End of COVID-era SNAP emergency food assistance linked to increased child maltreatment rates

A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has found that as U.S. counties ended COVID-19 pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments, child maltreatment rates increased. The research, led by Dr. Liwei Zhang from the University of Georgia's School of Social Work, analyzed nationwide child welfare data from 1,153 counties between January 2021 and February 2022.

During this time, ten states ended these expanded SNAP benefits, while other states continued providing them. The study revealed that the discontinuation of these food assistance programs was linked to a gradual rise in substantiated child maltreatment, including neglect and physical abuse. However, the number of child maltreatment reports did not significantly increase, indicating that the rise in substantiated cases was not due to heightened reporting.

This suggests that the effects of losing additional food assistance may build over time as families face ongoing financial pressure. The findings highlight the importance of considering the broader economic and social policies, such as nutrition assistance, in efforts to prevent child and family harm.