Measure Description
CalFresh is a federally mandated, state-supervised, and county-operated program that issues monthly electronic benefits to assist qualified households and individuals in purchasing food. This measure represents the total number of households receiving food and nutrition benefits from the CalFresh program.
- Calculation methodology: Data for this measure is tracked within the SFHSA's eligibility case management system. Reported figures constitute the number of distinct households who are established as eligible for CalFresh at any point in the time period.
- Metric type: Citywide Indicator
- Department: Safety net service caseloads are Citywide indicators of need and utilization of services. These programs and caseload data are administered and tracked by San Francisco's Human Services Agency.
CalFresh Active Caseload
Why this Measure is Important
Low-income individuals and households can use a CalFresh EBT card to buy food at retail food outlets, grocery stores, farmers markets, and some restaurants. This benefit is called "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" (SNAP) at the federal level and "CalFresh" in California.
It is designed to improve the health and well-being of children and low-income households by providing access to a nutritious diet and hence is an important safety net service for vulnerable San Francisco residents.
Data Notes and Sources
This measure represents the total number of households receiving food and nutrition benefits from the CalFresh program. A case is a household. Data for this measure is tracked within the SFHSA's eligibility case management system.
Reported figures constitute the number of distinct households who are established as eligible for CalFresh at any point in the time period. These counts include all CalFresh cases administered by SFHSA without exception for subprogram, public assistance status, or administering program/unit within SFHSA.
The number displayed on the scorecard page represents a fiscal year average of CalWORKS active cases shown in the chart above.
Data lag time: Two months
In 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded eligibility for Medi-Cal health coverage to low-income single adults who were not previously eligible. Many newly eligible individuals also qualify for CalFresh, creating new opportunities for HSA to co-enroll clients across the two programs.
Until 2019, California was the only state barring recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - a federal program that provides monthly payments to low-income seniors and people with disabilities - from also participating in CalFresh. California extended eligibility in 2019 while also launching a new application portal developed with Code for America, called GetCalFresh. Applications and participation increased significantly during this period.
Visit DataSF to access the scorecard data.
Additional Information
- Apply for CalFresh and learn more about the program by visiting HSA's website.
- Find recipes and nutrition education resources at EatFresh.org.
- The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) reports additional data about CalFresh, including participation rates and new applications for each California county. Open the department's interactive dashboard to learn more.
City Performance Scorecards
This page is part of the City Performance Scorecards.