The Effect of SNAP on Financial Health

Safety net programs provide resources to households that are in financial distress during times of increased need, but evidence of their effects on consumer financial health is scarce. Economists Tatiana Homonoff and Katherine Meckel will examine the effects of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on financial distress among low-income households in California. They will analyze University of California Consumer Credit Panel data, administrative data on SNAP enrollment and earnings from the California Department of Social Services, and data on SNAP applications and recertifications for their study.