View Research by Author - Amelia Hawkins

Publications

Almost half of TANF cases are "child-only" in which no adult is included in the benefit calculation. In about 4 out of 10 these cases, the children live with relatives or nonrelatives instead of their parents. The other 6 in 10 cases include parents not eligible for benefits because they receive federal disability payments, are sanctioned for failure to comply with some TANF regulation, exceeded their time limit, or they are undocumented immigrants. This brief reviews the available research on child-only cases, including how cases arise, their characteristics, the children's well-being, and implications for policy and research.

This guide offers practical insights about how home visiting programs can better serve depressed mothers and their young children. Results reveal no single source of help, formal or informal, is universally trusted by mothers, who look for someone with whom they have a trusting relationship over time. Home visiting programs have great potential to help these families. However, programs need strong mental health connections, staff training, and capacity to transition depressed mothers to follow-up treatment, among other enhancements. The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation funded this research as part of an Urban Institute project identifying effective service approaches for depressed mothers.

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