New Student Law Could Leverage Innovative Waiver
At mRelief, we have been following the new law that will be a huge opportunity to enable Illinois students to meet their food needs. Starting next September, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services will be working together to empower recipients of the Monetary Award Program about their SNAP eligibility. Here is how the new law works:
- It streamlines the process of notifying students about SNAP eligibility by including it in their annual notice for eligibility for the MAP program.
- It points students in the direction of tangible ways they can enroll: 1) directly with the state or 2) through the Illinois Hunger Coalition Hotline.
As these notifications increase awareness, this also means that the caseload will expand for SNAP, increasing the number of interviews for caseworkers in Illinois. One exciting waiver that IDHS could pursue has been utilized to distribute the workload of interviews is the Community Partner Interviewer Demonstration Project. This allows a community based organization to conduct the SNAP interview on behalf of the State agency.
The Benefits Connection Program run by Second Harvest Central Florida partners with Florida’s Department of Children and Families to implement this waiver and has seen solid results. Here is how it works:
- They have implemented a mobile online model so their case workers can help clients apply in the field and then subsequently interview clients.
- Second Harvest caseworkers go into the field with laptops, notecards, mobile scanners, and signature pads.
- This final approval is made by a decentralized review committee that works for the Department of Children and Families - (they can work in office or remotely from home) and all applications and documents are approved by this committee before cards are activated.
Some results of this program include:
- Average Approval Timeline: 7 days
- 90% Approval
As more students become aware of their eligibility, the Community Partner Interviewer Demonstration Project may be a huge opportunity for IDHS to innovate and achieve timeliness while serving more families with the amazing nonprofit organizations that can mobilize capacity and technology to ensure that every student can meet their food needs in 2020.
