State human services agencies administering SNAP face growing pressure to improve accuracy, timeliness, and program integrity while managing workforce shortages, rising workloads, and increased federal scrutiny. In a recent Policy & Practice article, David Crowson and Pat Aguilar discuss how agencies can strengthen program performance today while building a foundation for long-term modernization.
Addressing state SNAP agency and program leaders, the Maximus modernization experts outline a practical approach centered on three stages: stabilize, redesign, and scale. They explain how agencies can improve decision-making, reduce rework, strengthen workforce capacity, and create the conditions needed for sustainable transformation.
Their perspective comes at a pivotal moment for SNAP agencies. Recent federal policy changes have increased the financial implications of elevated payment error rates, reinforcing the need to improve accuracy while continuing to serve individuals and families efficiently. The authors argue that agencies don’t have to choose between operational improvement and modernization; they can pursue both through a coordinated strategy that aligns people, process, and technology.
Readers will gain actionable insights on proactive quality assurance, workforce flexibility, business process redesign, data-informed performance management, and technology-enabled decision support. The result is a practical roadmap for reducing risk, strengthening program integrity, and building more resilient SNAP operations that can adapt to future policy and operational demands.