Attachment J.1. PRETEST_National Survey of State SNAP Data Matching, State-Level Survey

Attachment J.1

PRETEST —National Survey of State SNAP Data Matching,

State-Level Survey Instrument

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Assessment of States’ Use of Computer Matching Protocols in SNAP

Draft Survey Instrument – State

March 8, 2017

INTRODUCTION

This survey is about the methods used in your SNAP program to corroborate information you receive. We will use the terms “data matching” and “data sources” frequently throughout. By “data matching” we mean comparing the data you have on a SNAP applicant/recipient to data from another source. By “data sources” we mean numerous state and federal databases, systems, and agencies that provide data on individuals for this purpose.

For this Pilot Study, we would like you to keep track of how long the survey took to complete. Please record the time you started the survey and the time you completed it. While taking the survey, write down any questions or concerns you have. We will be asking you for your feedback after you complete the survey.

Section A: Matching Process

A1. In your State, is SNAP data matching performed at the State level, county or local level, or a hybrid of both?

Mark one only

1 State level only (GO TO A2)

2 County or local level only

The next six questions (i.e., Questions A1.a – A1.f) are for States where there is county
or local-level data matching. States with data matching only at the State level are to skip
these questions and proceed directly to Question A2.

3 At both the State and the county/local levels

A1a. How do the counties or local-level offices in your State conduct data matching?

Mark one only

1 All counties/local offices perform the same data matches, using the same data sources

2 Counties/local offices perform the same data matches, but the data sources vary

3 Counties/local offices perform different data matches, but use the same data sources

4 Data matching processes and sources vary by county/local office

-9 Don’t know

A1b. Why do county or local offices perform data matching in your State?

Mark all that apply

1 It is required by State statute or regulation that counties or local offices perform data matching

2 The State agency has requested or recommended that counties/local offices perform data matching in lieu of, or in addition to, the State performing data matching

3 County or local offices have requested to perform data matching

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

A1c. What types of guidance does your State provide to counties or local offices on the process of data matching?

Mark all that apply

1 Data matching rules documentation

2 Verification of matches

3 Procedural manuals and guidance on following-up with recipients for additional information

4 No guidance is provided

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

A1d. Does your State provide technical assistance to help counties and local offices perform data matching for SNAP?

1 Yes

0 No

-9 Don’t know

A1e. Which, if any, quality assurance measures does your State use to ensure the completeness, quality, and timeliness of the data-matching processes performed by the counties or local offices?

Mark all that apply

1 Verification of a subset of data matches

2 Internal process and procedures reviews

3 Performance reviews of staff and corrective action plans

4 Internal management reports for monitoring data-matching workload

5 Case reviews

6 Regular training

7 None

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

A1f. (IF A1a = 1, 2, 3, or 4) Are you familiar with the data-matching processes and data sources used by counties or local offices in your State and able to answer questions about them?

1 Yes (GO TO A2)

If A1 = 2 and A1a = -9 OR A1 = 2 and A1f = 0, distribute County Module to county administrators.

If A1 = 2 and A1a = 1, 2, 3, or 4 and A1f = 1, GO TO A2 to answer for county-administered programs as a whole.

If A1 = 3 and A1a = -9 OR A1 = 3 and A1f = 0, GO TO A2 to answer for state-administered program, then distribute County Module to county administrators.

If A1 = 3 and A1a = 1, 2, 3, or 4 and A1f = 1, GO TO A2 to answer first for state-administered program, then answer for county-administered programs as a whole.

0 No (SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN BOX)

A2. How are match results communicated to SNAP administrative staff in your State?

Mark all that apply

1 Results are sent via email

2 Results are posted on the Intranet for internal viewing/download

3 Results are posted in agency data management system

4 Results are saved to a network drive

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

A3. Which, if any, quality assurance measures does your State use to ensure the completeness, quality, and timeliness of the data-matching process performed at the State level?

Mark all that apply

1 Verification of a subset of data matches

2 Internal process and procedures reviews

3 Internal performance reviews of staff and corrective action plans

4 Internal management reports for monitoring data-matching workload

5 Case reviews

6 Regular training

7 None

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

Section B: Data Sources

Questions in Sections B – F apply to all States and will be repeated for each data source used.

