About the Project

This line of work explores how the U.S. welfare system affects people’s health and chances of rebuilding their lives after incarceration. Across three interconnected projects, we’re uncovering how policy barriers and discrimination within the safety net shape health inequities. First, we’re reviewing national evidence on how welfare bans for people with felony drug convictions impact their ability to access basic needs like food and housing after release. Second, through interviews with individuals who have navigated the welfare system, we’re examining experiences of racism and bias within welfare programs and how these shape trust, dignity, and access to support. Finally, we’re studying how state-level bans on welfare benefits for individuals with drug convictions relate to overdose mortality after incarceration, highlighting how policy decisions can have life-or-death consequences. Together, these projects reveal how welfare policies play a powerful role in shaping health, equity, and opportunity for people returning home from incarceration.