Variations in State Income Support Programs and their Relationship to Preterm Birth in the US
US welfare policy is governed by a labyrinthine set of laws that oversee program eligibility, enrollment procedures and the cash value of benefits received, some established at the federal level, and some delegated to the states. The delegation of the administration of US welfare programs to the states has created wide variations in overall program distributions, which ultimately has a substantial impact on state poverty levels, income inequality and the direct program benefits that people receive.