In Berkeley Talks episode 157, Hilary Hoynes, a UC Berkeley professor of economics and of public policy, and Haas Distinguished Chair in Economic Disparities, discusses the emerging research that examines how the social safety net in the United States — a collection of public programs that delivers aid to low-income populations — affects children’s life trajectories.
Compared to other countries in the world, she says, the U.S. spends less on anti-poverty programs and, consequently, has higher child poverty rates.
Hoynes, who has been studying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), called CalFresh in California, goes on to share some of her team’s findings. In her summary, she includes short-term and longer-term effects on people who received SNAP benefits as children.