Public assistance programs, such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), have decades of evidence demonstrating positive impacts. However, outdated systems and siloed operations (e.g., distinct statutory authorities, oversight structures, funding streams) hinder coordination between agencies implementing these programs—which simultaneously burdens the families they serve and wastes government resources, resulting in missed opportunities to improve health. Discussions about streamlining systems with the goal of government efficiency should not be about cutting support. Rather, they should focus on removing barriers that prevent programs from reaching their full potential, which may ultimately require greater investment in a human-centered development process.
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