FNS Awards $1,530,000 to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to Make Technology-Centered Improvements in SNAP Customer Service

Denver, Colo. Sept. 22, 2022 – USDA Food and Nutrition Service today awarded Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services a $1,530,000 grant to support their efforts to enhance efficiency and access in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, in Montana.

The multi-year SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grant seeks to improve the experience of SNAP participants by enabling grantees to update inefficient or ineffective processes and use technology to streamline operations and provide better customer service.

“Process and technology improvements play an important role in making it easier for those who access nutrition assistance programs to get the healthy food they need,” said FNS Administrator Cindy Long. “Through these grants, we can make further progress in ensuring SNAP is working for the people who rely on its benefits to feed themselves and their families.”

With these funds, MT DPHHS will design and implement infrastructure and functionality that integrates with the state's eligibility system to automate SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) data processing. The project will improve internal workflow by reducing manual SNAP E&T recording, tracking, and reporting and will allow the state to improve E&T services for clients, including expanding services to more counties.

“The process and technology improvement grant awarded to Montana will help the state create efficiencies in its customer service that should result in an improved experience for SNAP recipients,” said Cheryl Kennedy, regional administrator for USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.

Additional grants are being awarded to:

• Dakota County (MN) Department of Employment and Economic Assistance;
• Colorado Department of Human Services;
• New York City Human Resources Administration; and
• New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Each awardee will use grant funds to make technological improvements such as making mobile and online applications easier to use, implementing live call centers with Interactive Voice Response, or improving accessibility for digitally underserved populations. The grantees will have three years to spend funds and complete their projects.

“DPHHS is committed to promoting the self-sufficiency of Montanans, including by helping them secure stable employment,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “The SNAP E&T program, which connects our clients to training and employment opportunities, is an important tool in our toolbox. We’re eager to leverage this funding to make several program improvements and support our continued buildout of SNAP E&T in Montana.”

These grants build on the Administration’s commitment to modernizing programs, reducing administrative burdens, and piloting new online tools and technologies that can provide a simple, seamless, and secure customer experience.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.

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