Federal Assistance Programs

Food Stamp Program |  Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC) | Subsidized Housing | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) | TANF | CACFP


The Food Stamp Program (now renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is America's first line of defense against hunger and the foundation of our national nutrition safety network.  The program helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health and nutrition.  SNAP benefits are provided to participants on an electronic card (an EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card) that can be used like a debit card at most grocery and corner stores. 

Physicians and medical researchers think SNAP is one of America’s best medicines to prevent and treat household and particularly child food insecurity.  Food insecurity is limited or uncertain access to enough nutritious food for all household members. Child food insecurity occurs when caretakers are no longer able to buffer their children from the effects of hunger.  For these children, hunger is not merely uncomfortable, but it is also dangerous.  It jeopardizes their health and normal development.  Infants and toddlers are particularly vulnerable to inadequate nutrition because the first three years of life are a critical developmental period during which the foundations are laid for growth and learning in later life.    

Within the Children’s HealthWatch dataset, 40% of families receive SNAP benefits.  Children’s HealthWatch found that compared to families whose SNAP benefit was not decreased, children in families with terminated or reduced SNAP benefits are:
  • 90% more likely to be in food insecure households.
  • More than 2 times as likely to experience child food insecurity.
Compared to children in food insecure households who participate in SNAP, children in food insecure households whose families do not participate are:
  • Significantly more likely to be reported in fair or poor health.
However, Children’s HealthWatch has found that compared to young children whose families were eligible for SNAP benefits but did not receive them, young children whose families received SNAP were 26% less likely to be food insecure.  

For more information about SNAP, click here.

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The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC) provides women and children with scientifically-selected, nutrient-rich foods, as well as information on healthy eating and referrals to health care.  The effectiveness of this program has been proven, ranging from improving infant birthweight to reducing Medicaid costs for these women and children.  Within the Children’s HealthWatch dataset, 76.5% receive WIC. 

Children’s HealthWatch found that children under age three who receive WIC, in comparison to children who do not receive WIC due to access problems, are:
  • 16% more likely to be in good health.
  • 24% more likely to be developmentally within normal limits.
  • 14% more likely to be child food secure.
  • 21% more likely to live in food-secure households.
For more information about WIC, click here.


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While nutritious food is essential to a child’s health and development, Children’s HealthWatch has found that living in stable housing is also an integral factor.  Subsidized housing encompasses a variety of programs that provide government support for housing accommodation to low-income people.  These programs, including public housing, Section 8 and others, have helped many low-income families achieve housing stability.  In the Children’s HealthWatch dataset, 26.3% of families receive subsidized housing. 

Children’s HealthWatch found that among low-income families eligible for housing subsidies:
  • Housing assistance was received by only 27% of the families.
  • Children in subsidized housing have better growth outcomes than children in families who do not receive the benefit.
In a Boston-specific study, Children's HealthWatch found that the percentage of housing insecure families suffering from food insecurity is more than double that of families with stable housing.  The percentage of children who are hungry is also more than double.  Most troubling, 15.6% of children living in severely housing insecure families suffer from poor health versus 8.6% of children in families in stable housing.  

For more information about the Section 8 Rental Voucher Program, click here.


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The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is an integral program which helps  low-income families to afford sufficient energy to sustain a healthy and safe life in the geographic area where they are located.  LIHEAP helps low-income households in paying a portion of their home heating and cooling bills.  Though LIHEAP has been proven to protect the health and growth of young children, the program often does not have sufficient funding to serve all those who are eligible.  The recent recession has driven demand even higher than usual and, fortunately, Congress has responded with some increased funding, resulting in approximately 7.3 million households being served in 2009. (For more details, please go to the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association website: www.neada.org)

LIHEAP provides valuable assistance in preserving children’s health.  Among low-income Children’s HealthWatch families eligible for LIHEAP, only 16% of families received energy assistance.  Compared to infants and toddlers in families who receive LIHEAP, infants and toddlers who do not receive the benefit are:
  • Significantly more likely to be underweight.
  • 23% more likely to be at nutritional risk for growth problems.
  • 32% more likely to be admitted to the hospital on the day of the Children’s HealthWatch interview.
 For more information about LIHEAP, click here.


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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is also an important program in maintaining the health and well being of children.  It is the nation’s primary income support program that provides impoverished families with minimal income to cover their basic needs.  Within the Children’s HealthWatch dataset, 25.6% of the families receive TANF.

Children’s HealthWatch found that compared to TANF families whose benefit was not decreased, infants and toddlers with terminated or reduced TANF assistance are:
  • 30% more likely to have a history of hospitalization.
  • 50% more likely to be in food insecure households.
  • 90% more likely to be admitted to a hospital at an ED visit.

Many of the participants in TANF are children of color.  These children are among the poorest families and TANF serves as an integral program for the healthy development of these children. 

Children’s HealthWatch has found that compared with black infants and toddlers whose family benefit was not reduced in the past year:
  • Black infants and toddlers whose family benefit was reduced were 56 percent more likely to be food insecure.
  • Black infants and toddlers whose family benefit was sanctioned were 78 percent more likely to be food insecure.
 
Also, compared with Latino infants and toddlers whose family benefit was not reduced in the past year:
  • Latino infants and toddlers whose family benefit was reduced were more than twice as likely to be food insecure.
  • Latino infants and toddlers whose family benefit was sanctioned were 63 percent more likely to be food insecure.
 For more information about TANF, click here.

 

 

 

The federal Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP) is the nation’s only nutrition program for young children in child care. CACFP reimburses eligible childcare providers for meals and snacks that meet specific nutritional guidelines. In addition, the program supports providers through on-site visits, group classes, and ongoing technical assistance. CACFP, which is reauthorized as part of the Child Nutrition Program Act, subsidizes healthy meals for nearly three million low-income children in licensed child care centers and sponsored family child care homes.

Children’s HealthWatch identified a group of children in its dataset that are very likely receiving CACFP meals. Compared with children whose meals are supplied from home, children receiving meals at child care are:

  • in better health
  • at decreased risk for hospitalization
  • at healthier heights and weights for their age

Changes to CACFP that expand access, reduce barriers and ensure that providers have the resources they need to provide healthy meals are beneficial for young children’s health and growth.

To learn more about CACFP, click here.

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