The Connecticut Healthcare Affordability Index (CHAI) measures the impact of healthcare costs, including premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, on a household’s ability to afford all basic needs, like housing, transportation, child care, and groceries.
In 2024, Governor Inslee signed into law SHB 2230 which establishes the Economic Security for All (EcSA) grant program. The bill uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard as a definition of financial need and requires a career plan for all EcSA customers using the Self-Sufficiency Standard.
Beginning October 1, 2022, a stipend is available for members of boards and commissions in County of Marin, CA who have a household income that is below the County Self-Sufficiency Standard.
The Olympia Food Cooperative uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard for eligibility for their Cooperative Access Program which offers a free annual membership and a grocery discount.
Multnomah County Preschool for All program will prioritize slots for families with incomes below the Self-Sufficiency Standard.
Boulder Valley School District’s preschool program uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard to qualify families for scholarships.
Boulder Valley School District is committed to making preschool affordable and accessible for every family.
The Dave and Lucille Packard Foundation includes the Self-Sufficiency Standard in Kidsdata.org, a database tool providing access to information about the health and well-being of children across California.
In New York, the Standard has been used in modeling services for young adults in career education to demonstrate how their future career choices and educational paths might impact their ability to support a future family or to address changing family dynamics.
In California’s Santa Clara County, the Self-Sufficiency Standard was used in a sectoral employment intervention analysis that focused on the availability of nontraditional jobs, the geographical spread of those jobs, the availability of training resources, and wage rates.
The Standard has been used in California, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington State to advocate for higher wages through living wage ordinances and in negotiating labor union agreements.