Social Services
A Puerto Rico government agency exposed 1M Social Security numbers
A cybersecurity loophole in an official government mapping service left private data easily accessible, Centro de Periodismo Investigativo and ProPublica learned.
How Kansas’ labor department’s tech became ‘built for tomorrow’
The state was reliant on 1970s-era systems that were exposed by COVID-19. Since then, it has moved to the cloud and embraced AI as part of a major modernization push.
Nevada official ‘cautiously optimistic’ about AI solution to reducing SNAP error rates
After launching a new data analytics program earlier this year, the Nevada Division of Social Services is seeing early gains in identifying erroneous or fraudulent SNAP payments.
Missouri Department of Social Services uses ServiceNow to boost citizen experience
A “very ugly” buildup of technical debt was getting in the way of the agency adequately serving citizens.
You can't manage what you can't see
COMMENTARY | Technology stacks don’t enable the inter-department collaboration needed to incorporate policy changes, serve constituents better.
How data integration could help maternal health outcomes
Breaking down data silos among government agencies and community organizations can be critical for connecting new mothers to crucial benefits programs, according to a new policy brief.
Visibility into worker performance is key for states to reduce SNAP error rates
COMMENTARY | Workers can introduce errors in various ways, but technology can help minimize those errors, assist employees and maximize efficiency and productivity.
New Jersey county modernizes ‘broken’ benefits process
Union County is moving towards a common application and using technology to help it reduce a customer service backlog and take the pressure off staff.
Alaska sees efficiency gains after adopting a new child support system
By leveraging an off-the-shelf solution, Alaska was able to overhaul a decades-old case management platform within two years.
Open-source AI assistant shows promise for California caseworkers’ service delivery
By automating part of the benefit application process, a generative AI agent has enabled caseworkers to connect more efficiently and meaningfully with their clients.
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Trump’s anti-fraud task force poised to scrutinize benefits programs
The new White House task force will withhold government funding for state and local benefits programs if their anti-fraud controls are viewed as lacking.
Tennessee uses ‘one stop shop’ portal for benefits programs
The Volunteer State has moved away from a “fragmented” system to a more streamlined customer experience and used AI to help consolidate its call centers and make them more efficient.
How states use purpose-driven innovation and AI to improve accuracy in public programs
COMMENTARY | Agency leaders need to ensure AI adoption is not just a tech upgrade by keeping people’s needs and mission outcomes at the center of every decision.
Agriculture focuses on SNAP fraud, while experts worry EBT theft will go unabated
“The most damaging form of fraud in SNAP is fraud where the low-income recipients are the victims, not the perpetrators,” a senior analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities argues.
How automated data can help states address new SNAP requirements
COMMENTARY | The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will change social service programs substantially. Automation can reduce the need for caseworkers to sift through paperwork.
As lawmakers push to regulate AI in advertising, this New York agency is running AI ads
The state's Office of Addiction Services and Supports is running television ads featuring AI-generated faces without disclosing the technology to viewers.
Report: Better customer experience can smooth states’ rollout of new federal benefit requirements
A new report indicates that improving customer experience for those interacting with their benefit systems can help alleviate some pressure on states looking to upgrade them ahead of new federal rules.
Human knowledge and feedback are key for building trustworthy digital services, experts say
By building public assistance systems around the human experience, agencies are more likely to save time and resources, experts say.
With federal penalties looming, Washington looks to curb food stamp payment errors
States that routinely overpay or underpay food stamp recipients could now lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.
How tech-assisted care coordination can help communities bounce back after severe storms
Care coordination platforms can assist government and other organizations to more efficiently respond to and plan for an increase in residents’ demand for social services amid natural disasters, a new report says.
