Using SNAP benefits to improve mental health
Leveraging SNAP to Improve Mental Health Outcomes
This project looks at whether boosting SNAP benefits helps low-income people have less stress and better mental health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11097246 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you receive SNAP, this project will track how changes in benefit amounts relate to stress, anxiety, and mood. Researchers will use SNAP administrative records and surveys of low-income households and may compare people before and after benefit increases or between groups with different benefit levels. The team will combine mental health questionnaires with data on food security and spending to see whether more stable benefits lead to steadier eating and improved mental health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are low-income adults or families who receive SNAP benefits and experience food insecurity or symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Not a fit: People who are not low-income, do not receive SNAP, or whose mental health issues are unrelated to food access are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, increasing SNAP benefits could lower food insecurity and reduce stress and anxiety among low-income adults.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies link SNAP to reduced food insecurity and some observational ties to better mental health, but causal evidence from benefit-increase experiments is limited.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ndumele, Chima — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Ndumele, Chima
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.