Food Stamp Program Entry and Exit An Analysis of Participation Trends in the 1990s

During the 1990s, the Food Stamp Program caseload experienced both substantial growth and decline. Between 1990 and 1994, it increased by more than 44 percent; after 1994, it declined through 2001 by 43 percent. Following this drop, the caseload grew again, by about 38 percent through January 2004. This report examines patterns in the rates of FSP entry and exit, and how these patterns contribute to caseload trends of the 1990s, finding that changes appear driven by shifts in both the rate individuals enter the program and the length of time they stay. The typical food stamp spell is relatively short—as of the late 1990s, the average adult entering the program stayed on food stamps for eight months. Overall, 86 percent were off food stamps within two years. Among those on food stamps in a given month during this period, however, the median spell was 4.5 years.