X Lab article on improving SNAP recertification published in JBPA

Sep 24, 2020

Testing behavioral interventions designed to improve on-time SNAP recertification

Leonard M. Lopoo, Colleen Heflin & Joseph Boskovski

Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, September 2020

Leonard M. Lopoo

Colleen Heflin

Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Aging Studies Institute

Center for Policy Research

Maxwell X Lab

State & Local

Journal of Behavioral Public Administration

Leonard M. Lopoo

Colleen Heflin

"Testing behavioral interventions designed to improve on-time SNAP recertification," co-authored by Maxwell X Lab Director Len Lopoo, Professor Colleen Heflin, and Maxwell X Lab Managing Director Joe Boskovski, was published in the Journal of Behavioral Public Administration. Given the different levels of governance and the abundance of qualifying rules and processes that low-income households must negotiate to obtain and retain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance benefits, many households fail to recertify for SNAP. Administrative burden includes the difficulties created by having to learn deadlines and which forms constitute the proper paperwork necessary to recertify. The authors found that behaviorally-informed text message reminders are more effective than recorded phone messages in reducing learning costs for SNAP applicants. 09/24/20