The field of behavioral economics has identified common psychological barriers that all individuals face, including limited attention, status quo bias, and planning fallacy, which are exacerbated by the cognitive burdens of poverty. Policymakers and administrators are increasingly applying evidence from behavioral economics to improve social services outreach and programs. The goal of this session was to present project findings and share concrete examples of how behavioral economics can be used to better serve local populations. Utilizing this approach can help counties improve service delivery outcomes such as increasing CalFresh participation rates and reducing Welfare-to-Work sanction rates without increasing operating costs

Using Behavioral Interventions to Improve Customer Experience

• Mark Woo, Consultant
• Nadine Dechausay, Research Associate, MDRC
• Nate Higgins, Fellow, Behavioral and Social Science Team, White House Office of Science and Technology
• Jacob Solomon, Code for America