Millions of Americans struggle to meet basic needs such as food, housing, and healthcare services each year. However, only a small fraction of those in need receive help from government and non-profit agencies. Why is this the case?
Researchers at the Northwestern Network for Social Impact (NNSI) have found that the pathway from fulfilling needs to receiving assistance is not straightforward. Numerous barriers prevent individuals from accessing formal support channels—structured programs that provide long-term and reliable aid, including federal programs, nonprofits, and social service organizations.
Identifying these barriers allows us to design interventions that make social care systems more accessible, efficient, and equitable.
1. Bureaucratic Hurdles:
One of the most significant barriers individuals face when seeking help from social services is the bureaucratic processes involved. Many often encounter complex application processes involving lengthy paperwork, unfriendly staff, and long wait times. Strict eligibility criteria could lead to delays based on incorrectly completed forms, missing information, and extensive waiting lists. It is also important to note that fewer resources are available to those in need in poorer communities. The disconnect between actual needs and the accessibility of resources leads individuals to travel to larger towns and cities, costing time and money, further discouraging them from seeking help.
2. Information Gaps and Limited Knowledge:
Information gaps and limited knowledge of available resources are significant obstacles to accessing social services. Many people are unaware of the support resources available to them, and the initial steps of knowing where to go and gather necessary information can be especially daunting to those in need who are already feeling emotions of distress. Even if individuals knew of assistance organizations, they did not know about the specific programs offered or eligibility criteria, leading to uncertainty in seeking help options.
3. Identity-based discrimination:
Identity-based discrimination presents additional barriers to accessing social services. Participants in the study expressed how they believed aspects of their identity, such as race, ethnicity, gender, and religion, played a part in the unjust denial of services. Some noted that race and ethnicity played a significant role in the denial of services, and some reported feeling like they couldn’t seek help in their religion due to a lack of affiliation or inactivity in the religious community. These experiences highlight the complexity of barriers individuals face when their identities intersect with societal prejudices or discrimination, influencing the help they can access.
In summary:
Recognizing that there are extensive barriers to accessing formal support services emphasizes the need for structural changes in the U.S. social care system. Addressing bureaucratic hurdles, expanding knowledge of available services, and reducing discrimination could make formal assistance more accessible and equitable to those in need.
So, what can we do to overcome these barriers? Organizations such as Code for America have already worked with states like Colorado and California to reduce bureaucratic obstacles and simplify access to food benefits. North Carolina launched NCCARE360, the first statewide network uniting healthcare and human services through a shared technology platform, to help individuals learn where to go for help and match them to the right provider. Identity-based discrimination is hard to address, but religious organizations can do better outreach to ensure that everyone feels welcome. For example, Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church has developed its youth and adult social services nonprofit, Chicago First, to help connect individuals to mentoring, supportive services, academic enrichment, and career development. By creating a program that isn’t immediately affiliated with the church, they can reach more people concerned about identity-based discrimination in religiously affiliated aid programs.
But these programs are just the start. At NNSI, we believe that understanding people’s challenges when seeking help is essential to building effective networks of organizations. A human-centered approach can help providers design better health and human service networks.
Written by Jenna Jeon Class of ’27