Report The Impact of Health Insurance on Poverty in California By Caroline Danielson, Patricia Malagon, Shannon McConville Mar 27, 2023 The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Californians gain health insurance over the past decade. In addition to improving access to care, the ACA has increased financial well-being. This analysis focuses on the significant contribution of publicly funded health coverage—particularly Medi-Cal—to family resources across the state.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Pandemic Changes to Medi-Cal and Implications for California’s Immigrant Farmworkers By Paulette Cha Mar 22, 2023 Pandemic changes to Medi-Cal made it easier for low-income Californians to stay enrolled and to access expanded services—improvements to care that may have helped immigrant farmworkers. The upcoming end of the public health emergency will reverse some of these changes, as advocates push to keep others permanent.
Explainer Is College Worth It? By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson Mar 8, 2023 Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.
blog post Human Trafficking in California By Heather Harris Feb 15, 2023 California accounts for a declining share of the human trafficking incidents that occur nationally. But detecting human trafficking is challenging, and understanding the scope of trafficking is critical to combatting this kind of exploitation.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: The Future of Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Spencer Cole, Josué Medellín-Azuara Feb 8, 2023 Agriculture is a key driver of the regional economy in the San Joaquin Valley, but water for irrigation is an ongoing—and growing—concern. Our latest research offers the most accurate, nuanced, and localized look at where fallowing may need to occur—and details the policy and management actions that could lead to better outcomes.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Deja Thomas Feb 1, 2023 Key findings include overwhelming majorities say housing affordability and homelessness are a big problem; many Californians worry younger generations will be unable to afford a home. Majorities expect bad times ahead for the state financially. Approval of Newsom and Biden has remained steady, while approval has fallen for the US Supreme Court and Congress.
blog post California’s Highly Educated Immigrants By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Hans Johnson Jan 30, 2023 Recent immigrants to California are among the most educated residents of the state. More than half of the working-age immigrants who arrived over the past ten years hold a bachelor’s or graduate degree.
blog post Californians Are Pessimistic about Economic Times Ahead By Dean Bonner, Sarah Bohn Jan 18, 2023 While the state’s economy looks strong on many measures, more than two-thirds of Californians expect bad economic times in the next year, according to PPIC’s November survey. Meanwhile, high prices and growing inequality are significant concerns, especially for low-income residents.
blog post How Is Remote Work Affecting Worker Preferences and the Economy? By Dean Bonner, Sarah Bohn Dec 13, 2022 More than one-third of employed Californians say they work from home either all the time or sometimes. But the ability to work remotely varies across industries, occupations, and regions, with significant implications for job-seeking patterns and economic opportunity.
blog post A Regional Look at the Availability of Well-Paying Jobs after COVID By Rachel Lawler, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Sarah Bohn Dec 1, 2022 The nature of job loss and recovery during the pandemic varies across California’s regions. And these differences are reflected in residents’ views on employment opportunities in their part of the state.