oo"^' ■ft ov 0 n- 2 • r 73// tlFUffidsuPI.
Food Stamp Program Client Enrollment Assistance
Demonstration Projects: Final Evaluation Report
Summary
Background
In the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, Congress authorized a
program of grants to demonstrate and test methods of Food Stamp Program (FSP) outreach
and enrollment assistance to hard-to-reach, underserved population groups. Beginning in
1993, FNS made 26 such grants totaling $2.8 million in 17 states. The evaluation of these
demonstrations posed two main questions: (1) what barriers do clients experience and
perceive in accessing the FSP; and (2) what methods of outreach and enrollment assistance
help overcome these barriers?
Findings
The results of the demonstrations suggest that a number of practical techniques are effective
in reaching eligible non-participants; for many, this assistance may make the difference in
their ability to participate in the program. Specific findings include:
• For limited, traditional outreach efforts to be effective, potential recipients must
possess a number of critical skills and attributes. When people possess these
attributes, simple informational messages or referrals are sufficient. However, for many
eligible non-participating families and individuals the study identified a number of major
client-centered barriers to access, including:
• Lack of access to technical support (transportation, telephones, copying machines)
• Lack of social support systems (no family or friends to help with child care and
transportation, uncooperative employers and landlords)
• Lack of adequate life skills (poor literacy, communication, or organizational skills;
limited coping skills; low tolerance for stress; low motivation and perseverance)
• Unstable living situations (no regular housing or employment; family violence,
marital breakup or other family crises)
• Poor health (impaired ability to travel, wait long periods, or think with clarity)
Indeed, some participants needed a level of sustained help much greater than the
demonstration projects could provide. But for a sizable number of families and
individuals facing these barriers, practical enrollment assistance proved both necessary
and effective.
• A comprehensive approach is most successful in assisting eligible persons. The most
effective projects included the following range and sequence of activities: 1) establishing
active public/private collaboration; 2) developing systematic needs assessment and/or
client-identification methods; 3) providing public information and education services; 4)
offering individualized client application-assistance services; and 5) providing client
follow-up and advocacy services.
A full range of individualized client application-assistance services were the most
critical element in the more effective demonstration projects. Important services included
a detailed explanation ofthe application process (especially in conjunction with pre-
V ^OO.0^0V3)M0 /
screening), help in completing the application and preparing documentation, transportation
assistance, accompaniment to interview, translation services, and authorized representation
for elderly, disabled, and traumatized individuals.
• Strong public-private collaboration was also consistently important in the
demonstrations. Because local food stamp offices resources are generally inadequate to
conduct the necessary assistance, successful programs developed collaboration and
partnership between the local offices and private-sector grantees to reach clients effectively.
X
Home Economics and Household Collection
