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Independent, objective, nonpartisan research
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Health & Safety Net

Analyzing policies for reducing poverty and increasing well-being

Featured Blog Post · August 29, 2023

Access to Mental Health Providers Is Highly Uneven Across the State

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Families at the top income levels in California earned 11 times more than families at the bottom.
About 1 in 10 California households lack the resources to meet their food needs.
Safety net programs kept more than 19.7% of children out of poverty in fall 2021.
Schools were a key source of food for low-income families despite closures during the pandemic.
At 13.7%, LA County has the highest poverty rate in the state; Central Valley and Sierra region have the lowest at 9.3%.
California’s uninsured rate fell from 17% to 7% after the Affordable Care Act passed in 2014.
More than 1/4 of Californians are living in or near poverty.
55% Most California adults favor providing health care to undocumented immigrants.
64% Most poor families in California are working.

Meet the Team

Sarah Bohn

Vice President and Director of the Economic Policy Center and Senior Fellow

Caroline Danielson

Interim Vice President of Research and Senior Fellow