By Justice Marbury, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

A new report by The Children’s Agenda, EdTrust-NY, and Raising New York outlines strategies for New York State to enhance families’ economic well-being, ultimately benefiting children and communities.

The report recommends making public benefits programs more accessible to eligible families.

It highlights the experiences of families with young children applying for public benefits such as Medicaid for health insurance, SNAP and WIC for food assistance, and child care support.

In a survey of 50 adults with young children in Monroe County, about half encountered no issues. However, many found the application process confusing, time-consuming, and repetitive, leading to long waits for benefits even after approval.

“It feels like you need a degree to complete the paperwork,” said one survey respondent when describing what it was like to get recertified for Medicaid.

Families with young children expressed a desire for a well-coordinated system that helps them meet their needs, including:

• More in-person service locations in additional neighborhoods to assist with application completion and access to navigators.
• Pre-filled paperwork sent by mail containing existing information from the state and county, allowing families to update only what has changed.
• Longer intervals between recertification periods and improved communication about deadlines.
• Increased support with gathering documentation, making copies, and accessing notary services.

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The report also analyzed program changes introduced during and after the pandemic and their impact on family participation rates.

It revealed that many pandemic-era adjustments led to increased enrollment in these programs. However, since the expiration of those changes, some participation rates have begun to decline.

• Medicaid enrollment statewide declined by 9% by March 2024, after peaking in mid-2023.
• Enrollment in WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) has seen continued success.
• Since 2020, New York agencies have been allowed to issue WIC benefits remotely, eliminating the need for families to appear in person to enroll or re-enroll.
• Approximately 95% of WIC appointments statewide are now conducted remotely.
• The total number of families participating in WIC has grown by 14% since remote access became possible.
• There are currently 432,034 New York families enrolled in the WIC program.

“Improving families’ economic well-being is good for children and good for our community,” Pete Nabozny, Policy Director at The Children’s Agenda, said. “New York must ensure all eligible families can access these programs, without undue burden or stigma.”

Visit thechildrensagenda.org/publications/unlocking-access/ to view the full report.

As a Rochester native, Justice Marbury entered the world of journalism to create work where voices like hers were heard—the voices of minority communities. Marbury covers small businesses, neighborhood concerns, and the interesting people who live in Rochester’s 19th Ward. As the 19th Ward reporter, she has helped implement community outreach ideas by asking what people in various communities want to read about themselves in addition to regular news. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com.