Attachment I.7_State Recruitment Materials_Script after Email 10-16-17

OMB Control Number: 0584-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Attachment I.7 Telephone Call Script: Follow-Up to Initial Email

A1. When State Contact Has Responded to Initial Email

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME]. I'm calling from [Social Policy Research/Mathematica Policy Research] on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service about the Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP study. Am I speaking to [STATE CONTACT’S NAME]?

(IF SPEAKING TO THE STATE CONTACT, SAY:) Is this still a good time to discuss the study?

(IF YES, PROCEED TO SECTION B. IF NO, SCHEDULE AN ALTERNATE TIME, THANK THE CONTACT, AND END CALL.)

(IF SPEAKING TO SOMEONE ELSE, SAY:) Is there a direct line to reach him/her?

(IF YES, RECORD NUMBER IN SPACE BELOW. ENTER THIS NUMBER IN THE MESSAGE FIELD AT THE END OF THE CALL.)

STATE CONTACT’S DIRECT PHONE NUMBER: _________________________________

Is he/she available?

☐ YES (GO TO B FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT IS ON THE PHONE)

☐ NO, THE STATE CONTACT IS BUSY/CAN’T TALK RIGHT NOW (GO TO D.1 FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT IS NOT AVAILABLE/BUSY)

☐ NO, THE STATE CONTACT NO LONGER WORKS AT THE SNAP AGENCY OR IS UNAVAILABLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME (GO TO D.2 FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT HAS LONG-TERM UNAVAILABILITY)

A2. When State Contact Has Not Responded to Initial Email

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME]. I'm calling from [Social Policy Research/Mathematica Policy Research] on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to follow up on an email that we recently sent to [STATE CONTACT’S NAME] about the Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP study. May I please speak with [STATE CONTACT’S NAME]?

(IF SPEAKING TO THE STATE CONTACT GO TO B FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT IS ON THE PHONE)

(IF SPEAKING TO SOMEONE ELSE, SAY:) Is there a direct line to reach him/her?

(IF YES, RECORD NUMBER IN SPACE BELOW. ENTER THIS NUMBER IN THE MESSAGE FIELD AT THE END OF THE CALL.)

STATE CONTACT’S DIRECT PHONE NUMBER: ___________________________________

Is he/she available?

☐ YES (GO TO B FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT IS ON THE PHONE)

☐ NO, THE STATE CONTACT IS BUSY/CAN’T TALK RIGHT NOW (GO TO D.1 FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT IS NOT AVAILABLE/BUSY)

☐ NO, THE STATE CONTACT NO LONGER WORKS AT THE SNAP AGENCY OR IS UNAVAILABLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME (GO TO D.2 FOR WHEN STATE CONTACT HAS LONG-TERM UNAVAILABILITY)

B. When State Contact is on the Phone:

(RE-INTRODUCE YOURSELF IF TRANSFERRED): Hello, (STATE CONTACT). I’m [YOUR NAME] and I’m calling from (Social Policy Research/Mathematica).

(IF STATE CONTACT HAS NOT RESPONDED TO INITIAL EMAIL, SAY:) You recently received an email from me inviting your State to participate in the FNS–sponsored Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP. We would like your State to be included in the study.

(IF STATE CONTACT HAS RESPONDED TO INITIAL EMAIL, SAY:) Thanks for responding to the email I sent about the study.

C. Study Background Information

I’d like to give you some background information on the study and then hear your thoughts on participating.

The goal of this research is to better understand the effectiveness of strategies to improve SNAP access for elderly individuals and to identify best practices in implementing strategies to increase and sustain SNAP participation for the elderly. Ultimately we will use what we learn through this study to provide recommendations to FNS that will help States maximize SNAP access for the elderly. We are interested in strategies such as simplified application processes, interview waivers, standardized medical deductions, longer certification periods and reduced reporting requirements, and integrated SNAP and SSI applications.

To collect data for the study, we will conduct a three-day visit to [State] to interview administrators and staff from the SNAP agency and community-based organizations to document the design, implementation, and operation of various SNAP policies and procedures you have in place. Additionally, the study team will conduct interviews and focus groups with elderly SNAP participants and eligible nonparticipants to learn about their experiences with SNAP and barriers to SNAP participation. We will also request that you provide us with data from your SNAP administrative case records system which we will use to examine how different policies and procedures are associated with changes in SNAP applications, caseloads, participation spells, and benefit levels for elderly households and sub-groups of elderly individuals.

We will work collaboratively with you and your colleagues to schedule the visit, identify interview respondents, and determine which SNAP offices in the State to visit. We know you are extremely busy so will do everything we can to be sensitive to constraints in staff schedules and minimize any disruption to normal business. The site visit and our collection of your SNAP data would not occur until the spring or summer of 2018, so we have plenty of time to plan ahead.

Do you have any questions about the study at this time? [If so, answer questions using FAQ document, then proceed in script]

Do you have any thoughts or concerns about participating?

[Address/respond to thoughts or concerns]

[Tell State contact they are welcome to discuss whether they’d like to participate with other staff if necessary]

As a next step, I would like to email you a template for a Memorandum of Understanding (or MOU) that we could customize to specify the terms of data sharing for the study. We recognize that the State may require additional agreements and we are open to working with you on those. I’d also like to schedule another call so that we can discuss your decision about participating in the study once you’ve had a chance to review the MOU and discuss the study with your colleagues. Who should we include on the email containing the MOU, and when would be a good time for that call?

RECORD DAY AND TIME FOR CALL: ___________________________________________

RECORD OTHER EMAIL RECIPIENTS: __________________________________________

Thank you for your time. I look forward to speaking with you again! END CALL.

D.1 When State Contact is not Available/Busy

We sent an email to (STATE CONTACT) that described the FNS-sponsored Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP. We would like to invite your state to participate in this important study.

Would you please leave a message for (STATE CONTACT) mentioning that I called about this study? When is a good time to call back?

Callback Date/Time: ____________________________________________________

Thank you for your help. END CALL.

D.2 When State Contact Has Long-Term Unavailability

We sent an email to (STATE CONTACT) that described the FNS-sponsored Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP. We would like to invite your state to participate in this important study.

Can you connect me to someone who may be able to help determine whether the [State] SNAP agency would be able to participate in the study?

May I have the name, title, and contact information for that person? (ENTER THE CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE MESSAGE FIELD.)

CONTACT: _______________________________________________________________

Thank you for your help. END CALL.

Leaving a Telephone Message

Hello, [STATE CONTACT]. I’m calling from [Social Policy Research/Mathematica Policy Research]. Recently, you received an email about the FNS-sponsored Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access to SNAP. We would like to invite your State to participate in this important research.

Please contact me at [FILL NUMBER] or by email at [FILL EMAIL] at your earliest convenience to discuss the study. Thank you.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.  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 Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx*).  Do not return the completed form to this address.