Table 2.
Characteristics of States (n = 13) Represented in In-Depth Interviews about the Implementation of Program Linkages to Promote Co-Enrollment in Public Benefit Programs.
| Characteristic | Sample n (%) | U.S. N (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 13 (100) | 50 (100) |
| Political Characteristics | ||
| Political Party Affiliation of Governor* | ||
| Republican | 6 (46) | 27 (54) |
| Democrat | 7 (54) | 23 (46) |
| Geographic Characteristics | ||
| U.S. Census Region | ||
| Northeast | 4 (31) | 9 (18) |
| South | 2 (15) | 12 (24) |
| Midwest | 2 (15) | 16 (32) |
| West | 5 (38) | 13 (26) |
| Population Characteristics | ||
| Size† | ||
| < 2,000,000 | 4 (31) | 14 (28) |
| 2,000,000 – 9,000,000 | 5 (38) | 25 (50) |
| >9,000,000 | 4 (31) | 11 (22) |
| Rurality‡ | ||
| ≤25 % rural | 7 (54) | 21 (42) |
| >25 % rural | 6 (46) | 29 (58) |
| Population <100% of the Federal Poverty Level§ | ||
| ≤10 % | 3 (23) | 13 (26) |
| >10 % | 10 (77) | 37 (74) |
| Public Benefit Program Administration | ||
| State or County Administration of SNAP | ||
| State | 11 (85) | 40 (80) |
| County | 2 (15) | 10 (20) |
| Previous Participation in Work Support Strategies or Integrated Benefits Initiative Pilot | 10 (77) | 11 (22) |
| SNAP Caseload, median (IQR)ll | 760,469 (1,002,955) | 529,435 (629,780) |
| Medicaid/CHIP Caseload, median (IQR)** | 1,468,338 (2,028,254) | 958,732 (1,357,725) |
| Established Methods to Promote Co-Enrollment | ||
| Direct Certification Rate, 2018–2019†† | ||
| <95 % | 3 (23) | 12 (24) |
| > 95 % | 10 (77) | 38 (76) |
| Number of Programs with Online Applications, mean (sd)§§ | 3 (1.1) | 3 (0.9) |
| Number of Programs with Combined Applications, mean (sd)§§ | 3 (1.6) | 3 (1.2) |
Governor political party defined at the time of the interview.
Per the 2020 Census (United States Census Bureau. Explore Census Data, 2022).
Defined by the proportion of housing units in the state being classified as rural per the 2010 Census (United States Census Bureau. Explore Census Data, 2022).
Per the 2019 ACS 1-Year Estimates (United States Census Bureau. Explore Census Data, 2022).
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) caseload as reported by the USDA for December 2019 (U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrion Service, 2022).
Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) caseload as reported by states to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for December 2019 (Medicaid.gov., 2022).
Direct certification is the mandated process in which children are automatically certified for the National School Lunch Program without application based on participation in another means-tested public benefit program. The USDA has set a benchmark of 95%. Data from school year 2018–2019. (Renalli et al., 2021).
Online applications and combined applications for five total programs: Medicaid, SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and/or Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as of 2019. (Code For America, 2022).