B1. To which data sources does your State match SNAP applicant and recipient data?

Mark all that apply

National Data Sources

1 Beneficiary & Earnings Data Exchange (BENDEX)

2 Electronic Disqualified Recipient System (eDRS)

3 Federal Retirement Systems

4 IRS income information

5 National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) New Hire file

6 Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)

7 Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

8 State Data Exchange (SDX)

9 Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program (SAVE)

10 State On-line Query/State On-line Query-Internet (SOLQ/SOLQ-I)

11 State Verification & Exchange System (SVES)

12 Prisoner Update Processing System (PUPS)/SSA Prisoner Verification System

13 Beneficiary Earnings Exchange Record System (BEERS)

14 Internet-Electronic Death Registration (I-EDR)/SSA Death Master File

15 40 Qualifying Quarters of Coverage

16 Numident/Social Security Number (SSN) Verification

17 Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) Interstate file

18 FBI Fleeing Felons

19 The Work Number

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

State Data Sources

1 State Workforce – Unemployment Insurance (UI)/State quarterly wage information/State employee information

2 State Directory of New Hires (SDNH)

3 State Prison Match

4 State Lottery

5 State child support payment

6 State birth records

7 State death records

8 Income information verified by other human service programs

9 State tax filings

10 Interstate data matching

11 National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC)

12 State Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program data source (LIHEAP)

13 Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B2. About how long has your State been conducting this match?

Mark one only

1 Less than one year

2 1-2 years

3 3-5 years

4 6-10 years

5 More than 10 years

-9 Don’t know

B3. When does your State perform the match?

Mark all that apply

1 At application submission

2 At initial certification

3 At recertification

4 At the time of the interim report under Simplified Reporting

5 At other times during benefit receipt

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B4. What is the primary method used to initiate a match in your State?

Mark one only

1 Request a file of cases to be matched from the data source

2 Directly query the data source to do the match (GO TO B4c)

3 Request that the data source send files for you to match

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B4a. How does your State transfer data to the entity that conducts the matching?

Mark all that apply

1 Electronic files are sent via email

2 Electronic files are uploaded via automatic process such as file transfer protocol (FTP) or other secured file transfer

3 Data are entered through web browser such as an online data entry portal

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B4b. How does your State receive results of the matching?

Mark all that apply

1 Results are sent via email

2 Electronic files are transferred via automatic process such as file transfer protocol (FTP) or other secured file transfer

3 Data are accessed through a web browser

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B4c. How often do you run matches against this source (either individually or in a batch process) in your State?

Mark one only

1 Daily

2 Weekly

3 Monthly

4 Quarterly

5 Three times per year

6 Two times per year

7 One time per year

99 Other frequency, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B5. What is the primary purpose of each match?

Mark one only

1 Verify earned income eligibility

2 Verify unearned income eligibility

3 Verify non-income eligibility – incarcerated

4 Verify non-income eligibility – deceased

5 Verify non-income eligibility – disqualified for benefits

6 Verify the proper amount of benefits

7 Verify eligibility for other human service program(s) [dropdown box: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid, CHIP, Foster Care, Other]

8 Verify employment status

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B6. For what additional purpose(s) does your State use this data match?

Mark all that apply

1 No additional purposes

2 Verify earned income eligibility

3 Verify unearned income eligibility

4 Verify non-income eligibility – incarcerated

5 Verify non-income eligibility – deceased

6 Verify non-income eligibility – disqualified for benefits

7 Verify non-income eligibility - other

8 Verify immigration status

9 Verify the proper amount of benefits

10 Verify eligibility for other human service program(s) [dropdown box: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid, CHIP, Foster Care, Other]

11 Verify employment status

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B7. For the purposes of data matching, how often does your State agency update or refresh SNAP caseload and application data?

Mark one only

1 Ongoing, real-time updates

2 Daily

3 Weekly

4 Monthly

5 Quarterly

6 Three times per year

7 Two times per year

8 One time per year

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

REPEAT QUESTIONS B2 THROUGH B7 FOR EACH SOURCE MARKED IN B1

Section C: Computer Match Elements and Operations

C1. Which SNAP data elements does your State use for this match?

