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FSSA Home > Eligibility Modernization > Respondent Document Library > FSSA Eligibility Determinization Services RFI Data Repository > Big Ten Strategic Plan Big Ten Strategic Plan

Midwest Region Food Stamp Program Improvement Project

BIG TEN Vision Statement

FNS and the Midwest Region states jointly utilize the Food Stamp Program as the mechanism to provide nutrition support and promote self-sufficiency for people in need.

BIG TEN Mission Statement

To operate the Food Stamp Program in an efficient and effective manner by providing accurate and timely food stamp benefits, achieving high levels of customer service, promoting improved nutritional status of those served by FNS’ Food Stamp Program in the six Midwest states and promoting positive change in the administration of the Food Stamp Program.

BIG TEN Philosophy

The BIG TEN will focus on activities that:

  • Promote fiscal responsibility (e.g. payment accuracy)
  • Decrease food insecurity;
  • Provide benefits timely;
  • Promote improved nutrition;
  • Strive to make policy and administrative changes that improve the operation of the Food Stamp Program; and,
  • Strengthen communication and partnering between all organizations involved in the guidance and administration of the Food Stamp Program (e.g. FNS, TAG, APHSA, etc.)

BIG TEN Long-Term Goals With Related Strategies

GOAL #1 Improve payment accuracy

  1. Keep a high focus on payment accuracy and planning.
    1. Create an annual action plan that sets annual goals that are specific (Set individual state’s goals, set goals in targeted error areas, set goal for region’s payment accuracy rate).
  2. B) Improve communication in order to improve competence. 
    1. Hold an annual conference.
    2. Hold workshops on various payment accuracy-related issues.
    3. Focus on Urban Thirteen counties in workshops, the annual conference, newsletters and other information/strategy-sharing opportunities.
    4. Issue newsletters that recognize/reinforce payment accuracy successes and that share successful improvement strategies.
    5. Provide opportunities for state-to-state visits and interactions so that staff can learn about successful strategies from their peers.
    6. Hold joint meetings with other regions to expand opportunities for information and strategy exchange.
  3. Reduce the complexity of the Food Stamp Program.
    1. Meet with peers (both inter- and intra-regionally) to identify opportunities for simplification.
    2. Continue contact with states across the country.
    3. The BIG TEN Board of Directors and Steering Committee will work with FNS in a collaborative effort to bring ideas forward to simplify the Food Stamp Program. This may include discussions on issues and ideas for simplification as well as strategies for states to bring ideas to the attention of Congress.
  4. Reinforce desired behavior.
    1. Recognize successful states and counties to promote and encourage improvement.
    2. States develop competencies to better define the role of workers in the administration of the Food Stamp Program.

MEASUREMENT: Payment Accuracy Rates

Note: Specific action items for this area are to be prepared as part of annual action plan.

GOAL #2 Reduce Negative Error Rate

  1. Keep a high focus on reducing negative error rates. 
    1. Create an annual action plan that sets annual goals that are specific (Set individual state’s goals, set goals in targeted error areas, set goal for region’s negative error rate).
  2. Improve communication in order to improve competence.
    1. Hold an annual conference.
    2. Focus on Urban Thirteen counties in workshops, the annual conference, newsletters and other information/strategy-sharing opportunities.
    3. Issue newsletters that recognize/reinforce negative error rate reduction successes and that share successful improvement strategies.
    4. Provide opportunities for state-to-state visits and interactions so that staff can learn about successful strategies from their peers.
    5. Hold joint meetings with other regions to expand opportunities for information and strategy exchange.
  3. Reduce the complexity of the Food Stamp Program.
    1. Meet with peers (both inter- and intra-regionally) to identify opportunities for simplification.
    2. Continue contact with states across the country.
    3. The BIG TEN Board of Directors and Steering Committee will work with FNS in a collaborative effort to bring ideas forward to simplify the Food Stamp Program.  This may include discussions on issues and ideas for simplification as well as strategies for states to bring ideas to the attention of Congress.
  4. Reinforce desired behavior.
    1. Recognize successful states and counties to promote and encourage improvement.
    2. States develop competencies to better define the role of workers in the administration of the Food Stamp Program.

MEASUREMENT: Negative Error Rates

Note: Specific action items for this area are to be prepared as part of annual action plan.

GOAL #3 Improve Application Processing Timeliness

  1. Keep a high focus on timely processing of applications.
    1. Create an annual action plan that sets annual goals that are specific (Set individual state’s goals, set specific application processing goals).
  2. Improve communication in order to improve competence.
    1. Hold an annual conference.
    2. Hold workshops on various application processing timeliness-related issues.
    3. Focus on Urban Thirteen counties in workshops, the annual conference, newsletters and other information/strategy-sharing opportunities.
    4. Issue newsletters that recognize/reinforce timely application processing successes and that share successful improvement strategies.
    5. Hold joint meetings with other regions to expand opportunities for information and strategy exchange.
  3. Reduce the complexity of the Food Stamp Program.
    1. Meet with peers (both inter- and intra-regionally) to identify opportunities for simplification.
    2. Continue contact with states across the country.
    3. The BIG TEN Board of Directors and Steering Committee will work with FNS in a collaborative effort to bring ideas forward to simplify the Food Stamp Program. This may include discussions on issues and ideas for simplification as well as strategies for states to bring ideas to the attention of Congress.
  4. Reinforce desired behavior.
    1. Recognize successful states and counties to promote and encourage improvement.
    2. States develop competencies to better define the role of workers in the administration of the Food Stamp Program.

MEASUREMENT: 30/7-day Application Processing Standards

Note: Specific action items for this area are to be prepared as part of annual action plan.

GOAL #4 Increase Participation Access Rate

  1. Keep a high focus on increasing participation.
    1. Create an annual action plan that sets annual goals that are specific (Set individual state’s goals, set goals in targeted error areas, set goal for region’s participation access rate).
  2. Improve communication in order to improve competence.
    1. Hold an annual conference.
    2. Hold workshops on various participation access-related issues.
    3. Focus on Urban Thirteen counties in workshops, the annual conference, newsletters and other information/strategy-sharing opportunities.
    4. Issue newsletters that recognize/reinforce increased participation successes and that share successful improvement strategies.
    5. Hold joint meetings with other regions to expand opportunities for information and strategy exchange.
  3. Reduce the complexity of the Food Stamp Program.
    1. Meet with peers (both inter- and intra-regionally) to identify opportunities for simplification.
    2. Continue contact with states across the country.
    3. The BIG TEN Board of Directors and Steering Committee will work with FNS in a collaborative effort to bring ideas forward to simplify the Food Stamp Program.  This may include discussions on issues and ideas for simplification as well as strategies for states to bring ideas to the attention of Congress.
  4. Reinforce desired behavior.
    1. Recognize successful states and counties to promote and encourage improvement.
    2. States develop competencies to better define the role of workers in the administration of the Food Stamp Program.

MEASUREMENT: Participation Rates

Note: Specific action items for this area are to be prepared as part of annual action plan.

GOAL #6: Build regional and national partnerships (upward influence) with the ultimate goal of improving the Food Stamp Program and sharing successful strategies.

  1. Create a dialogue with FNS administrators to discuss Food Stamp Program-related issues.
  2. Hold board and steering committee meetings to identify areas in which change is desirable or needed.
  3. Hold joint meetings with other regions to expand opportunities for information and strategy exchange. 
  4. Identify all of the different entities involved in the Food Stamp Program and establish interactive relationships with them.

MEASUREMENT: Provide recommendations to FNS National Office and other interested parties as requested or as occasion merits.