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Independent, objective, nonpartisan research
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Health & Safety Net

Analyzing policies for reducing poverty and increasing well-being

photo - Close up of therapy session with teenage girl
Report · January 2026

Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California

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Report · August 2025

California’s Changing Child Care Landscape

photo - College Students Studying around a Cafeteria Table
Report · February 2025

Reducing College Costs for Low-Income Students

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Blog Posts

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photo - Emergency Room Team Bringing Young Woman into Examination Room
July 8, 2026

Fewer Participants Ease Medi-Cal Budget but Add to Growing Uninsured

Paulette Cha

photo - Parents Loading Groceries from Shopping Cart to the Back of the Car and Two Little Daughters Sitting in Shopping Cart Eating Bananas
June 17, 2026

What California’s Next Governor Needs to Know about the Social Safety Net

Caroline Danielson, Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon

photo - Teenage Girl Talking to Male Therapist in School Library
June 10, 2026

Testimony: Teen Mental Health and School-based Support

Shalini Mustala

photo - Doctor Taking Patient's Blood Pressure in Exam Room
May 7, 2026

What California’s Next Governor Needs to Know about Health Care

Shannon McConville, Paulette Cha, Shalini Mustala

photo - Young Girl Receiving Flu Shot from Doctor
April 2, 2026

School Vaccination Rates Vary across California

Shalini Mustala, Shannon McConville

Fact Sheets

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photo - Child Helping Parent with Shopping
May 2026

California’s Nutrition Safety Net

Tess Thorman, Patricia Malagon

photo - Person Holding a Stress Ball
March 2026

California’s Health Care Safety Net

Shannon McConville, Shalini Mustala

photo - Adult Hand Holding Infant Hand
March 2026

Public Health Insurance in California

Shalini Mustala, Paulette Cha

photo - Old Lady in Soup Kitchen Line
August 2025

Poverty in California

Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon ...

photo - Dishwasher Working in Restaurant Kitchen
August 2025

Poverty among California’s Workers

Sarah Bohn, Caroline Danielson, Sara Kimberlin, Patricia Malagon ...

photo - Woman Carrying Her Baby and Clothes Shopping
June 2025

California’s Cash-Based Safety Net

Caroline Danielson

Interactives

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image - California Poverty by County and Legislative District
August 4, 2025

California Poverty by County and Legislative District

image - Who's in Poverty in California?
August 4, 2025

Who’s in Poverty in California?

photo - Stethoscope on Top of Hundred Dollar Bills
Featured Blog Post · March 25, 2026

Concern over Health Care Affordability Is Widespread

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Fact Cards

1M Number of children safety net programs kept out of poverty.
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10% Share of working Californians who live in poverty.
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1 in 5 California teens who received mental health services in recent years.
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About 2.3 million Californians were uninsured in spring 2025.
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$1B Monthly federal dollars to provide food assistance for over 5 million CalFresh recipients.
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About 1 in 8 California households lack the resources to meet their food needs.
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$6.19B Dollars distributed to qualified Californians via the federal earned income tax credit.
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About half of Californians were covered by public health insurance as of August 2024.
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Meet the Team

Sarah Bohn

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

Email 415-291-4413
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Paulette Cha

Research Fellow

Email 415-291-4479
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Caroline Danielson

Vice President of Research and Senior Fellow

Email 415-291-4462
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Patricia Malagon

Research Associate

Email 415-291-4463
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Shannon McConville

Senior Fellow

Email 415-291-4481
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Shalini Mustala

Research Associate

Email 415-291-4453
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Tess Thorman

Senior Research Associate

Email 415-291-4449
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