Mark all that apply

1 Case number

2 Street address

3 City

4 County

5 Zip code

6 Phone number

7 Cell phone number

8 Email address

9 Social Security Number (SSN)

10 First name

11 Middle name

12 Last name

13 Date of birth

14 Gender

15 Race/Ethnicity

16 Disability status indicator

17 Citizenship status indicator

18 Employment status indicator

19 Other human services benefits recipient indicator

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C2. Is the match considered verified upon receipt?

Mark one only

1 Yes, it is considered verified upon receipt (GO TO C3)

2 No, all returned cases must be verified through additional matching or confirmation from secondary sources

3 No, a subset of returned cases must be verified through additional matching or confirmation from secondary sources

-9 Don’t know

C2a. What process(es) does your State use to verify matches?

Mark all that apply

1 A letter/notice is sent to the applicant/recipient to provide additional information

2 State agency staff conduct further examination of applicant/recipient documentation

3 County or local office staff conduct further examination of applicant/recipient documentation

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C2b. Are certain match returns prioritized in any way for verification?

1 Yes

0 No (GO TO C2d)

-9 Don’t know (GO TO C2d)

C2c. Please describe how cases are prioritized for verification.

________________________________________________ (500 char)

C2d. Who is responsible for conducting verification of the match results in your State?

Mark all that apply

1 SNAP management staff

2 SNAP quality control staff

3 Program managers

4 Eligibility staff

5 Local office staff

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C2e. How frequently are your State SNAP case files updated with information collected during verification of data matches?

Mark one only

1 Ongoing, real-time updates

2 Daily

3 Weekly

4 Monthly

5 Quarterly

6 Three times per year

7 Two times per year

8 One time per year

99 Other, specify __________________________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C3. Does your State require an exact match on all data elements used in the match?

1 Yes, all data elements must match exactly (GO TO C1 FOR NEXT SOURCE IN B1)

0 No, inexact or partial matches are allowed

-9 Don’t know (GO TO C1 FOR NEXT SOURCE IN B1)

C3a. For inexact or partial matches, does your State create a number or score indicating the strength or accuracy of the match?

1 Yes

0 No

-9 Don’t know

C3b. What process(es) does your State use to confirm inexact or partial matches?

Mark all that apply

1 No additional steps are taken

2 A letter is sent to the applicant/recipient

3 Secondary match rules are applied (i.e., other, secondary data elements are used to confirm the match)

4 State agency staff conduct further examination of records

5 County or local agency staff conduct further examination of records

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

REPEAT QUESTIONS C1 THROUGH C3B FOR EACH SOURCE MARKED IN B1

Section D: Computer Match Effectiveness

D1. How would you rate the effectiveness of data matching for each source your State uses? (In other words, how well does the match serve its purpose? For example, does the match aid in making eligibility determinations?)

(Fill rows with data sources marked in B1)

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	Very Effective	Effective	Not VERY effective
a. Data Source 1	1	2	3
b. Data Source 2	1	2	3
c. Data Source 3	1	2	3
d. Data Source 4	1	2	3
x. Data Source 30	1	2	3

ONLY ASK THIS QUESTION FOR SOURCES MARKED “NOT VERY EFFECTIVE” IN ITEM D1.

D2. Please describe why you rated matching with these sources {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE} as “Not Very Effective.”

__________________________________________________________ (500 char)

D3a. When your State submits cases for matching, how often does your State submit cases to {FILL IN NAME OF DATA SOURCE}?

Mark one only

1 Daily

2 Weekly

3 Monthly

4 Quarterly

5 Three times per year

6 Two times per year

7 One time per year

99 Other frequency, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

D3b. When your State submits cases to {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE} for matching, about how many are submitted during this period?

________ Number of cases submitted

D3c. When your State submits cases to {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE}, about how many are returned with a match during this period?

________ Number of cases returned with a match

D4. Has your State ever received a false positive or false negative match from {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE}?

False positive matches are matches that were made, but should not have been.

False negative matches are matches that were not made, but should have been.

1 Yes

2 No (GO TO E1)

-9 Don’t know (GO TO D6)

D5. Please give your best estimate of the percent of matches that are returned in error from {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE} and specify whether they are false positive or false negative matches.

