Combating Food Insecurity: Tools For Helping Older Adults Access SNAP AARP Foundation Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)

Hunger Among Older Americans  In 2013, 8.7% of all households with a person aged 65 or older were “food insecure”  In 2012, more than 4 million Americans 60 and older participated in SNAP, which is 9% of the total number of Americans using SNAP  Most eligible Americans are not enrolled in SNAP. In 2011, 3 out of 5 eligible adults 60+ missed out on SNAP, and significant gaps in participation exist in all states  In 2009, researchers estimated that 4.9 million Americans aged were food insecure

*Source: AARP State of the 50+ in New York City Report, page 47, July The full report can be found at: ics/general/2014/State-of-the-50-Plus-in-NYC-2014-AARP-res- gen.pdf

AARP Foundation and FRAC Toolkit /i/ snap-toolkit

Barriers to SNAP for Seniors  Do not know they may be eligible  Do not know how to apply  Feel stigma related to receiving government assistance  Believe their benefits would deprive other needy people of aid  Do not have transportation  Do not know how to use technology associated with online applications  Believe the application and enrollment process is too intrusive, complicated, or time-consuming

 Myth 1: If I apply for SNAP, I’ll only get $16 per month.  Reality: The average SNAP household with a senior in New York receives $ per month. SNAP households with more than one senior receive an average benefit of $ per month. Myths about SNAP* *Source: AARP and AARP Foundation’s 2012 Summit Report: “Hunger Among Older New Yorkers Breaking Down the Barriers”; the full report can be found at: content/uploads/2013/09/AARP-NY-2013-Hunger-White-Paper.pdf

 Myth 2: By participating in SNAP, older adults will be taking away benefits from others who need them more, such as working families and children.  Reality: SNAP benefits are available to all eligible individuals who qualify. SNAP benefits are funded with federal money, and no participant is taking anything away from another person in need. In fact, every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates $9 in total community spending. Myths about SNAP* *Source: AARP and AARP Foundation’s 2012 Summit Report: “Hunger Among Older New Yorkers Breaking Down the Barriers”; the full report can be found at: content/uploads/2013/09/AARP-NY-2013-Hunger-White-Paper.pdf

 Myth 3: Older adults are required to have a face-to-face interview before SNAP benefits can be issued.  Reality: Older adults may have a face-to-face interview if that is their preference; however, in New York State, it is common for the interview to be conducted by telephone or by a scheduled home visit. Myths about SNAP* *Source: AARP and AARP Foundation’s 2012 Summit Report: “Hunger Among Older New Yorkers Breaking Down the Barriers”; the full report can be found at: NY-2013-Hunger-White-Paper.pdf

SNAP Outreach Planning 1. Identify the target audience:  Be clear about target geographic areas and population demographics  Focus efforts on specific zip codes/towns/cities  Ask state agency to conduct a data match between SNAP and other programs

SNAP Outreach Planning 2. Choose strategies and tactics:  By revealing those in the community that need help accessing SNAP, one can identify the strategies that can be used to increase access to SNAP benefits  3 core strategies:  Education  Prescreening  Application assistance

SNAP Outreach Planning 3. Plan to measure success:  Set specific, realistic objectives around targeted number of people and what channels to utilize in order to achieve desired outcome

Education SNAP Messaging:  Conduct audience research using focus groups, testing messages, and materials used by local SNAP agencies  Use simple language  Write at a 5th or 6th grade level to accommodate different literacy levels  Use images, infographics, and illustrations that convey actions  Use translated materials (enlist help from local CBOs and universities for translations) that are available from SNAP state or local agencies, and the USDA  Consider additional special subpopulations for personalized messages (e.g., Veterans, grandparents, older people of color)

Education Disseminating Messages:  Trusted messengers  individuals and organizations that have credibility with older adults (e.g., elected officials, health care providers, faith-based community organizations)  Strategic partnerships  retailers, grocers, pharmacies, farmers’ markets, senior centers, senior housing, cross-program collaboration

Prescreening  Predicting an applicant’s eligibility and benefit level  Methods include both paper and online based assessments  Can take place in any setting where outreach workers interact with older Americans (e.g., senior centers, housing community rooms, food pantries)

Application Assistance  Peer-to-Peer Model – engages older adult volunteers who are sensitive to applicants’ needs and can relate to the aging experience  Peers may have personal experience with public programs like SNAP, Medicare, and Social Security  Can more personally communicate and help address barriers for potential applicants

Application Assistance Outreach workers help clients to:  Understand and fill out the application  Submit or assist with sending applications and other necessary documents to SNAP offices  Claim excess medical deductions, which are the most underutilized deductions **Outreach methods may be limited by funder or grant requirements, so strategize accordingly

Application Assistance Authorized Representatives can be helpful for those needing assistance navigating the application process or shopping with their SNAP benefits  Important for individuals who are confused with the application process or incapacitated and cannot travel  Authorized representatives can help in case of illness or injury down the road

Evaluating Success Key metrics to consider within outreach effort, implementation, and final reporting:  Awareness – number and type of all contacts (mailings, phone calls, and events)  Screenings – number of clients screened  Applications – number of applications submitted to SNAP offices  Dispositions – number of follow-up calls to clients

Evaluating Success Follow-up:  Monitor contact with seniors, and help increase their benefit amounts by reporting changes or other deductions  Conduct interview with partners that have helped with outreach  Produce anecdotal information about positive impacts of SNAP enrollment for clients  Interview personnel at local supermarkets and farmers’ markets about economic impacts of the project-assisted SNAP enrollments

Evaluating Success Systemic Issues:  SNAP outreach workers should track problems that clients encounter (barriers to access) and report information to a central data bank  Use special worksheet/spreadsheet  Sort problems by date, issue, and SNAP office location  Case processing backlogs, delayed determinations, busy phone lines, lost docs, etc.  You may spot trends that warrant SNAP agency systemic response

Evaluating Success Benefit Dollars Leveraged:  Estimate the dollar benefit amount that resulted from SNAP enrollments  Use the average monthly SNAP benefit amount for seniors in your state and multiply the value by the number of program enrollments per month  Multiply this value by 12 to get an annual estimate  Seniors are usually certified for 24 months, so it can be appropriate to provide a multi-year estimate for the amount of benefit dollars generated by the project’s work with seniors

Evaluating Success Economic Activity Generated:  SNAP benefits bring in federal dollars and have ripple effects for the entire food chain  Including an effect on farmers, food processors, truckers, supermarkets, and other retail food outlets  Estimate economic impact: multiply the estimated dollar benefit amount by 1.79 (multiplier factor resulting from USDA’s analysis of the economic impact of SNAP spending)

Evaluating Success Sharing Lessons Learned:  SNAP outreach project partners should develop a relationship with their local SNAP offices  SNAP offices will welcome your feedback and insights on systemic problems  Outreach projects provide SNAP offices with trained outreach partners that streamline the application process for SNAP case workers by submitting completed applications with accurate information