Children Pay the Price When Government Shuts Down
Written by Mark Davis
Most Americans have moved on from the longest government shutdown in history, largely unaffected. For many, the only noticeable impact might have been some delays at the airport, resolved just in time for holiday travel.
For children living in or near poverty, however, the impact was far greater. Funding for programs that provide the foundation of a healthy childhood such as nutrition, child-care, early education, health clinics, and housing all stalled in the face of unfunded federal obligations. Together, these disruptions created a fragile environment where children lost both daily resources and long-term stability.
Of particular concern is that we are at risk of these delays becoming more common. Even when, or if, funding is restored retroactively, the adverse impact to youth can’t be erased by a simple pen stroke.
This article explores these concepts and offers a path to insulating our Nation’s youth from unrelated political battles.
What is SNAP and Who Benefits?
Among all youth programs disrupted during the recent shutdown, none was impacted more immediately or more sharply than the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP, originally the Food Stamp Program, was created in 1964. It has evolved over the years, and has strict eligibility rules: recipients must meet income thresholds, follow work requirements, and be U.S. citizens or lawfully documented noncitizens. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to improve program integrity, and fraud prevention while modernizing EBT systems. Moreover, it is increasingly focusing on healthy food choices, such as the restriction against the purchase of soft drinks in some states. Imagery of a no-strings welfare cash benefit system is unfounded.
Being a means-tested program, it has the effect of operating like a societal hedge – enrollment rises during an economic downturn, when the needs are greatest, and falls as the economy stabilizes. The scope is significant in terms of how many Americans benefit. Although the headline budget of $100 billion is jaw-dropping, the average benefit works out to be just $6 per day per person. This is largely due to the number of Americans that participate, most of which are dependents:
58.4% of recipients are children or seniors
Roughly 14 million recipients are children, representing 1 in 5 US children
Federal nutrition programs aim to break cycles of poverty and promote upward mobility. These investments have been shown to have high payoffs. Studies have estimated that early childhood investments can return up to $10 for every $1 spent. Protecting SNAP, and related services, not only keeps kids fed this month, but it also safeguards future health, productivity, and stability.
Despite all of this, SNAP is not automatically funded each year unlike many other government benefits. Because it depends on annual appropriations from Congress, any government shutdown immediately puts its continuation at risk.
Shutdowns Hit Children the Hardest
Tragically, children, a group that has no political power, are the most adversely impacted. Research shows that even short periods of food insecurity or social service disruptions can create long-term developmental and economic consequences that are more extreme for young people than for adults such as:
Developmental delays: Disrupted services can cause delays in language, motor, and social development; poorer school readiness; and weaker cognitive growth.
Reduced academic achievement: Food insecurity correlates strongly with lower test scores, difficulty concentrating, more absenteeism, and slower literacy and math progress.
Increased mental health and behavioral issues: Hunger can lead to anxiety and depression, irritability and difficulty regulating emotions, behavioral issues in school, and elevated stress hormones that affect brain development.
Long-term health risks: Nutrition gaps increase the risk of developing obesity and metabolic disorders, hypertension and cardiovascular issues, weakened immune systems, and chronic illness in adulthood.
Weakened future economic opportunity: Disruptions in early childhood may ripple into lower earnings and higher dependence on social services as an adult.
States and Communities Scramble When Funding Pauses
Recognizing the adverse impact to their residents, many states implemented temporary stopgap measures. For example:
Ohio: Governor Mike DeWine signed an emergency executive order to allocate up to $25 million for the 1.5 million residents that rely on SNAP.
Kentucky: Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency to unlock the Budget Reserve Trust Fund to distribute $5 million to food banks.
West Virginia: Governor Patrick Morrissey announced full SNAP funding, allocating over $13 million in emergency support to food banks and pantries, and quickly communicated restoration plans once federal benefits resumed.
Other states adopted novel approaches and mitigation plans. However, no state budget, nonprofit network, or group of volunteers can replicate a federal program that feeds 42 million people. These solutions buy time; they cannot replace SNAP. As a simple example, if Ohio were to set aside a one-month reserve fund to backstop the federal obligation, it would need to levy a nearly $300 million assessment on Ohio taxpayers to fund it.
The Shutdown’s Ripple Effect on Other Programs
Although SNAP was one of the most visible programs disrupted, families often rely on more than one program. Some other child and family programs that were destabilized are:
Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics warned that vouchers, infant formula benefits, and breastfeeding support could soon be interrupted. States were told to rely on limited contingency funds and rebates.
Some National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs experienced delayed reimbursement.
Head Start and Early Head Start centers in several states closed classrooms or shortened hours because federal grants couldn’t be disbursed, impacting preschool, meals, and health screenings.
Childcare and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): assistance was delayed, leaving providers unpaid and families uncertain about care.
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher funding for new housing assistance and some grants were paused.
Even though some federal programs (Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, VA benefits) continued during the shutdown because they are mandatory, people experienced reduced staffing and longer wait times. Other programs such as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) did not experience immediate disruption but would have if the shutdown had continued.
State programs were also affected by the shutdown. In Georgia, the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS), which operates under the state’s Department of Human Services, was forced to suspend new child welfare services intended to protect children from entering foster care.
As a result, case workers could not initiate contracted family assessment services, critical functions that help stabilize families and support reunification, unless they received written approval by the state. This requirement added delays and administrative burden to an already strained system.
The end of the shutdown did not bring relief to Georgia. Instead, many of the restrictions remain in place, and further cuts are planned. DFCS is now facing an estimated $80 million budget deficit, leading to the termination of contracts with service providers, including many behavioral health specialists.
The children most affected by the changes are those with the highest and most complex needs, precisely the children these services were designed to safeguard.
A Stronger, More Reliable Framework
When lawmakers fail to agree on a budget, others pay the price, especially children who cannot advocate for themselves. Protecting essential programs is not only compassionate; it is fiscally responsible and economically sound.
Given that voters already say we spend too little on youth, by a margin of 6 to 1, it follows that guaranteeing continuity of funding during a shutdown would have even greater bipartisan support. Doing so would put our nation’s youth on par with seniors, with programs like Social Security or Medicare being prime examples. This is not novel nor is it complicated. It’s common sense.