Using a Policy Index To Capture Trends and Differences in State Administration of USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

by Brian Stacy, Laura Tiehen, and David Marquardt

ERS study creates a SNAP Policy Index, a metric that captures differences in States' administration of USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—formerly the Food Stamp Program. Using data from ERS's SNAP Policy Database, the study finds a general trend from 1996 to 2014 toward more accommodative State-level SNAP policies.

To use an interactive SNAP Policy Index tool, see SNAP Policy Database: Interactive Tool.

Keywords: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, Food Stamp Program, State Policy, Index, SNAP Participation

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