization develop a relationship with AGENCY? How did the relationships form? How do you contribute to SNAP activities?




How has collaboration changed as a result of the no-interview demonstration?





Purpose: To understand the response of SNAP staff and CBOs to the no-interview demonstration








What aspects of the no-interview demonstration have had a positive impact on your job and your level of job satisfaction?




Has the no-interview demonstration increased or decreased administrative burdens on staff?




Which aspects of the no-interview demonstration are most responsible for changes in staff administrative burden?




On balance, what is your assessment of the changes that were implemented? Do you think they have had an overall positive or negative effect on efficiency? Access?


Which changes do you think had a positive effect?


Which changes do you think had a negative effect?


What are the biggest challenges in implementing the no-interview demonstration?


How were these challenges resolved? How could they have been avoided?


What are the greatest successes of no-interview demonstration changes?


Is there anything you would add, remove, or change in the no-interview demonstration process?


Do you agree with the goals of the no-interview demonstration?


What advice would you give to another organization/state that was preparing to implement the no-interview demonstration? What pieces do they need to have in place?


Having implemented the no-interview demonstration, would you want to continue it over the long term?


If the demonstration was going to continue, what would you be doing differently to make it sustainable over the long term?


Purpose: To understand the perceived impact of the no-interview demonstration on costs








How does the SNAP administrative cost per case for certification/recertification under each alternative compare with the cost per case not under the no-interview demonstration?




To what extent has the no-interview demonstration reduced administrative costs?




Which aspects of the no-interview demonstration are most responsible for reductions in administrative costs?




Are there any other factors or reasons that account for reductions/increases in administrative costs? Please discuss.




What could or should have been done differently that might have led to greater cost reductions?












Public Burden Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this project is XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to be 1.5 hours per response including the time for participating in the interviews and providing the extant data collection. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Research and Analysis, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA, 22302, ATTN: Rosemarie Downer


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