Appendix F. Community Partners Interview Guide

OMB Approval No. 0584-####

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XX

Appendix F. Community Partners Interview Guide

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in understanding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid coordination. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to aid in the administration of SNAP. This collection does request personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 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 valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-[xxxx]. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 55 minutes (.9167 hours) per response, including responding to recruitment outreach, participating in interviews, and reviewing and providing feedback on process maps. 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 Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22306 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return any completed materials to this address.

Community Partners Interview Protocol

Background

To start, we would like to ask for some background information about you, your role, and an organizational overview.

1. What is your current job title or position?

2. How long have you been in this position?

3. What are your primary responsibilities?

4. Can you provide an overview of your organization?

   1. What population do you serve?

   2. What services do you offer to support enrollment in public programs?

   3. Do you help participants apply and/or recertify for SNAP, Medicaid, or both?

   4. Does your organization have a formal agreement with the State agency to assist SNAP and/or Medicaid participants?

Communication

Now we’re going to ask a series of questions about coordination activities between SNAP and Medicaid. We are particularly interested in MAGI Medicaid participants. When we use the word “coordination” we’d encourage you to think of that term broadly – it could encompass anything from policies, to procedures, to IT solutions to communication strategies that a state might use to coordinate between two programs. We are particularly interested in activities that have been shown to improve efficiency, customer service, accuracy, and/or program access.

Next, I would like to learn more about outreach strategies.

1. Can you provide an overview of your organization’s outreach strategy?

1. What participants are targeted?

2. What outreach strategies have been the most successful? Does this differ by SNAP and Medicaid participants?

2. How do you communicate to participants about what programs are available and what programs they might be eligible for?

1. What information is provided about Medicaid to SNAP applicants?

2. What information is provided about SNAP to Medicaid applicants?

3. Did the State agency or local SNAP or Medicaid office provide guidance on communicating this information?

   1. What opportunities do you have, if any, to meet regularly with SNAP and Medicaid to hear about or discuss coordination efforts between the programs?

Application Process

Next, I’d like to ask you to provide some information on what a typical client interaction looks like.

1. Can you walk us through your organization’s role in the application process for SNAP and MAGI Medicaid applicants? Does this differ for non-MAGI Medicaid participants?

   1. Are you capable of filling out materials on behalf of the client? If yes, is this done in person or telephonically?

2. What are the most frequently used modes for individuals to apply for [SNAP or Medicaid] (e.g., in-person, call-center, online, hybrid)?

1. Is one method better for participants applying to SNAP and Medicaid?

2. Do you have access to any kind of online portal to assist your clients with their applications? If yes, can you describe the online portal to us? (e.g., same portal State staff use, separate portals for each organization, employee vs client facing)

   1. Do you have access to any additional information (e.g., status) to help people enroll? For one or both programs?

3. How long does it typically take participants to apply for SNAP and MAGI Medicaid benefits?

4. How easy is it to apply for SNAP and Medicaid?

1. What features help participants streamline the application process when applying for both programs (e.g., auto filling relevant information)?

1. What impact do the features have on beneficiaries?

1. What services that you provide do you think are the most instrumental in getting people enrolled in both programs?

2. What are the biggest barriers your organization faces in getting people enrolled in both programs?

Eligibility Redetermination Process

Next, we’d like to ask you to provide insights into the eligibility redetermination process.

1. Can you walk through your organization’s role in helping participants recertifying for [SNAP or MAGI Medicaid]?

   1. How do clients recertify (e.g., in-person, call-center, online, hybrid)?

      1. Which method is the most common? Does it differ by Medicaid program (e.g., MAGI vs non MAGI?)

   2. What information is required?

1. We understand that your State uses [insert coordination strategies] to align the SNAP and MAGI Medicaid renewal process. What’s your perspective on these strategies?

   1. How effective are these strategies?

   2. Are there any unintended consequences?

2. Are you aware of any other strategies the State takes to try and align or coordinate the redetermination process for SNAP and MAGI Medicaid? If so, how effective are those strategies? Probe on:

1. Aligning Medicaid renewals during SNAP recertification (probe on what this will look like after the unwinding period ends and regular operations resume)

2. Auto or ex parte renewals

3. Synchronized certification periods

4. Express lane eligibility

5. Sharing of data by the State directly to community partners (e.g., lists of individuals who are enrolled in one program and are eligible for another, but not enrolled)

Lessons Learned

To close, we would like to learn about your perspective on coordinating SNAP and Medicaid, as well as any challenges, successes, lessons learned, and best practices you have experienced.

1. Have there been opportunities for your organization to provide feedback on coordination efforts to the State? If yes, can you describe that process?

2. Have there been any unintended consequences of coordinating SNAP and Medicaid?

3. What additional support or resources would be helpful from the State or Local [SNAP or Medicaid] agency/office?

4. Is there anything we did not ask about you think is important for us to know?

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.