Abstract
Problem Significance
Food is a basic need, making food insecurity a significant public health problem affecting California. Government-funded programs frequently address food insecurity, with California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) receiving the largest portion of the national allocation.
Analysis and Objectives
Ensuring SNAP-Ed provides adequate resource management services is imperative. However, evaluation efforts of large programs are difficult, especially within government and bureaucratic organizations. Accountability for public funds is necessary, but organizational dysfunction can directly oppose evaluation strategies and limit information necessary to improve interventions and inform decision-makers about food access policies. Thus, an assessment of SNAP-Ed’s evaluation activities at the state level is the focus of this project.
Intervention (Solution) Proposal
Persistent evaluation of public programs is crucial to ensure effectiveness and continued benefit to those they serve. This project analyzed food access interventions and state-level evaluations of California’s SNAP-Ed program and identified deficiencies. Proposed improvements, however, include measurable state goals and objectives, alignment of intervention activities and evaluation efforts, and a state evaluation plan.
Recommendations and Conclusions
With the potential to serve millions of Californians and the ability to influence food access policies at state and national levels, California’s SNAP-Ed program has an ethical and fiduciary responsibility to ensure services are beneficial and effective. Strong public health leaders with skills in engaging stakeholders and fostering collaboration towards common goals will benefit this program. Additionally, applying a system thinking lens and utilizing public health’s essential services to guide decision-making could help SNAP-Ed move forward in a coordinated and meaningful way.