State, Local or Tribal Agencies (Respondents)

Appendix L. Administrative Data Submission Instructions and Variable List

OMB No. 0584-[NEW]

Assessment of Mandatory E&T Programs

Month XX, 2018

Project Officer: Jordan Younes

Office of Policy Support

Food and Nutrition Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

3101 Park Center Drive

Alexandria, VA 22303

703-305-2935

Jordan.younes@fns.usda.gov

Assessment of Mandatory E&T Programs:
Administrative Data
Submission Instructions and Variable List

What is the purpose of this administrative data request?

This document provides instructions and requirements for submitting SNAP administrative caseload data as part of the Assessment of Mandatory E&T Programs study being conducted by FNS. These data are currently approved by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0584-XXXX, Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx. These data will be used to examine the characteristics of mandatory SNAP E&T participants and to assess the E&T services, sanctions, case closures, and other outcomes associated with E&T participation.

The following sections provide detailed instructions for preparing and submitting the data extract, including guidance on which records to include in the file, the time period for the data, a specific list of caseload data variables needed, the format for the file, how to handle missing data, how to ensure safeguards for these data, and the process for submitting data.

Insight will arrange a consultative discussion with State staff familiar with the State data systems and policies to discuss the administrative data to be provided and convey the level of detail and quality of the data that can be provided on E&T participants and their outcomes.

What SNAP records should be included in the file and for how many months?

The file should include one record per individual for each month they received SNAP benefits during the 29-month period from October 1, 2016, through February 28, 2019. Please limit the age range of individuals in the fil to be those ages 13 to 62 in any of the months.

There should be up to 29 rows of data (1 row per month) for every individual included in the file. Months in which an individual is not in your State caseload system can be left blank or excluded from the file (however, please include case closure codes for the month a case was closed).

What variables should be included in the file?

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection varies by respondent type and is estimated to average 11.7 hours per response for State database administrators, and 6.5 hours per response for E&T provider database administrators including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Additional response time is required for State database administrators due to their larger and more complex data files than E&T providers. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302, ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx*). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Table A provides a list and description of the variables that should be included in the file for every individual age 13 to 62 who received SNAP at any point during the 29-month period from October 1, 2016, through February 28, 2019. Please provide the variables in the order shown in table A.

If codes are used to identify information (e.g., reasons for exemptions, reasons for case closures), please submit a crosswalk of these codes and their descriptions with your file.

What is the file format?

Preferred file formats are comma-separated values (.csv) or Excel (.xls), although other formats are acceptable, including SAS datasets. Each file should have 1 record per participant-month (from for October 2016 through February 2019), and each record should include all variables in the variable list (see table A).

How should missing/unknown information be handled?

Missing values should be indicated by a BLANK space. Please do NOT fill unknown values with zeroes. Zero should ONLY indicate an actual zero value, such as zero dollar income. For example, if the participant’s household stops receiving SNAP benefits, the household size and benefit fields should be BLANK, not zero.

For all indicator variables, a value of “1” should represent “yes,” while a value of “0” should represent “no.”

How will Insight ensure confidentiality of State data?

The data will be maintained in a locked room on a secure server and available only to key project personnel needed to clean and tabulate the data. No personal identifiers will be disclosed in reports since data will be reported in aggregate format. These data will be destroyed as soon as they are no longer required.

How should we submit the files?

To protect the data, please submit the file using Insight’s secure FTP system, a secure file transfer site that encrypts both commands and data, preventing passwords and sensitive information from being accessed during transmission. Instructions for using this system will be sent separately.

If possible, submit a test data file with 3 months of data to Insight. The test file should include data on SNAP participants identified as work registrants at any point during the period January–March 2018. This will enable Insight to review all data and clarify any remaining concerns before the first data submission.

Questions or concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the study’s principal investigator, Carole Trippe, at ctrippe@insightpolicyresearch.com or 703.504.9498.

