ABSTRACT The COVID‐19 pandemic triggered historic expansions of the U.S. social safety net to mitigate unprecedented economic hardship. However, increased government spending and program expansions on paper do not automatically translate into equitable access in practice. Following the PRISMA‐ScR guidelines, this scoping review synthesizes 33 peer‐reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025 examining access to federal social safety net programs, including food assistance, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and housing and energy assistance. The review identified six categories of barriers to access: racial and ethnic disparities, administrative barriers, policy design barriers, instrumental barriers, geographic and demographic disparities, and COVID‐19 specific factors. At the same time, four opportunities were identified that improved access: program expansions, staff and community efforts, convenience of remote services, and Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P‐EBT). Findings highlight the dual reality of entrenched exclusions and innovative adaptations, underscoring the need for reforms that institutionalize equity and resilience in the social safety net.
Yoon et al. (Thu,) studied this question.