Texting Playbook
Recommendations and tips for texting clients of safety net services
Download Code for America’s Texting Playbook to learn how to implement an impactful, human-centered texting campaign for safety net recipients.
Code for America believes in a human-centered safety net that is accessible, equitable, and provides many welcoming doors. In support of that mission, we’ve found sending SMS text messages to be an effective way to engage and support clients of safety net benefits programs like SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid throughout the benefits journey.
We’ve sent text messages to clients all over the nation to better understand the role texting can play in ensuring that client expectations are met and case outcomes are improved. Based on this experience, we’ve developed The Texting Playbook to share our insights and key learnings with government agencies.
The Texting Playbook provides guidance and well-researched strategies to help state agencies implement texting in support of Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, and other benefits programs.
The Texting Playbook provides an overview of:
- How to start texting clients
- The types of messages to send, including real examples
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy guidance
- How to encourage opt-ins and collect consent
- How to avoid coming across as spam
- A cost analysis of texting