The patterns of food stamp and WIC participation under welfare reform

This paper examines the patterns of program participation in the Food Stamp Program (FSP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) during the time of welfare reform in Illinois. The study. used a unique linked data set based or population-level administrative data on all births, Food Stamp, and WIC participation in Illinois between 1990 and 1998. We find that as welfare reform was implemented in Illinois, most of decrease in FSP participation was due to drops in entries to TANF. We find some evidence to suggest that families with young children are turning more to WIC for essential food items for their young children during the same period. We also find that service receipt duration for both FSP and WIC has become shorter in recent years, although the change in reduction was more noticeable in FSP than in WIC.