When ‘Safety Nets’ Close, People Fall Through Cracks

Safety-net agencies, such as food banks and nonprofit organizations, connect vulnerable people who may be uninsured or underinsured with services, such as health care, legal aid, and housing.

"Policymakers should consider how difficult it's going to be for a person who's already vulnerable to transfer to a new agency, because it takes time to make appointments, to figure out how a new agency works, and how to get there," says Nidhi Khosla. Lars Hammar/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Safety-net agencies, such as food banks and nonprofit organizations, connect vulnerable people who may be uninsured or underinsured with services, such as health care, legal aid, and housing.

But, when they close, the people most in need may get lost in the system.

A new study, published in the journal World Medical & Health Policy, shows that when a large, safety-net agency suddenly closed, many clients receiving services from smaller HIV service organizations got “lost in the system,” or were disconnected from services.

Agencies begin with a mission, and over time, the environment changes.

— Nidhi Khosla