Benefits Data Trust (BDT )

Direct outreach and application assistance:since 2005, Benefits Data Trust (bdt) has helped people in states across the country secure more than $10 billion in Benefits that help pay for food, medicine, housing and other critical assistance. Bdt partners with government agencies and cross-sector stakeholders, such as healthcare plans and colleges and universities, to use Data to identify and reach out to individuals who are not currently accessing the critical Benefits and services for which they qualify. (continued on schedule o)individuals are invited to connect by phone with trained staff at bdt's Benefits centers who use bdt's proprietary software to help people complete applications for up to 21 Benefits and services at once, eliminating the burden and redundancy of navigating each program separately. For programs in which bdt cannot submit the application on a person's behalf, bdt provides information about how to apply. Direct outreach and application assistance is currently provided in partnership with government agencies in seven states. This is a grant funded program that is a free service to the people who call us.

Government policy and practice assistance:since our founding in 2005, bdt has provided policy and practice assistance to 21 states nationwide to help them streamline Benefits access. Bdt helps state agencies explore, apply for, and operationalize the collection of waivers, state options, and process improvements available, including data-matching, cross-program enrollment coordination, data-driven outreach, and application simplification. In 2022, with grant funding, bdt worked with medicaid agencies in six states to implement best practices to prevent people from losing medicaid coverage when they remain eligble. (continued on schedule o)bdt's non-partisan policy work also includes the creation and dissemination of reports, issue briefs, playbooks, and webinars that promote effective policies and practices to streamline access to public benefit programs. In 2022, bdt released a toolkit designed to increase participation in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (wic) through Data matching and texting,developed in partnership with the center on budget and policy priorities and supported by grant funding. This work informed the strategy for the usda food and nutrition service's $390 million fund for wic modernization, which encourages states to adopt data-driven practices for streamlining wic access at scale.

Data and technology:bdt uses Data and technology to design solutions that improve access to essential Benefits and services. We have Data sharing agreements with more than 40 government agencies, healthcare organizations and other entities. We analyze Data to better connect those in need to public Benefits that they are eligible for; we use machine learning to power our chatbot that helps students navigate federal financial aid forms for college; and we leverage text messaging to reach out to millions of people about deadlines for benefit applications. (continued on schedule o)by building predictive models and intelligent tools, we seek to provide a more dignified experience while increasing benefit application rates, optimizing staff call time, providing people with help through a variety of channels that seamlessly connect, and reaching out to families as soon as they need support.