Identifying relevant public programs and services, along with the organizations responsible for them

Identifying and understanding the conditions, rules, and eligibility criteria of public programs and services, and applying them to one’s situation (e.g. matching to categories, see Moynihan et al. 2022)

Traveling to government offices or third-party agents’ offices

Anticipating interactions with the state (Bækgaard and Madsen 2023)

Waiting in line at government offices or on the phone to speak with public employees

Understanding, completing, and submitting program applications and associated forms (e.g., consent to share personal information, direct deposit enrollment form)

Demonstrating status or eligibility (e.g. obtaining and providing a birth certificate, income data)

Searching for, hiring, and working with professionals (e.g. lawyers, immigration facilitators, accountants) and other intermediaries (e.g. navigators) to assist with interactions with the state

Paying the fees associated with public programs and services or citizens’ duties and obligations (e.g. parking fines, taxes)

Using public programs and services (e.g. redemption costs; see Barnes 2020)

Understanding and responding to discretionary requests and obligations from public officials (e.g. in-person interviews at welfare offices, tax audits, police arrests)

Understanding the process and actors involved in submitting a request to update personal information, obtain a refund, submit a complaint, or correct administrative errors

Experiencing negative effects of post-traumatic stress disorder after interacting with the state