TY - JOUR
T1 - State Implementation of SNAP Waivers and Flexibilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
T2 - Perspectives From State Agency Leaders
AU - Headrick, Gabby
AU - Ellison, Carolyn
AU - Bresnahan, Carolyn
AU - Green, Chloe
AU - Lyons, Matt
AU - Moran, Alyssa
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through a special rapid-response research opportunity focused on COVID-19 and the federal nutrition programs to inform decision-making regarding innovative policies and/or programs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors thank the SNAP directors and agency staff who participated in their focus groups and shared their experiences with the authors, all while meeting unprecedented demands to ensure program delivery to clients in need and maintaining SNAP benefit access throughout this economic and social hardship. The authors would also like to thank the American Association of SNAP Directors of the APHSA for their time in debriefing preliminary findings and ensuring the accuracy and credibility of their results. The authors also wish to acknowledge Jillian Tse and Cristina Lee for their assistance in checking the accuracy of all verbatim transcriptions.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - Objective: To describe state agencies’ implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the first year of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, barriers and facilitators to SNAP implementation, and recommendations to improve SNAP implementation. Design: Qualitative methodology guided by Bullock's determinants of policy implementation framework using 7 semistructured, virtual focus groups in April 2021. Setting: Twenty-six states representing all 7 US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service regions. Participants: Four focus groups with state-level SNAP administrators and 3 focus groups with state-level SNAP supportive services (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, Employment & Training, and Outreach) supervisors (n = 62). Phenomenon of Interest: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis: Thematic analysis using a phronetic iterative approach. Results: Six primary themes emerged: the policy response, technology needs, collaboration, participant communication, funding realities, and equity. Implementation challenges included the design of waivers in the early pandemic response, inadequate federal guidance and funding, outdated technology, and prepandemic regulations limiting state authority. Modernized technology systems, availability of virtual programming, partnerships, and enhanced benefits facilitated SNAP implementation. Conclusions and Implications: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrators adapted their programs to deliver services virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. These experiences highlighted the importance of certain policy determinants, such as modernized technology and streamlined application processes, to improve outcomes for SNAP participants and staff.
AB - Objective: To describe state agencies’ implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the first year of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, barriers and facilitators to SNAP implementation, and recommendations to improve SNAP implementation. Design: Qualitative methodology guided by Bullock's determinants of policy implementation framework using 7 semistructured, virtual focus groups in April 2021. Setting: Twenty-six states representing all 7 US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service regions. Participants: Four focus groups with state-level SNAP administrators and 3 focus groups with state-level SNAP supportive services (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, Employment & Training, and Outreach) supervisors (n = 62). Phenomenon of Interest: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis: Thematic analysis using a phronetic iterative approach. Results: Six primary themes emerged: the policy response, technology needs, collaboration, participant communication, funding realities, and equity. Implementation challenges included the design of waivers in the early pandemic response, inadequate federal guidance and funding, outdated technology, and prepandemic regulations limiting state authority. Modernized technology systems, availability of virtual programming, partnerships, and enhanced benefits facilitated SNAP implementation. Conclusions and Implications: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program administrators adapted their programs to deliver services virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. These experiences highlighted the importance of certain policy determinants, such as modernized technology and streamlined application processes, to improve outcomes for SNAP participants and staff.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
KW - federal nutrition assistance programs
KW - food security
KW - nutrition policy
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jneb.2022.07.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jneb.2022.07.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 36184356
AN - SCOPUS:85139342771
SN - 1499-4046
VL - 54
SP - 982
EP - 997
JO - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
JF - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
IS - 11
ER -