Food insecurity — having limited or uncertain access to adequate food — can affect physical and mental health, and it can also influence educational outcomes.
Nearly half (44%) of college students experience hunger and food insecurity, significantly higher than among U.S. households (13%).
The CalFresh program, as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is known in California, provides food benefits to people with low incomes.
California is one of the first states to expand access to SNAP benefits to students pursuing higher education, however a lack of specific guidance from governmental agencies has resulted in colleges and universities across California trying different approaches to raise awareness of the program and assisting students in signing up, with ultimately inconsistent results.
In a new study, researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) and Cal State Fullerton partnered with basic needs offices at six California colleges to better understand what is working, what has not worked, and what can be done to improve SNAP access for higher education students.
Through interviews, surveys, and focus groups, researchers learned from students and staff at colleges and universities who work in offices that aid students with basic needs like food about the characteristics of effective programs, challenges to implementation, and recommendations for building successful programs and promoting student use.
Join the UCLA CHPR on Wednesday, January 29, as we share findings from the report, as well as three fact sheets tailored to three audiences — higher education programs, SNAP administrators, and policymakers — with recommendations to improve SNAP access and help address food insecurity among students in higher education.
