Can machine learning help more people access SNAP benefits? - Technical.ly Philly

Thanks to a machine learning model built in-house at Center City nonprofit Benefits Data Trust, call-center staffers get extra insights while enrolling users onto the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Deployed last week for Pennsylvania residents, the tool helps employees understand what level of assistance potential beneficiaries might need. BDT Director of Data Science Matt Stevens said the model is already in use, helping workers identify cases that may require a more hands-on approach through the application process, specifically for the documents submission phase. "This isn't making distinctions on how much benefits people can have access to, but rather what level guidance of support we should provide," Stevens said. The model, Stevens said, is in the initial phases of use and is expected to be deployed across all projects.