Appendix C1 - Letters to SNAP Directors-Letter to County and Local SNAP Office Directors-NC&OR

APPENDIX C1 -- Letters to SNAP Directors_Letter to County and Local SNAP Office Directors-NC&OR

[North Carolina and Oregon Letter to County and Local Offices -- On State letterhead]

OMB No. 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

[DATE]

[NAME]

[TITLE]

[ADDRESS]

Dear [Salutation, NAME]:

We are writing to you as a reminder regarding your participation in a study to assess the contributions of an interview to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility and benefit determinations. Mathematica Policy Research is conducting this study with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The objective of the study is to examine the impacts of eliminating the required client interview for SNAP certification and recertification. Three states have been awarded grants to participate in this study—North Carolina, Oregon, and Utah. They will identify a demonstration area that eliminates the SNAP interview and a comparison area that continues to use the current state method of interviewing in each state for analysis. The study will evaluate whether, and to what extent, the client interview method affects participation, efficiency, access, payment accuracy, administrative costs, customer access, and staff and client satisfaction. The results of this study will provide FNS with guidance as they develop guidelines to help states further improve program operating efficiency and access. For additional information, a project fact sheet and answers to frequently asked questions are enclosed for your review.

Your office is being asked to participate in the study because it is included in the [demonstration/comparison] area for this study. We encourage you to participate in the study. Feedback from you and members of your staff about your specific experiences will provide important details about the implementation and operation of [STATE’s] demonstration project. Staff from Mathematica will soon be in contact with you to discuss this study and schedule an on-site visit and interviews. The information that you provide will be used to help assess the effectiveness of the demonstration.

We would like to thank you in advance for your important contribution to this research. If you have questions or concerns about this study, please contact Scott Cody, the study director, by email at scody@mathematica-mpr.com or by phone at (617) 715-6937. You can also contact Rosemarie Downer, the FNS Project Officer, by email at Rosemarie.Downer@fns.usda.gov or by phone at (703) 305-2129.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[TITLE]

[STATE AGENCY]

cc: Gretchen Rowe

Rosemarie Downer

Scott Cody

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 3 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

[