This brief summarizes findings from the state of California’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Program’s baseline survey of participants. The program provides monthly guaranteed income through seven pilot sites focused either on foster youth aging out of care or low-income pregnant women in the state. The survey was administered to all eligible applicants at enrollment and captures key information on their financial well-being, physical and mental health, and expectations for how a monthly cash assistance program might impact their lives.

Why This Matters

Government programs designed to address poverty and financial insecurity are often restrictive, time-limited, and inadequate. Numerous unconditional cash payment programs are being delivered worldwide under the theory that financial strain is a primary barrier to well-being and cash is a straightforward, administratively simple solution. Large, replicable, and systematic research is still needed to understand the impacts of these programs. The California GI Pilot Program is designed to support youth aging out of extended foster care at age 21 and pregnant women in their first or second trimester with the intention of mitigating risks and promoting success in domains including housing, employment, education, and health.

What We Found

Program participants have high rates of financial and material need.

• Nearly 75 percent were always or often stressed about having money to pay their bills, and more than 80 percent had debt.
• Almost half reported very low food security, and 43 percent experienced moderate or high transportation insecurity.
• About 30 percent were homeless in the past year, and 42 percent were worried about losing their housing.

Participants were generally healthy at baseline but reported challenges accessing care. They reported high levels of stress, as well as depression and anxiety.

• About 20 percent delayed medical care and about 40 percent delayed dental care in the past year because they could not afford it.
• Approximately 40 percent met criteria for depression, and a similar share screened positive for anxiety.
• Nearly 75 percent reported moderate or high levels of stress.

The high level of need among participants at baseline confirms that the populations selected by the state—pregnant women in their first or second trimester and youth aging out of extended foster care at age 21—could benefit from additional financial support. Understanding existing levels of need will be essential to ongoing analysis examining how guaranteed income provided at these critical life transitions may support people in ways that reduce their risk of experiencing poor outcomes. 

How We Did It

We performed descriptive analyses of data collected from the baseline survey administered at program application and before individuals were randomized into control or treatment groups. We achieved response rates of nearly 75 percent with an N of 1,390 treatment (RR: 72 percent) and 1,091 control (RR: 76 percent) group respondents.