Association Between State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policies, Child Protective Services Involvement, and Foster Care in the US, 2004-2016

Johnson‐Motoyama, Michelle; Ginther, Donna K.; Chung, Yoonzie; Phillips, Rebecca; Beer, O; Davis, Starr; Sattler, Patricia

doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.21509

Cited by 19 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Under BBCE, states have the option to eliminate the asset test used to determine SNAP eligibility and/or to increase the income limit for SNAP eligibility from 130% to up to 200% of the federal poverty level . A recent study examined state adoption of 4 SNAP eligibility and enrollment policies, including a single indicator for whether states increased the income limit or eliminated the asset test under BBCE. This study found that the BBCE indicator was associated with reductions in rates of CPS-investigated reports .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study examined state adoption of 4 SNAP eligibility and enrollment policies, including a single indicator for whether states increased the income limit or eliminated the asset test under BBCE. This study found that the BBCE indicator was associated with reductions in rates of CPS-investigated reports . However, because states can adopt 1 or both BBCE policies, understanding their association—individually and combined—with CPS involvement is important.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…11 Under BBCE, states have the option to eliminate the asset test used to determine SNAP eligibility and/or to increase the income limit for SNAP eligibility from 130% to up to 200% of the federal poverty level. 11 A recent study 12 examined state adoption of 4 SNAP eligibility and enrollment policies, including a single indicator for whether states increased the income limit or eliminated the asset test under BBCE. This study found that the BBCE indicator was associated with reductions in rates of CPS-investigated reports.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Association of State Expansion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility With Rates of Child Protective Services–Investigated Reports

et al. 2023

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ImportanceStates in the US have the option to eliminate the asset test and/or increase the income limit for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility under a policy called broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE). Given associations of economic hardships, including food insecurity, with child protective services (CPS) involvement, state adoption of these policies may be associated with changes in rates of CPS-investigated reports.ObjectiveTo examine the association of state elimination of the asset test and increases in the income limit for SNAP eligibility under BBCE with rates of CPS-investigated reports.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional ecologic study used data from 2006 to 2019 obtained from the SNAP Policy Database and the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System Child Files and difference-in-differences analyses. The data were analyzed from March to September 2022. The study used CPS-investigated reports for suspected child abuse and neglect from 37 US states to examine elimination of the asset test, from 36 states to examine increases in the income limit, and from 26 states to examine adoption of both policies.ExposuresState elimination of the asset test, increases in the income limit, and adoption of both policies to expand SNAP eligibility.Main Outcomes and MeasuresNumber of CPS-investigated reports, overall and specifically for neglect and physical abuse, per 1000 child population.ResultsFrom 2006 to 2019 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, there were a total of 29 213 245 CPS-investigated reports. By race and ethnicity, 19.8% of CPS-investigated reports were among non-Hispanic Black children and 45.7% among non-Hispanic White children (hereafter referred to as Black and White children). On average, there were 8.2 fewer CPS-investigated reports (95% CI, −12.6 to −4.0) per 1000 child population per year in states that eliminated the asset test, 5.0 fewer CPS-investigated reports (95% CI, −10.8 to 0.7) per 1000 child population per year in states that increased the income limit, and 9.3 fewer CPS-investigated reports (95% CI, −15.6 to −3.1) per 1000 child population per year in states that adopted both SNAP policies than there would have been if these states had not adopted these policies. There were decreases in CPS-investigated reports for neglect in states that adopted either or both policies, and small decreases in CPS-investigated reports for physical abuse in states that increased the income limit or adopted both policies. There were decreases in CPS-investigated reports among both Black and White children. For example, there were 6.5 fewer CPS-investigated reports among Black children (95% CI, −14.6 to 1.6) and 8.7 fewer CPS-investigated reports among White children (95% CI, −15.8 to −1.6) in states that adopted both SNAP policies than there would have been if these states had not adopted these policies.Conclusions and RelevanceResults from this cross-sectional study suggest that state expansion of SNAP eligibility through elimination of the asset test and increases in the income limit may contribute to decreases in rates of CPS-investigated reports. These results can inform ongoing debates regarding SNAP policy options, specifically BBCE, and prevention efforts for child abuse and neglect.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association of State Expansion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility With Rates of Child Protective Services–Investigated Reports

