Fact Sheet California’s Cash-Based Safety Net By Caroline Danielson May 1, 2023 Safety net programs that provide cash assistance help low-income Californians meet their basic needs. State and federal tax credits reach a large number of people, while programs that offer monthly payments provide a higher level of support to participants. This assistance keeps millions out of poverty—but not all who are eligible are enrolled.
blog post Federal Immigration Proposal Could Have Widespread Impact By Tess Thorman Dec 5, 2018 A proposed Department of Homeland Security rule change could affect hundreds of thousands of Californians who are currently eligible for social safety net benefits.
Report Reform Reversed? The Restoration of Welfare Benefits to Immigrants in California By Thomas E. MaCurdy, Margaret O’Brien-Strain Dec 1, 1998 The 1996 federal welfare reform legislation called for many substantial changes in the welfare system. However, some of these changes were not carefully considered, and subsequent legislation has already modified or reversed several of the original reforms. In this report, the authors examine one such instance—the denial and reinstatement of benefits to noncitizen immigrants under the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Food Stamps programs. The authors argue that the lack of thoughtful program design was the most disturbing feature in both the denial and restoration of benefits to immigrants. If legislators are to accomplish the stated goals of welfare reform, they must develop their strategies more carefully as other opportunities for rethinking and revising the welfare system arise in the future.
blog post Many Low-Income Families Left Out of Federal Stimulus Benefits By Tess Thorman, Caroline Danielson, Sarah Bohn Apr 24, 2020 Federal stimulus checks during COVID-19 will reach an estimated four of five California families, but many of the lowest income families won’t get assistance.
blog post Testimony: Safety Net Plays Key Role in Reducing Poverty By Sarah Bohn Feb 14, 2018 Poverty is high in California, and it has not improved as much as the economy has.
Report The Role of CalFresh in Stabilizing Family Incomes By Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman Sep 21, 2022 CalFresh—California’s largest safety net program—helps mitigate income instability for many low-income families. But those without recent employment often do not experience this stabilizing effect. Additional efforts to automate income reporting and ensure that individuals can access CalFresh as soon as they are eligible could strengthen the program’s reach and impact.
Fact Sheet Poverty in California By Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon Oct 18, 2023 With the end of many pandemic relief programs, poverty rates—especially for children—have gone up in the last two years.
