DATE:
June 25, 2026
12
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZING PARTNER FOOD DISTRIBUTION PILOTS AT STRATEGIC COUNTY FACILITIES IN HIGH-NEED AREAS TO MITIGATE CALFRESH WORK REQUIREMENT DISPLACEMENTS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Shifts in federal policy, specifically driven by House Resolution 1 (H.R. 1), imposed new strict work-reporting requirements for public assistance. These changes have created an immediate and severe crisis for vulnerable populations across San Diego County. Under these new requirements, an estimated 93,500 individuals may face a sudden reduction or complete elimination of their CalFresh benefits in the next year, and an anticipated 314,000 individuals will be subject to new Medi-Cal work requirements that put their health coverage at risk. This policy-driven displacement directly undermines the regional safety net and threatens to plunge high-need, low-access communities into profound food insecurity.
On November 4, 2025 (12), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to explore opportunities to establish a Safety Net Bridge program, which would provide medical services and access to fresh food to address anticipated gaps in services due to barriers created by shifts in federal policy. On March 24, 2026 (27), the Board authorized the CAO to develop a pilot implementation plan for the Safety Net Bridge program in high-need areas where Medi-Cal disenrollment is most likely and return to the Board within 180 days. In response to the new CalFresh eligibility changes going into effect on June 1, 2026, the Board also directed the CAO to report back within 45 days on implementation plans and cost estimates for food access component of the Safety Net Bridge Program. Staff returned with a report back memorandum on May 15, 2026, outlining actions the Board could take to implement the food access component of the Safety Net Bridge Program.
This proposed action dir...
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