How Maria, a Mother and Breast Cancer Survivor, Accessed Vital Resources with the Multnomah Common Application

Maria is a busy mother to a 6-year-old, a full-time worker, and a breast cancer survivor. With so much on her plate, managing childcare, health issues, and daily life, she needed a way to access support quickly and easily. That’s where the Multnomah Common Application came in, allowing her—and thousands of others—to apply for up to 20 different programs with just one application.

“I’m a mother, I’m a PTA member, a community member, I work full time, I’m also a breast cancer survivor…I think convenience is a really big part of everyone’s life; what can we get done in an efficient time, and how can we be more effective with our time? I think that’s why the Common Application is so wonderful.”

– Maria Hanerfeld, Multnomah Resident and Common Application Applicant

Multnomah County, Oregon’s largest and most diverse county, encountered a familiar challenge in ensuring easy access to essential resources, especially for residents facing hardship. Through community feedback, Commissioner Lori Stegmann recognized the need for an easier, more efficient way to connect people with services. Partnering with FORWARD, Multnomah County launched the Common Application, a user-friendly and powerful benefits navigator designed to streamline applications and improve accessibility for residents.

“I thought it was such a travesty that there are amazing resources for people, and they are not aware of them. People become traumatized and retraumatized every time they are asked to retell their stories. We see that when you have to fill out multiple applications and multiple agencies. My goal is to reduce the redundancy and trauma that people experience.”

– Commissioner Lori Stegmann, Multnomah County

The program achieved impressive results, reducing application size by 80% and navigational complexity by 90%. This streamlined approach not only helps residents like Maria access the services they need but also illustrates the impact of innovative tools for program administrators aiming to enhance service delivery.

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