PROJECT OVERVIEW
Content uploader slightly decreases procedural denials but has no effect on perceived ease and trust
Highlights
The State of Louisiana has piloted a digital document uploader for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications.
A survey among SNAP applicants was conducted to examine the relative ease of applying using the uploader, and whether this had a downstream effect on people’s trust in government.
There was no significant difference between the status-quo and digital uploader groups in terms of self-reported ease of completing the application, as well as trust in the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). We cannot validly draw conclusions about the size of any effects because of issues in the implementation of the experiment.
Overview
The State of Louisiana has piloted a digital document uploader for SNAP applications - a user-friendly web-based interface to submit required SNAP application documents. An evaluation by the U.S. Office of Evaluation Sciences found a 1.1 percentage point decrease in procedural denials in the digital uploader group compared to the status-quo, but did not observe an increase in SNAP enrollment.
However, significant data constraints related to issues in the implementation of the text messaging campaign limit drawing valid inferences, particularly about the magnitude of any effects. The same caution should be applied to the analysis presented below, which relies on survey data.
Findings
FINDING 1
There was no statistically significant difference in the perceived ease of completing their SNAP application between applicants in the digital document uploader group and the status quo.
People in the control group reported a mean of 2.49 (on a 5-point likert scale) in terms of ease of completing the application, and applicants in the treatment group reported a 2.44. Results remain substantially similar when limiting the analysis to applicants who responded to have submitted verification documents (i.e., 2.41 in control vs 2.40 in treatment).
Image Caption: Ease of completing application between treatment and control groups.
FINDING 2
Examining trust in the DCSF - the agency administering SNAP in Louisiana - similarly, there was no statistically significant difference between treatment and control.
Applicants in the control group report a mean of 3.29 (on a 5-point likert scale); applicants in the treatment group report a mean of 3.31. Results remain the same when limiting the analysis to applicants who responded to have submitted verification documents (i.e., 3.29 in control vs 3.31 in treatment).
Image Caption: Trust in DCSF between treatment and control groups.
Approach
The efficacy of the digital document uploader has been evaluated by means of a randomized text messaging campaign. SNAP applicants in the State of Louisiana were sent text message reminders to upload verification documents. Only applicants in the treatment condition, however, received a link to the digital document uploader platform and an encouragement to use it. A total of 33,574 text reminders were sent between September and December of 2023, of which 16,921 applications were allocated to the treatment group.
An applicant survey was administered to the study population of the aforementioned evaluation. A total of 3,268 applicants responded (1,608 in control and 1,660 in treatment conditions). The purpose of the survey was to examine subjective perceptions of administrative burdens; or in other words, whether being directed to the digital document uploader reduces perceived burdens of the SNAP application process. A question on institutional trust also asked applicants about their trust in DCSF.
Funders: Code for America, WalMart Foundation, Gates Foundation