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1st Row, L to R: Lori Hart, Michaela Long, Sylvia Hubbard , Valerie Vertz, Sydney Doré, Barbara Bucsko, and John Atherton Middle Row: Mary Lou Percival, Chandra Moss, Virginia Sledjeski-Rae, and Guyce LaFavour 2nd Row, L to R: David Brummel, John Culhane, Linda Baskin, Ronda Richardson, Richard Lee, John Camp, Roxie Schalliol, and Mike Brady Not Pictured: Alicia Koné, Pam Raymond, Darlene Daymen, Shawn Boucher, Diane Pittman, Cheryl Powell, Carole McRae, Arjean Travis, Jim Carter, Judith Rickard, and Judy Cook
The Washington State Combined Application Program (WASHCAP), a five-year federal demonstration project, is a combined effort between the United States Department of Agriculture Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNS), the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). The goal of WASHCAP is to increase the number of aged, blind, and disabled adults in the state who participate in the Food Stamp Program. WASHCAP accomplishes this goal through an interactive Web site, telephony and an automated interface between SSA and DSHS legacy systems that automatically issues food assistance benefits when SSA approves Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for an individual.
In Washington State, 56,000 SSI clients meet the eligibility criteria for WASHCAP. Each of these individuals receives approximately $550 per month from their SSI benefits. Participating in the Food Stamp Program is especially important for these low-income individuals to ensure that their nutritional needs are being met. Even so, before WASHCAP began, only 46 percent of SSI recipients in the state were receiving food assistance.
“The WASHCAP program has assisted thousands of elderly, blind and disabled Washington residents and illustrates how the state's digital technology can help people and save taxpayers money. I am proud of the state employees and federal partners whose hard work is setting a standard for the rest of the country.” Governor Gary Locke, State of Washington
Program rules require food assistance recipients to travel to a community services office (CSO) for an in-person interview and submit paperwork up to four times per year. Recipients also must report all changes in their circumstances within 10 days of when the change occurs. National studies have shown the low take-up rate among the aged, blind, and disabled is in part because of the difficulty these individuals have meeting these program requirements.
Using technology, WASHCAP removes all of these program barriers and makes the application for SSI and the application for food assistance benefits seamless. The goal of the program is to increase the number of SSI recipients who receive food assistance by at least 25 percent and become a national model for the delivery of food assistance benefits to this vulnerable low-income population.
WASHCAP combines the SSI application processed by SSA with the food assistance application traditionally processed by DSHS. When an individual applies for SSI at the SSA office, the SSA claims representative asks the applicant if they would like to receive food assistance once their SSI is approved. If so, the claims representative puts a special code in their computer eligibility system called the Modernized Supplemental Security Income Claims System (MSSICS). That WASHCAP indicator is transmitted to DSHS each night through an electronic interface called the State Data Exchange (SDX) and is stored by the DSHS computer eligibility system called the Automated Client Eligibility System (ACES). Once an individual’s SSI application has been approved, ACES automatically issues food assistance benefits and an electronic benefits card is sent to the client in the mail.
In addition to the automated application process, WASHCAP recipients also benefit because they need only contact SSA to report changes in their circumstances, they are certified for benefits for 24 months, and they may receive a larger monthly benefit.
Contact Information: Roxie Schalliol, Director, Division of Employment and Assistance Programs, Economic Services Administration, Department of Social and Health Services, 1009 College Street Southeast, Lacey, Washington 98504, (360) 413-3200, Fax: (360) 413-3493, schalrh@dshs.wa.gov
SECOND PLACE: New Mexico Web-based Instructional Materials System THIRD PLACE: Idaho IPOPS (Idaho Paperless Online Personnel/Payroll System)
OTHER NOMINATIONS: Click on the link to download program submission. Florida Sharing Juvenile Data with Criminal Justice Partners
Idaho IPOPS (Idaho Paperless Online Personnel/Payroll System)
Illinois I-WIN/ALERTS
Indiana State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana Suite of Services
Missouri e-Grants
Nevada Multi-County Integrated Justice Info System
New Jersey Pre-Inmate Management System
North Carolina Security Portal
Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Justice Network
Texas ARP/ATP Online System
Virginia The Virginia Base Mapping Program
West Virginia Data Integration for Effective Reporting and Efficient Fiscal Management
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