et al. 2023

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“…In a quantitative policy analysis, Johnson-Motoyama and colleagues examine the association of state policies governing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with CPS involvement and foster care placement in the US. Their econometric analysis shows that states with more income generosity policies related to SNAP observed decreases in reported child maltreatment and neglect, substantiated cases, and intake into foster care.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…However related they may be, food insecurity and child maltreatment are both cause and consequence of distal social-ecological dynamics that affect the health and well-being of children, families, and communities, as Belsky argued so convincingly in his classical 1980 article on the ecology of child maltreatment. Expanding Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, Belsky reported that child maltreatment is “multiply determined by forces at work in the individual (ontogenic development) and the family (the microsystem), as well as the community (the exosystem), and the culture (the macrosystem) in which both the individual and family are embedded.” Johnson-Motoyama et al add empirical evidence that macrosystem policies such as SNAP prevent child maltreatment and the need for foster care, especially the more generous these policies are. This evidence must be contextualized within the larger contemporary body of research on associations between child maltreatment and individual, family, and neighborhood poverty; housing instability; food insecurity; structural racism and injustice; and socioeconomic inequities and inequalities …”

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confidence: 99%

Child Maltreatment and the Ecosystem of Socioeconomic Inequities and Inequalities

Okechukwu

Abraham

2022

JAMA Netw Open

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Association of Increasing the Minimum Wage in the US With Experiences of Maternal Stressful Life Events

2023

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ImportanceExposure to stressful life events (SLEs) before and during pregnancy is associated with adverse health for pregnant people and their children. Minimum wage policies have the potential to reduce exposure to SLEs among socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant people.ObjectiveTo examine the association of increasing the minimum wage with experience of maternal SLEs.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis repeated cross-sectional study included 199 308 individuals who gave birth between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2015, in 39 states that participated in at least 2 years of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring Survey between 2004 and 2015. Statistical analysis was performed from September 1, 2022, to January 6, 2023.ExposureThe mean minimum wage in the 2 years prior to the month and year of delivery in an individual’s state of residence.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe main outcomes were number of financial, partner-related, traumatic, and total SLEs in the 12 months before delivery. Individual-level covariates included age, race and ethnicity, marital status, parity, educational level, and birth month. State-level covariates included unemployment, gross state product, uninsurance, poverty, state income supports, political affiliation of governor, and Medicaid eligibility levels. A 2-way fixed-effects analysis was conducted, adjusting for individual and state-level covariates and state-specific time trends.ResultsOf the 199 308 women (mean [SD] age at delivery, 25.7 [6.1] years) in the study, 1.4% were American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.5% were Asian or Pacific Islander, 27.2% were Hispanic, 17.6% were non-Hispanic Black, and 48.8% were non-Hispanic White. A $1 increase in the minimum wage was associated with a reduction in total SLEs (−0.060; 95% CI, −0.095 to −0.024), financial SLEs (−0.032; 95% CI, −0.056 to −0.007), and partner-related SLEs (−0.019; 95% CI, −0.036 to −0.003). When stratifying by race and ethnicity, minimum wage increases were associated with larger reductions in total SLEs for Hispanic women (−0.125; 95% CI, −0.242 to −0.009).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this repeated cross-sectional study of women with a high school education or less across 39 states, an increase in the state-level minimum wage was associated with reductions in experiences of maternal SLEs. Findings support the potential of increasing the minimum wage as a policy for improving maternal well-being among socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant people. These findings have relevance for current policy debates regarding the minimum wage as a tool for improving population health.

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Association Between State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policies, Child Protective Services Involvement, and Foster Care in the US, 2004-2016

Cited by 19 publications

References 31 publications

Association of State Expansion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility With Rates of Child Protective Services–Investigated Reports

Association of State Expansion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility With Rates of Child Protective Services–Investigated Reports

Child Maltreatment and the Ecosystem of Socioeconomic Inequities and Inequalities

Association of Increasing the Minimum Wage in the US With Experiences of Maternal Stressful Life Events

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