Percent returned in error that are false positive matches: __________

Percent returned in error that are false negative matches: __________

-9 Don’t know

D6. Does your State have a process in place to identify or mitigate potential false positive or false negative matches from {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE}?

False positive matches are matches that were made, but should not have been.

False negative matches are matches that were not made, but should have been.

1 Yes

0 No

-9 Don’t know

FILL EACH ROW OF QUESTION D1 WITH THE SOURCES MARKED IN B1. ASK QUESTIONS D3a THROUGH D6 FOR EACH OF THESE SOURCES.

Section E: Computer Match Costs

E1. Is information available on the costs of SNAP data matching for your State?

1 Yes

0 No (GO TO E3)

-9 Don’t know (GO TO E3)

FOR QUESTIONS E2 and E3, ASK FOR EACH DATA SOURCE

E2. Please provide estimated cost information for your State’s SNAP data matching and indicate if these estimated costs are per match, month, quarter, or year.

	Indicate costs in dollars per: match | month | quarter | year
a. Start-up costs	| | | | | | |
b. Maintenance of matching system/tools	| | | | | | |
c. License costs or fees	| | | | | | |
d. Staff costs	| | | | | | |
e. Other costs, specify	| | | | | | |

E3. About how many staff hours does it take to perform the data matching and verification?

________ Hours per: Day | Week | Month | Quarter | Year | Don’t know

Indicate time interval

-9 Don’t know

FILL EACH ROW OF QUESTION E2 WITH THE SOURCES MARKED IN B1. ASK QUESTIONS E2 AND E3 FOR EACH OF THESE SOURCES.

Section F: Computer Match Future Plans

F1. Does your State plan to use any additional data matching sources in the future?

Mark one only

1 (Fill with list of data matching sources not checked in B1)

2 No plans to use additional data matching sources

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

F1a. For what purposes are new matches with existing data sources, if any, planned?

Mark all that apply

1 Verify earned income eligibility

2 Verify unearned income eligibility

3 Verify non-income eligibility – incarcerated

4 Verify non-income eligibility – deceased

5 Verify non-income eligibility – disqualified for benefits

6 Verify the proper amount of benefits

7 Verify eligibility for other human service program(s) [dropdown box: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid, CHIP, Foster Care, Other]

8 Verify employment status

9 No plans to perform additional matches with existing sources

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

(Ask if F1 = 2 or -9 AND F1a = 9)

F1b. Why is additional data matching not planned?

Mark all that apply

1 Cost (e.g., computer software, hardware, licenses)

2 Lack of technical expertise

3 Lack of staff/funds to hire additional staff

4 No mandate to conduct additional matching

5 No perceived need for additional data matching

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

F2. Within the past three years, has your State discontinued using any data sources that staff had been using for SNAP data matching?

1 Yes

0 No (END)

-9 Don’t know (END)

F2a. Which data source(s) has your State discontinued using for SNAP data matching within the past three years? Please indicate the year that your agency discontinued using the match.

	Year Discontinued
a. List of data-matching sources	| | | | |
b. Other, specify _______________	| | | | |

-9 Don’t know

F2b. Why did your State discontinue using this data source for matching? (Ask for each source marked in F2a.)

Mark all that apply

1 Found a better source of data

2 Change in State law or policy, no longer mandated

3 Cost

4 Data security concerns

5 Timeliness of data used in matching

6 Difficult to use, lack of technical expertise

7 Unreliable/incomplete results

8 Data source no longer available

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

(END)

(IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE DATA-MATCHING PROCESSES AND DATA SOURCES USED BY COUNTIES OR LOCAL OFFICES IN YOUR STATE AND ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM)

Please answer the following questions for the counties and/or local offices in your State as a whole.

Section A: Matching Process

A2. How are match results communicated to SNAP administrative staff?

Mark all that apply

1 Results are sent via email

2 Results are posted on the Intranet for internal viewing/download

3 Results are posted in agency data management system

4 Results are saved to a network drive

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

A3. Which, if any, quality assurance measures do your counties or local offices use to ensure the completeness, quality, and timeliness of the data-matching process performed at the county or local office level?

