The challenge
States running SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, and other benefits programs depend on a patchwork of systems that were not designed to work together. Eligibility systems, case management platforms, document storage, payment processors, and client-facing applications all come from different vendors — and the cost of connecting them falls entirely on the state.
The result is expensive custom integration work that has to be rebuilt every time a system changes, business rules and institutional knowledge locked inside vendor platforms, and modernization projects that take years and still leave the underlying fragmentation unsolved.
The problem is not the systems themselves — it is the absence of a shared integration standard.
What the Blueprint is
The Safety Net Blueprint is a shared integration standard for benefits programs, developed by Code for America. It establishes a common language — a set of agreed-upon definitions for how programs work, what data they exchange, and how systems communicate — that any vendor can build to.
When all systems speak the same language, they work together from day one. Replacing one vendor does not require rebuilding the others. Applications and business rules the state has invested in are not lost when a contract ends.
States customize the Blueprint for their specific programs and rules without giving up the shared foundation. Updates to the Blueprint benefit all participating states simultaneously.
Why this approach works
Systems that work together
Built on a single shared standard, every new system connects to the rest without custom integration work. No more one-off bridges between platforms.
Vendor independence
Replacing one system does not disrupt the others. Business rules and applications the state has built travel with the state — not with the vendor.
No big-bang cutover
Systems join the shared foundation one at a time, on their own schedule. Existing operations are not disrupted. Risk is incremental, not all-at-once.
Start building immediately
Development teams can begin building user-facing applications against simulated systems before any vendor is procured or any backend is built.
Full visibility
Every interaction between systems is defined and tracked by the shared standard — giving the state a complete picture of what is happening across programs.
Ready for what's next
A shared integration standard creates the conditions for AI-assisted processing, real-time eligibility, and cross-program coordination that fragmented systems cannot support.
The cost of doing nothing
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Silos that compound over time
Without a shared integration strategy, each new system procurement creates another island. The cost of connecting them grows with every addition, and the window to act without disruption narrows.
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Business rules locked in vendor platforms
Caseworker workflows, eligibility logic, and deadline rules embedded in proprietary systems cannot be inspected, transferred, or reused. Every transition starts over.
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Falling further behind
States moving now will have the integration foundation in place as vendor landscapes shift and federal requirements evolve. The gap between early movers and late adopters widens each year.
The recommended path
Establish the standard
Adopt the Blueprint as the common integration foundation for the state's benefits systems. Define the shared language all future systems will speak.
Start building before procurement
Development teams begin building user-facing applications immediately against simulated systems. No backend, no vendor, no waiting — just validated progress the state owns.
Set up the communications backbone
Establish the central hub through which all systems exchange information. This is the connective tissue — every system that joins connects here, not to each other.
Bring systems online one at a time
Connect each existing or procured system to the shared foundation with a lightweight translation layer. No disruption to what is already working. Each system migrates on its own timeline.
Learn more
Explore the Adoption Model for a detailed walkthrough of how the Blueprint works, or visit the repository on GitHub to see the work in progress.