Determinants of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Entry and Exit in the Mid-2000s

摘要

Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in any month is the net result of people entering and exiting the program-what is often referred to as program 'dynamics.' These can be characterized descriptively by examining rates of program entry, how long participants spend on the program, and how often those that exit the program re-enter it. Another important area of research, however, and the main objective of this report, seeks to understand the factors associated with entering and exiting the program. We systematically examine how individual and family demographic and economic characteristics, as well as state economic measures and SNAP policies, are associated with SNAP entry and exit, for the period from 2004 to 2006.