Mark all that apply

1 Verification of a subset of data matches

2 Internal process and procedures reviews

3 Internal performance reviews of staff and corrective action plans

4 Internal management reports for monitoring data-matching workload

5 Case reviews

6 Regular training

7 None

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

Section B: Data Sources

Questions in Sections B – E apply to all county or local offices and will be repeated for each data source used.

B1. To which data sources do your counties or local offices match SNAP applicant and recipient data?

Mark all that apply

National Data Sources

1 Beneficiary & Earnings Data Exchange (BENDEX)

2 Electronic Disqualified Recipient System (eDRS)

3 Federal Retirement Systems

4 IRS income information

5 National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) New Hire file

6 Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)

7 Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

8 State Data Exchange (SDX)

9 Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program (SAVE)

10 State On-line Query/State On-line Query-Internet (SOLQ/SOLQ-I)

11 State Verification & Exchange System (SVES)

12 Prisoner Update Processing System (PUPS)/SSA Prisoner Verification System

13 Beneficiary Earnings Exchange Record System (BEERS)

14 Internet-Electronic Death Registration (I-EDR)/SSA Death Master File

15 40 Qualifying Quarters of Coverage

16 Numident/Social Security Number (SSN) Verification

17 Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) Interstate file

18 FBI Fleeing Felons

19 The Work Number

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

State Data Sources

1 State Workforce – Unemployment Insurance (UI)/State quarterly wage information/State employee information

2 State Directory of New Hires (SDNH)

3 State Prison Match

4 State Lottery

5 State child support payment

6 State birth records

7 State death records

8 Income information verified by other human service programs

9 State tax filings

10 Interstate data matching

11 National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC)

12 State Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program data source (LIHEAP)

13 Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B2. About how long have your counties or local offices been conducting this match?

Mark one only

1 Less than one year

2 1-2 years

3 3-5 years

4 6-10 years

5 More than 10 years

-9 Don’t know

B3. When do your counties or local offices perform the match?

Mark all that apply

1 At application submission

2 At initial certification

3 At recertification

4 At the time of the interim report under Simplified Reporting

5 At other times during benefit receipt

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B4. What is the primary method used to initiate a match in your counties or local offices?

Mark one only

1 Request a file of cases to be matched from the data source.

2 Directly query the data source to do the match (GO TO B4c)

3 Request that the data source send files for you to match

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B4a. How do your counties or local offices transfer the data to the entity that conducts the matching?

Mark all that apply

1 Electronic files are sent via email

2 Electronic files are uploaded via automatic process such as file transfer protocol (FTP) or other secured file transfer

3 Data are entered through web browser such as an online data entry portal

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B4b. How do your counties or local offices receive results of the matching?

Mark all that apply

1 Results are sent via email

2 Electronic files are transferred via automatic process such as file transfer protocol (FTP) or other secured file transfer

3 Data are accessed through a web browser

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B4c. How often do you run matches against this source (either individually or in a batch process) in your county or local office?

Mark one only

1 Daily

2 Weekly

3 Monthly

4 Quarterly

5 Three times per year

6 Two times per year

7 One time per year

99 Other frequency, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

B5. What is the primary purpose of the match?

Mark one only

1 Verify earned income eligibility

2 Verify unearned income eligibility

3 Verify non-income eligibility – incarcerated

4 Verify non-income eligibility – deceased

5 Verify non-income eligibility – disqualified for benefits

6 Verify the proper amount of benefits

7 Verify eligibility for other human service program(s) [dropdown box: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid, CHIP, Foster Care, Other]

8 Verify employment status

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B6. For what additional purpose(s) do your counties or local offices use this data match?

Mark all that apply

1 No additional purposes

2 Verify earned income eligibility

3 Verify unearned income eligibility

4 Verify non-income eligibility – incarcerated

5 Verify non-income eligibility – deceased

6 Verify non-income eligibility – disqualified for benefits

7 Verify non-income eligibility - other

8 Verify immigration status

9 Verify the proper amount of benefits

10 Verify eligibility for other human service program(s) [dropdown box: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid, CHIP, Foster Care, Other]

11 Verify employment status

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

B7. For the purposes of data matching, how often do your counties or local offices update or refresh SNAP caseload and application data?

