Cash Transfers And Child Health In The US: What Is Known And What Questions Remain
Cash transfer programs show promise for improving families’ lives, including children’s health. They can and should complement existing programs that we already know work for children and families, like SNAP or WIC.
Cash transfer programs may also improve families’ well-being through a range of pathways. But recent studies on cash transfer programs have produced mixed evidence.
One throughline across studies, however, is that parents often invest the cash they receive from cash transfer programs in their children’s health and well-being.
This Health Affairs brief explains cash transfer programs, summarizes evidence of their efficacy in supporting child health, highlights opportunities to further build this evidence, and considers policy implications.