While a significant portion of college students are eligible for safety net benefits, many do not access supports they need. Students may not realize they are eligible for benefits or struggle to complete the application or recertification processes.
This fact sheet highlights how human services agencies can improve outreach to college students eligible for safety net benefits. It draws on insights from a series of workgroups with staff at human services agencies and youth-serving nonprofits, as well as young leaders.
To better connect young people to the benefits they need, human services agencies should consider working with students with lived experience navigating the safety net to create an outreach strategy that addresses common barriers to receiving benefits. Agencies should share actionable information on platforms students already use, such as social media sites. In addition, benefits agencies can partner with colleges and universities on outreach; these institutions often collect data that can be used to target outreach toward students who are likely eligible for benefits.