Mark one only

1 Ongoing, real-time updates

2 Daily

3 Weekly

4 Monthly

5 Quarterly

6 Three times per year

7 Two times per year

8 One time per year

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

REPEAT QUESTIONS B2 THROUGH B7 FOR EACH SOURCE MARKED IN B1

Section C: Computer Match Elements and Operations

C1. Which SNAP data elements do your counties or local offices use for this match?

Mark all that apply

1 Case number

2 Street address

3 City

4 County

5 Zip code

6 Phone number

7 Cell phone number

8 Email address

9 Social Security Number (SSN)

10 First name

11 Middle name

12 Last name

13 Date of birth

14 Gender

15 Race/Ethnicity

16 Disability status indicator

17 Citizenship status indicator

18 Employment status indicator

19 Other human services benefits recipient indicator

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C2. Is the match considered verified upon receipt?

Mark one only

1 Yes, it is considered verified upon receipt (GO TO C3)

2 No, all returned cases must be verified through additional matching or confirmation from secondary sources

3 No, a subset of returned cases must be verified through additional matching or confirmation from secondary sources

-9 Don’t know

C2a. What process(es) do your counties or local offices use to verify matches?

Mark all that apply

1 A letter/notice is sent to the applicant/recipient to provide additional information

2 State agency staff conduct further examination of applicant/recipient documentation

3 County or local office staff conduct further examination of applicant/recipient documentation

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C2b. Are certain match returns prioritized in any way for verification?

1 Yes

0 No (GO TO C2d)

-9 Don’t know (GO TO C2d)

C2c. Please describe how cases are prioritized for verification.

________________________________________________ (500 char)

C2d. Who is responsible for conducting verification of the match results?

Mark all that apply

1 SNAP management staff

2 SNAP quality control staff

3 Program managers

4 Eligibility staff

5 Local office staff

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C2e. How frequently do your counties or local offices update SNAP case files with information collected during verification of data matches?

Mark one only

1 Ongoing, real-time updates

2 Daily

3 Weekly

4 Monthly

5 Quarterly

6 Three times per year

7 Two times per year

8 One time per year

99 Other, specify __________________________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

C3. Do your counties or local offices require an exact match on all data elements used in the match?

1 Yes, all data elements must match exactly (GO TO C1 FOR NEXT SOURCE IN B1)

0 No, inexact or partial matches are allowed

-9 Don’t know (GO TO C1 FOR NEXT SOURCE IN B1)

C3a. For inexact or partial matches, do your counties or local offices create a number or score indicating the strength or accuracy of the match?

1 Yes

0 No

-9 Don’t know

C3b. What process(es) do your counties or local offices use to confirm inexact or partial matches?

Mark all that apply

1 No additional steps are taken

2 A letter is sent to the applicant/recipient

3 Secondary match rules are applied (i.e., other, secondary data elements are used to confirm the match)

4 State agency staff conduct further examination of records

5 County or local agency staff conduct further examination of records

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

REPEAT QUESTIONS C1 THROUGH C3B FOR EACH SOURCE MARKED IN B1

Section D: Computer Match Effectiveness

D1. How would you rate the effectiveness of data matching for each source your counties or local offices use? (In other words, how well does the match serve its purpose? For example, does the match aid in making eligibility determinations?)

(Fill rows with data sources marked in B1)

	SELECT ONE RESPONSE PER ROW
	Very Effective	Effective	Not VERY effective
a. Data Source 1	1	2	3
b. Data Source 2	1	2	3
c. Data Source 3	1	2	3
d. Data Source 4	1	2	3
x. Data Source 30	1	2	3

ONLY ASK THIS QUESTION FOR SOURCES MARKED “NOT VERY EFFECTIVE” IN ITEM D1.

D2. Please describe why you rated matching with these sources {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE} as “Not Very Effective.”

__________________________________________________________ (500 char)

D3a. How often do your counties or local offices submit cases to {FILL IN NAME OF DATA SOURCE} for matching?

Mark one only

1 Daily

2 Weekly

3 Monthly

4 Quarterly

5 Three times per year

6 Two times per year

7 One time per year

99 Other frequency, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

D3b. When your counties or local offices submit cases to {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE} for matching, about how many are submitted?

________ Number of cases submitted

D3c. When your counties or local offices submit cases to {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE}, about how many are returned with a match?

________ Number of cases returned with a match

D4. Have your counties or local offices ever received a false positive or false negative match from {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE}?

