In this segment from WPTF Morning News, I discuss Innovating for the Public Good: R&D for Democracy’s (IFPG) new report, focusing on nine states and what everyday Americans need to go through to qualify for SNAP, TANF and Medicaid.

In North Carolina, there is no consolidated form to apply for SNAP and TANF together — each program has its own lengthy application and periodic eligibility recertifications:

— Medicaid: 20 pages + recertification after 6–12 months

— SNAP: 8 pages, plus 2 pages of instructions + recertification after 6 months

— TANF: 10 pages

After you are done filling out the many pages of applications for these programs, you need to wait for an interview. The North Carolina state government has been underfunded for years and years — so sometimes this wait is too long for families in need.