Social safety net programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance; subsidized housing such as public housing, Section 8 housing vouchers, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits; public healthcare via Medicaid and Medicare; Social Security; unemployment insurance; and childcare subsidies. These programs operate on a combination of federal and state funding and regulations.
Poverty Solutions evaluates the impact of these programs and assesses people's experiences trying to access the services, in order to make evidence-based recommendations on ways to make the social safety net more effective.