False positive matches are matches that were made, but should not have been.

False negative matches are matches that were not made, but should have been.

1 Yes

2 No (GO TO E1)

-9 Don’t know

D5. Please give your best estimate of the percent of matches that are returned in error from {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE} and specify whether they are false positive or false negative matches.

Percent returned in error that are false positive matches: __________

Percent returned in error that are false negative matches: __________

-9 Don’t know

D6. Do your counties or local offices have a process in place to identify or mitigate potential false positive or false negative matches from {FILL NAME OF DATA SOURCE}?

False positive matches are matches that were made, but should not have been.

False negative matches are matches that were not made, but should have been.

1 Yes

0 No (GO TO D3a WITH NEXT DATA SOURCE FROM B1)

-9 Don’t know (GO TO D3a WITH NEXT DATA SOURCE FROM B1)

FILL EACH ROW OF QUESTION D1 WITH THE SOURCES MARKED IN B1. ASK QUESTIONS D3 THROUGH D6 FOR EACH OF THESE SOURCES.

Section E: Computer Match Costs

E1. Is information available on the costs of SNAP data matching for your counties or local offices?

1 Yes

0 No (GO TO E3)

-9 Don’t know (GO TO E3)

FOR SECTIONS E2 and E3, ASK FOR EACH DATA SOURCE

E2. Please provide total estimated cost information for SNAP data matching in your counties or local offices and indicate if these estimated costs are per match, month, quarter, or year.

	Indicate costs in dollars per: match | month | quarter | year
a. Start-up costs	| | | | | | |
b. Maintenance of matching system/tools	| | | | | | |
c. License costs or fees	| | | | | | |
d. Staff costs	| | | | | | |
e. Other costs, specify	| | | | | | |

E3. About how many staff hours does it take to perform the data matching and verification?

________ Hours per: Day | Week | Month | Quarter | Year | Don’t know

Indicate time interval

-9 Don’t know

FILL EACH ROW OF QUESTION E2 WITH THE SOURCES MARKED IN B1. ASK QUESTIONS E2 AND E3 FOR EACH OF THESE SOURCES.

Section F: Computer Match Future Plans

F1. Do your counties or local offices plan to use any additional data matching sources in the future?

Mark one only

1 [Fill with list of data matching sources not checked in B1]

2 No plans to use additional data matching sources

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

F1a. For what purposes are new matches with existing data sources, if any, planned?

Mark all that apply

1 Verify earned income eligibility

2 Verify unearned income eligibility

3 Verify non-income eligibility – incarcerated

4 Verify non-income eligibility – deceased

5 Verify non-income eligibility – disqualified for benefits

6 Verify the proper amount of benefits

7 Verify eligibility for other human service program(s) [dropdown box: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Medicaid, CHIP, Foster Care, Other]

8 Verify employment status

9 No plans to perform additional matches with existing sources

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

(Ask if F1 = 2 or -9 AND F1a = 9)

F1b. Why is additional data matching not planned?

Mark all that apply

1 Cost (e.g., computer software, hardware, licenses)

2 Lack of technical expertise

3 Lack of staff/funds to hire additional staff

4 No mandate to conduct additional matching

5 No perceived need for additional data matching

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

F2. Within the past three years, have your counties or local offices discontinued using any data sources that staff had been using for SNAP data matching?

1 Yes

0 No (END)

-9 Don’t know (END)

F2a. Which data source(s) have your counties or local offices discontinued using for SNAP data matching within the past three years? Please indicate the year that your counties or local offices discontinued using the match.

	Year Discontinued
a. List of data-matching sources	| | | | |
b. Other, specify _______________	| | | | |

-9 Don’t know

F2b. Why did your counties or local offices discontinue using this data source for matching? (Ask for each source marked in F2a.)

Mark all that apply

1 Found a better source of data

2 Change in State law or policy, no longer mandated

3 Cost

4 Data security concerns

5 Timeliness of data used in matching

6 Difficult to use, lack of technical expertise

7 Unreliable/incomplete results

8 Data source no longer available

99 Other, specify _______________ (200 char)

-9 Don’t know

(END)

FNS SNAP Supporting Statement, 58

Attachment J.1