NYC Benefits Screening API

 

NYC BENEFITS SCREENING API PROJECT
The NYC Benefits Screening Application Programming Interface (API) supports the development of new and existing public benefits-related web applications as well as enabling public benefits screening to happen against existing datasets of benefits seekers.

Through this API, household data (i.e. information about a household’s income, expenses, housing situation, etc.) can be compared against screening criteria for 30+ Federal, State, and Municipal benefits and programs and a screening result will be produced, containing the potentially eligible benefit and program names and codes.

The screening results can be cross-referenced with NYC Opportunity’s Benefits and Program’s API for more public benefits information including: key details, enrollment timelines, methods of enrollment, and ways individuals can receive assistance.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE

• Organizations that serve benefits-seeking NYC residents including Governmental agencies and Community Based Organizations
• Civic Technology Organizations delivering tools in this area

 

PROJECT WEBSITE
https://screeningapidocs.cityofnewyork.us

 

PROJECT PARTNERS
15+ City, State, and Federal Agencies

 

KEY FEATURES

• Screening for 30+ Federal, State, and City programs (including SNAP, Cash Assistance, WIC, HEAP, and more).
• Eligibility criteria maintained by NYC Opportunity and participating governmental agencies.
• As new public benefits are added to ACCESS NYC’s screener, they will be documented and available through the API.
• Option to submit data for screening in bulk by formatted CSV files.

 

How you can use the API:

• Provide a holistic view of your clients’ potential eligibility and suggest appropriate benefits programs for their situation.
• Inform and better targeting for your benefits outreach campaigns (ex: direct marketing mailers and emails, case worker outreach).

 

HOW WE CREATED THE NYC BENEFITS SCREENING API
The rules engine for city benefits, which governs ACCESS NYC’s Public Benefits Screener is maintained by the Product Team at the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity.

We’ve established and are maintaining a working model for comprehensive benefits screening and hope to extend the impact of this work. In Spring of 2018, our partner WebINTENSIVE provided development services to create an API to programmatically leverage the rules engine to support new screening scenarios and use cases.

 

TECHNOLOGY POWERING THE NYC BENEFITS SCREENING API
The API is hosted on Amazon Web Services through the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications and is implemented with AWS Lambda for serverless architecture. This builds upon the technology underlying ACCESS NYC, including the rules engine which is built on the Drools Business Rules Management System. Learn more about the technology powering ACCESS NYC.

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE NYC BENEFITS SCREENING API
New York City releases API to clear up social service eligibility
Article | Smart Cities Dive | 4.17.2019

NYC Opportunity Launches the NYC Benefits Screening API
Blog | Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity | 4.16.2019

Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity Releases New York City’s First-Ever Benefits Screening API
Press Release | Mayor's Office | 4.16.2019

New York City unveils benefits screening API
Article | State Scoop | 4.16.2019

New York City Demystifies Social Service Benefits Screening
Article | Government Technology | 4.15.2019

Three Takeaways from Open Data 2019
Blog Post | Code for America | 3.12.2019

 

TO REQUEST ACCESS AND LEARN ABOUT HOW IT WORKS:
https://screeningapidocs.cityofnewyork.us