Mapping State Policy Strategies to Address Benefits Cliffs
States are adopting a range of policy strategies to address benefits cliffs—situations in which a modest increase in earnings triggers a sudden loss of public assistance such as SNAP, Medicaid, or childcare subsidies. Because workers can end up with lower total household income after earning more, benefits cliffs can undermine economic mobility and discourage employment or advancement.
To help address this challenge, AIR is partnering with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) to expand and enhance APHSA’s Benefits Cliff Dashboard, a national, interactive tool that documents state policies within public benefit programs that can contribute to or help mitigate benefits cliffs.
This dashboard helps policymakers, administrators, and advocates compare state approaches, such as income disregards, asset limits, phased benefit reductions, and transitional supports, to promote economic mobility and evidence-informed decision-making.
Our Work
Expanding Policy Coverage and Evidence
Building on the dashboard’s current foundation, AIR’s work focuses on strengthening both the breadth and depth of policy information available to states. The expansion includes:
- Adding new states to the dashboard to increase national coverage;
- Engaging directly with state leaders to validate and contextualize policy information;
- Integrating evidence on policy design and outcomes where available; and
- Improving dashboard usability and developing supplemental materials that clearly explain key policy approaches.
Rachel Cook
Senior Researcher
Benefits cliffs shape the real choices families make about work and advancement. States are experimenting with a wide range of strategies to address these challenges, but that information is often fragmented. This project brings those strategies together in a way that supports learning, transparency, and informed action.
Rachel Cook
Senior Researcher
Learning from State Experience
As part of the expansion, AIR is conducting structured interviews with state program leaders to better understand:
- How benefits cliff mitigation strategies are funded and implemented;
- How policies interact across programs; and
- What states are learning through practice.
These insights help ensure the dashboard captures not only policy features but also implementation context that can inform future policy design.
The expanded APHSA Benefits Cliff Dashboard and accompanying resources are expected to launch in Summer 2026, offering states a strengthened tool to support ongoing innovation and system improvement.
