Get answers to open questions from NJ stakeholders

[allyceh]

Quick submit process and purpose:

• What scenarios would warrant applicants using quick submit? Can you provide a few examples of why they might use it today? What applicants would benefit from using quick submit?
• Describe the process for processing a quick submit application. Do you treat quick submit like an unfinished application, or a different process?
• How are quick submit questions prioritized at NJ? Expedited because they need more info? Different funnel? Same funnel?
• How often do caseworkers help applicants figure out what programs they are eligible for? Are they always directed to NJ Helps, like we heard from some caseworkers? (We'd like to have the tool help applicants determine their eligibility, or at least prevent them from filling out a form, only to find out they aren't eligible at the end...)

Eligibility

• How does NJ plan to integrate the NJ Helps eligibility tool with their new online application? Why (or why not) would they want to pursue that? Any barriers to doing this?
• What are the different scenarios for eligibility that we have to account for in the application? Can we see the logic written for the NJ Helps tool?
• How many people submit an application for benefits that aren't actually eligible? Can we have this data?
• What are common reasons for rejecting an application? Do you track this data?

Creating a new case:

• Can the information provided from quick submit create a case? What is the minimum amount of information needed for caseworkers to create a case? This will help us identify which information is "required" in the application.

Data from applicants:
Framing: we heard your feedback that the app is too long. Going back to the reg requirements (we'll have this questions), are they any additional questions we must ask to be able to process the application?

• What does NJ do with the case number information they ask for? And, if the applicant provides their SSN, can we remove this question for them (SSN linked to case numbers?)?
  • What about the PARIS system? Can we access case numbers across state lines?
• Can we remove DOB for quick submit, if a caseworker can collect that information later?
• Is sex/gender only required for quick submit if they identify as homeless?
• Can a person who is homeless use quick submit if they don't submit their phone number and email AND if they don't have a mailing address?
• Can the "are you the payee" question be removed from quick submit? If you aren't the payee, can you use quick submit?

Misc:

• Does NJ recertify benefits online?
• Currently, applicants must create an account to apply for benefits. Is there any appetite to design a process where applicants don't have to create an account? Or, where new applicants can create an account at the end?

[allyceh]

Notes from 10/19 pre-NJ sync:

• Per Ron, stored procedures show eligibility checks that OneApp does. (ex: If they have dependents or not.)
• Creating a case: OneTrack makes sure that applicants get an appointment with a caseworker.
• Previous or active cases: this isn't just for NJ, could be for another state. Difficult to tie SSN to other states cases.
• Payee: current app requires you to be the payee to be able to use quick submit.
• Recertification: we think no, maybe just new app. Would like to double check.

[allyceh]

Send list of questions to Alecia and she will route to the right person.

[allyceh]

Shared a draft with @leahbannon2 for review. We'll send out when we feel good about the email.

[allyceh]

Here are Alecia's initial responses:

1. We understand that a small number of applicants use the quick submit option today. Why do you think that is? Because of the way OneApp presents this option, because it's not an appealing option for applicants, or something else?

• Most of the time it’s due to time-constraints. This may be due to applications completed with Outreach vendors at events or when persons are shopping at a food pantry and they don’t have time to complete the entire application. We also see this (pre-COVID) in the CWAs where persons come in to apply but can’t be seen the same day so an online application is done at a kiosk with minimal information to secure their application date. Or it’s done with a worker at the CWA to get the information into ONETrac and then complete the rest of the process in the eligibility system.

2. What scenarios would warrant applicants using quick submit? Can you provide a few examples of why they might use it today?

• See above examples. Also social workers completing it with prisoners prior to release is becoming more common. They may enter limited information.

3. Are there specific types of applicants that would benefit from using quick submit rather than submitting the entire application up front?

• Those with limited English or Spanish proficiency, technologically challenged or limited (e.g. limited internet access).

4. How do caseworkers process quick submit applications? Is there an entirely different business process for reviewing these?

• They have to complete an interview with the individual and input the missing information into the eligibility system. Or send out a request for missing documents that would allow them to finish gathering needed information.

5. How are quick submit questions prioritized by caseworkers against other applications?

• They’re not other than the fact that they likely get screened as being expedite eligible if there isn’t any income or expense information to determine otherwise.

6. There was feedback in the prototype that it felt like there were too many steps before we allowed the applicant to submit their app using quick submit. We hear you, and we want to streamline this as much as possible. Aside from the minimum amount of info that is required by law to process the application, are there any additional questions that we must ask applicants in order for caseworkers to be able to start processing the application?

• I think the law has to precede our preference. We may want to but we really can’t. Even with more than the minimal information, it is extremely rare for an application to have all information needed to process. Workers almost always need verifying documents. So the questions alone aren’t enough for a worker to start processing an application.

[allyceh]

Here are Alecia's responses to our follow up questions:

1. Can you tell us what it would mean for caseworkers if the quick submit option was more prominent in the new application than it is in OneApp today?

• If more applicants opt to use quick submit, how would that impact caseworkers? It would cause extra work for the workers and delay processing.

2. How strongly should language communicate that applicants should finish the entire application? Knowing this will help us make decisions about how we communicate the quick submit option to applicants and how quick submit should be designed.

• I think it should be fairly strong with a clear explanation. Here is what we say on recert applications. (see email for screenshot)

3. Per the law, we'll provide a way for people to submit an app with just name, address, and signature. Other states find it helpful to include a very small number of optional questions after asking for this required info to help caseworkers contact the applicant. Would it be helpful to give applicants the option of providing their phone number, email, preferred language, or other info?

• These would not be required fields. Sure, but it should be on the same page as the name, address, and submit button.

4. Lastly, you told us a little bit about how caseworkers process quick submit applications. Would it be possible to connect with a caseworker to see how they would use OneApp to help applicants fill out their information, or use OneTrac/UAP to determine eligibility and complete the interview? Understanding the parts of the application that applicants typically get stuck on will help us improve those areas in the new app. We wouldn't be showing caseworkers the prototype-- we're just looking to understand their process in more detail. I’m not sure this is necessary at this time.

• We’ve already done some analysis of completion rates for sections of OneApp and Jenn interviewed clients and case workers and outreach workers previously. I think we can refer to the work that has already been done to start there.