Table A. Requested Variable List

Variable Requested	Variable Name	Variable Description	Code/Categories Examples
Individual-Level Variables
Reference month and year	REF_MONTH_YEAR	Benefit reference month and year for the SNAP participant’s SNAP household If no SNAP benefit was received that month, still include a row for that month with data for the CLIENT_ID and REF_MONTH_YEAR		MMYYYY
Client ID	CLIENT_ID	Participant’s individual SNAP ID provided by the State to identify individual participants within a SNAP household If no SNAP benefit was received that month, still include a row for that month with data for the CLIENT_ID and REF_MONTH_YEAR		Example: 2130768 (character variable)
Social Security Number	SSN	SNAP participant’s Social Security Number		Example: 510981319
Received SNAP benefits	SNAP_FLAG_PER	Whether the participant received SNAP benefits this month		0 = no 1 = yes
Date of birth	DOB	SNAP participant’s date of birth		MMDDYYYY
Gender	GENDER	SNAP participant’s gender		1 = male 2 = female
Race/ethnicity	RACE_ETHN	SNAP participant’s race and ethnicity		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Marital status	MARITAL	SNAP participant’s marital status (e.g., married, single)		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Relationship to case head	RELATION	SNAP participant’s relationship to the case head (e.g., head of household, spouse, child, adult)		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Primary language spoken or language used on application	LANGUAGE	Codes used to identify primary language for participant or participant’s household		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Whether participant has received a high school diploma or GED	EDUCATION	Codes used to identify level of school completed (or whether SNAP participant received a high school diploma or GED)		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Participant’s earned income amount	P_EARNED_INC	Individual-level monthly earned income for the SNAP participant		Example: 200
Work registrant exemption status	WR_EXEMPT	Codes used to identify whether SNAP participant is exempt or not exempt from work registration		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
SNAP E&T exemption status	E&T_EXEMPT	Codes used to identify whether SNAP participant is exempt or not exempt from E&T		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Voluntary or mandatory SNAP E&T participation	MAND_OR_VOL	Indicator of whether the SNAP participant is identified as voluntary or mandatory E&T participant		1 = voluntary 2 = mandatory
SNAP E&T referral status	ET_REFERRAL	Whether the SNAP participant was referred to SNAP E&T		0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP E&T participation status	ET_PART	Whether the referred SNAP E&T individual participated in E&T component		0 = no 1 = yes
E&T sanction status	ET_SANCT	Whether the individual is under E&T sanction this month		0 = no 1 = yes
Start and end dates of E&T sanction	ETSANCT_DATES	Start and end dates of the E&T sanction		MMDDYYYY - MMDDYYYY
Reason for E&T sanction	ETSANCT_REASON	Codes used to identify reason for E&T sanction		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Length of E&T sanction	ETSANCT_LENGTH	Number of months of assigned sanction for sanctioned E&T participants		Example: 2
E&T sanction number	ETSANCT_NUM	E&T sanction number or iteration		1 = first sanction 2 = second sanction 3 = third sanction 4 = other
Good cause determination for noncompliant E&T participant	GOODCAUSE	Whether the noncompliant E&T participant was granted good cause determination		0 = no 1 = yes
Work registration sanction status	WR_SANCT	Whether the SNAP participant is under work registration sanction this month		0 = no 1 = yes
Reason for work registration sanction	WRSANCT_REASON	Codes used to identify reason for work registration sanction, if available		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Length of WR sanction	WRSANCT_LENGTH	Number of months of assigned sanction for sanctioned work registrants		Example: 2
ABAWD exemption status	ABAWD_EXEMPT	Codes used to identify exemption status for ABAWD from ABAWD time limits		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Receipt of NOAA	NOAA_RECEIPT	Whether the E&T participant received a NOAA related to mandatory E&T requirements		0 = no 1 = yes
Date of NOAA	NOAA_DATE	Date of NOAA related to participant’s mandatory E&T requirements		MMDDYYYY
Whether participant “cured” noncompliance before being sanctioned	CURED	Whether E&T participant complied with requirement cited in NOAA before sanction went into effect		0 = no 1 = yes
Household-Level Variables
SNAP case identification (ID)	CASE_ID	Household or case ID provided by the State to identify the SNAP household of the individual participant		Example: 02076085 (character variable)
Received SNAP benefits (household)	SNAP_FLAG_HHLD	Whether the participant’s SNAP household received SNAP benefits this month		0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP benefit amount	BEN_AMT	Total SNAP benefit received by the SNAP household this month (rounded to nearest dollar)		Example: 357
SNAP household size	HH_SIZE	Number of individuals in the participant’s SNAP household this month		Example: 3
Certification date	CERT_DATE	The last review date associated with household’s SNAP benefit month (i.e., disposition date for reference month)		MMDDYYY
County serving the case	COUNTY	County code or name of the county serving the participant’s SNAP household		Provide definitions of county codes in separate crosswalk
SNAP household’s gross income amount	GROSS_INC	Total monthly gross income for the participant’s SNAP household (i.e., gross income used to determine SNAP eligibility before deductions)		Example: 700
SNAP household’s net income amount	NET_INC	Total monthly net income for the participant’s SNAP household (i.e., net income after all deductions from gross income used to determine SNAP benefit amount)		Example: 600
SNAP household’s earned income amount	EARNED_INC	Total monthly earned income for the participant’s SNAP household		Example: 300
Closed case	CLOSED_CASE	Indicator that the SNAP case is closed		0 = no 1 = yes
Closure date	CLOSED_DATE	Date of SNAP case closure		MMDDYYYY
Closure reason	CLOSED_REASON	Reason for SNAP case closure (e.g., ABAWD time limit, sanction for failure to meet E&T requirements, missed recertification appointment, income over threshold, other)		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
E&T Activities and Outcomes (if available for E&T participants)
E&T provider serving SNAP E&T participant	PROVIDER	Name of E&T provider serving the E&T participant		Provide name(s) of providers
Type of E&T component assigned	ET_COMPONENT	Codes used to identify the type of E&T component(s) participant was assigned to receive (e.g., assessment, English as a Second Language [ESL], High School Equivalence, Institute of Higher Education, Independent Job Search, Job Search Training, Workfare, Work Experience, On-the-Job Training, Basic Education, Vocational Training, Self-Employment Training, WIOA Program, Job Retention, Unique Component)		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Start date of E&T assignment	ET_START	Start date of E&T assignment to component for the E&T participant		MMDDYYYY
Outcome of the SNAP E&T participation	ET_OUTCOME	Outcome of the SNAP E&T participation (e.g., completed a training, educational, work experience, or on-the-job training component; exempted for good cause, quit)		Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Whether participant is in unsubsidized employment after E&T	EMPLOY_OUTCOME	Indicator of whether the participant is in unsubsidized employment after completing E&T program		0 = no 1 = yes
Start date of unsubsidized employment	EMPLOY_START	Start date of unsubsidized employment obtained after the participant completed E&T program		MMDDYYYY
Earnings of E&T participant after completing E&T program	ET_EARNINGS	Amount of monthly/quarterly earnings of E&T participant after completing E&T program		Example: 900