Policy & Practice | Fall 2026

association news

Honoring the 2026 EMWB Impact Award Winners

A cross the country, human services agencies are finding new ways to improve how people access services, strengthen program performance, and support better outcomes for families and communities. At the 2026 Economic Mobility and Well-Being (EMWB) Conference in New Orleans, three APHSA affinity groups recognized agencies putting that innovation into action through their annual Impact Awards for Excellence in Human Services. The National Association for Program Information and Performance Measurement (NAPIPM), American Association of SNAP Directors (AASD), and National Association of State TANF Administrators (NASTA) each honored an agency whose work demonstrates the impact of combining technology, strong partnerships, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

AASD Impact Award: Kentucky Department for Community Based Services

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) received the 2026 AASD Impact Award for its innovative use of predictive analytics, personalized digital outreach, and automation to improve access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and modernize how people receive public assistance communications. Through these efforts, Kentucky DCBS enrolled 28,056 res idents in SNAP, generating $6.58 million in new benefits. The agency also automatically issued $44 million in Summer elec tronic benefits transfer (EBT) benefits to more than 378,000 children across nearly 237,000 households, helping families to access food assistance with less administrative burden. Technology and automation have also generated sub stantial operational efficiencies. DCBS shifted 336,000 individuals—15.6 percent of its more than 2.1 million person caseload—to digital communications, saving $2.4 million and the equivalent of 119 worker days. Automated duplicate SNAP checks across 1.23 million calls are saving approximately $1 million annually. At the same time, Kentucky achieved a SNAP payment error rate of 4.01 percent—its best since 2018 and fourth lowest nationally—helping the state avoid more than $24 million in federal penalties. Together, these efforts demonstrate how data-driven insights, proactive communication, and automation can

expand access while improving program performance and making service delivery more efficient for both residents and agency staff. Brittany Penna (left), Assistant Director for the Division of Family Support, accepts the AASD Impact Award on behalf of the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services. Also pictured is Betsy Suver (right), Deputy Director, Office of Family Services, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and AASD Chair.

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