• Sutherland recently released a publication that explains how some families on the safety net experience a disincentive effect when pursuing work opportunities.
• Local and national experts convened at a Sutherland/Weber State summit to discuss potential ways to address this issue.
• Utah’s “one door” model has become an agreeable first step for many states to consider as they innovate and develop improvements.

​“It kind of destroys my spirit of work,” said Marcella Patiño during an episode discussing her experience using social safety net programs on Sutherland Institute’s show, Defending Ideas. She described what many people experience on the safety net, as they grapple with wanting to pursue better opportunities while also worrying about whether earning more will actually make their families better off. “It’s kind of scary for me to be like, ‘Yes, I want to change my income,’ but then I have to remember I have kids to take care of.”

She isn’t alone, as recent Sutherland research detailed how many Utah families on the social safety net feel disincentivized from pursuing better career opportunities.

In partnership with Weber State University, Ogden CAN and Circles Salt Lake, Sutherland held the Upward Mobility and Benefits Cliffs Summit, where it brought state leaders and issue experts together to discuss the problem and explore solutions.

Utah, through its “one door” model, has served as a leader in addressing poverty. Nic Dunn, Sutherland’s vice president of strategy and communications, noted in a recent op-ed with Deseret News that all social safety net reform should keep Utah’s successful track record in mind.

“It is essential that any discussion of refining the social safety net begins from the foundation of Utah’s unique advantages and strengths as a place of opportunity,” Dunn wrote. “It is from this foundation that we must address challenges that still create obstacles for some on government assistance programs.”

Utah’s “one door” model has been the envy of many other states, but federal law currently prohibits them from adopting Utah’s approach, which is grandfathered in federal law. Leaders have been working to petition Congress to change the law, which would allow for states to have more flexibility to innovate their safety net and workforce programs to improve upward mobility.

Utah Rep. Blake Moore, in a video to attendees of Sutherland’s summit, highlighted his efforts in Congress to address the current state of safety net programs.

“My colleagues and I will explore ways that the federal government can reduce disincentives to work, such as a fear of benefits cliffs,” Moore said. “We’ll seek to give greater flexibility to states while responsibly spending government resources.”

While efforts are underway at the federal level, Utah’s state leadership is continuing to find ways to further improve its policies. Sutherland recently announced its collaboration with the governor’s office and other leaders and organizations on such reforms.

“We’re proud of Utah’s best-in-the-nation upward mobility and that our unique approach of providing stabilizing resources coupled with work opportunities is the envy of many other states,” said Gov. Spencer J. Cox in a Sutherland press release. “Because of this track record of success, we are also committed to improving how we help economically struggling families move toward self-reliance by exploring any benefits cliffs and other obstacles to work and opportunity they may experience.”

For a more in-depth perspective on this article, review our Upward Mobility and Benefits Cliffs Summit event page.