Urban Institute: Children and Youth

Progress Enrolling Children in Medicaid/CHIP: Who is Left and What are the Prospects for Covering More Children?

paffairs@urban.org ( Genevieve M. Kenney, Allison Cook, Lisa Dubay ) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

This brief examines the characteristics of the children who were eligible for Medicaid/CHIP in 2007. The results show that while participation rates were high in both Medicaid and CHIP, some 5 million remained uninsured despite being eligible for coverage. Participation rates, which were found to vary across areas, have likely increased given recent declines in the number of uninsured children. The brief also shows that while interest in public coverage is high among low-income parents, many do not know not know that their child is eligible for Medicaid/CHIP, do not know how to apply, and/or find the application process difficult.

The Urban Institute's Program on Neighborhoods and Youth Development: Understanding How Place Matters for Kids

paffairs@urban.org ( Susan J. Popkin, Gregory Acs, Robin E. Smith ) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A central goal of U.S. social welfare policy is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential as productive adults. Yet it is increasingly clear that where children live plays a central role in determining their life chances. This paper provides an overview of The Urban Institute's Program on Neighborhoods and Youth Development, which is dedicated to understanding the relationships between neighborhood-level factors and the well-being and development of children and youth and identifying and evaluating place-based, community-wide strategies to help children grow up to reach their full potential as adults.

Congressionally Mandated Evaluation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program: Final Cross-Cutting Report on the Findings from Ten State Site Visits

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

This report synthesizes findings from case studies conducted in 2001 and 2002 in ten states selected for the Congressionally Mandated Evaluation of SCHIP: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Texas (Hill et al. 2002).Discussion addresses such issues as program design, outreach and enrollment strategies, benefits, service delivery systems, cost sharing, crowd out prevention, parental coverage, financing, and coordination of SCHIP and Medicaid.Overarching conclusions identify lessons learned from effective implementation.

Children of Immigrants: A Statistical Snapshot

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

The number and share of children with at least one immigrant parent, the percentage of children of immigrants who are U.S. citizens, and the share of children of immigrants vs. children with native parents who are poor are just some of the data this snapshot (in English and Spanish) provides.

Foreclosures in the Nation's Capital 2009

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

This brief, a companion to the Housing in the Nation's Capital 2009 report, describes the impact of the foreclosure crisis on the Washington metropolitan region, examining the level and trends of foreclosures, outlining potential secondary effects for families and neighborhoods, and looking towards the future of the region's housing market. It concludes with policy implications in four areas: foreclosure prevention, neighborhood stabilization, recovery assistance for displaced households, and services for children in foreclosed homes.

Housing in the Nation's Capital 2009

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

This is the seventh in a series of annual reports about housing in the Washington metropolitan region. It assembles and analyzes the most current data on housing conditions in the District of Columbia and the surrounding suburbs. This year's report focuses on the impact of the foreclosure crisis on the region, examining the level and trends of foreclosures, outlining potential secondary effects for families and neighborhoods, and looking towards the future of the region's housing market. It concludes with policy implications in four areas: foreclosure prevention, neighborhood stabilization, recovery assistance for displaced households, and services for children in foreclosed homes.

Rising Tide of Foreclosures and Mortage Delinquencies Will Add Turmoil to Metro DC Housing Market and Families' Lives : Pressures Mount for Prime Loans and Minorities

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

The metropolitan Washington housing market, just beginning to stabilize at midyear, will have to deal soon with tens of thousands of additional foreclosed homes thrown onto the market, an Urban Institute study forecasts.

Children of Immigrants: Immigration Trends

paffairs@urban.org ( Karina Fortuny, Ajay Chaudry ) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

This fact sheet is the first in a series of publications on children of immigrants in the United States that updates the Urban Institute's May 2006 fact sheet that described the circumstances of these children in the early 2000s. The current fact sheet examines immigration trends and finds that children of immigrants are the fastest growing segment of the nation's children population - while the number of children of natives increased by 2.1 million between 1990 and 2007, children of immigrants grew by 8.1 million accounting for 77 percent of the growth of the U.S. children population during this time.

Transitioning In and Out of Poverty

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Slightly more than half of the U.S. population experiences poverty at some time before age 65. Roughly half of those who get out of poverty will become poor again within five years. Who is more likely to enter poverty? How long are people poor? And what events are associated with falling into and climbing out of poverty? This fact sheet summarizes key findings from the poverty dynamics literature to describe how, why, and when people move in and out of poverty.

How Will the Uninsured be Affected by Health Reform?

paffairs@urban.org ( Lisa Dubay, Allison Cook, Bowen Garrett ) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

In this analysis, a health reform scenario is modeled that would expand Medicaid to an estimated 17.0 million uninsured individuals with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), would provide subsidies to 16.3 million uninsured individuals with incomes between 133 and 399 percent of the FPL, and would require an additional 4.3 million uninsured individuals to obtain coverage through an individual mandate, though they would not be eligible for Medicaid or subsidies. The first brief contains an overview of the entire nonelderly uninsured population, and the three remaining briefs address children, parents and childless adults, respectively.

Children of Immigrants: National and State Characteristics

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Up-to-date state information on children of immigrants is essential for social policies that affect children and families. This brief, accompanying the Urban Institute's interactive Children of Immigrants Data Tool, describes the national and state characteristics of children of immigrants based on recent American Community Survey data. Since children of immigrants account for almost a quarter (24 percent) of children under age 5, their share in the school-age population will increase, with important implications for education policy. In addition, children of immigrants' poverty and low-income rates vary across states, highlighting the importance of state and local policies in promoting children's well-being.

Interactive Website Details the Lives of Children of Immigrants

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Children of Immigrants Data Tool enables users to generate detailed charts of the characteristics of children age 0 to 17 nationwide and for individual states and the District of Columbia in 2005 and 2006. Statistics on 21 features include citizenship and the immigrant status (foreign vs. native-born) of children and their parents; children's race, ethnicity, and school enrollment; parents' education and English proficiency; and family composition, income, and work effort. A companion publication, "Children of Immigrants: National and State Characteristics," highlights key national data and variations across states.

The Effect of Alternative Savings Approaches on College Aid

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Maag ) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

To pay for college, many low- and moderate-income students and their families rely on financial aid and savings. But how students and families saveand in whose nameaffects both the tax consequences and the impact of savings on financial aid. Not saving in a tax-preferred account can raise the out-of-pocket costs of college by thousands of dollars. Alternately, saving for college can result in tax penalties if families do not use tax-preferred savings for education.

Infants and Toddlers in State and Federal Budgets: Summary Report from Urban Institute Roundtable

paffairs@urban.org ( Rosa Maria Castaneda, Olivia Golden ) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

This report summarizes the roundtable "Infants and Toddlers in State and Federal Budgets: Yesterday's Choices, Today's Decisions, Tomorrow's Options" conducted by the Urban Institute, with support from the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, on March 30, 2009. The roundtable's focus grew out of the widely perceived mismatch between sharply limited public investments on infants and toddlers and an accumulated body of research demonstrating the significance of the earliest years of life. We describe the group's diverse perspectives and wide-ranging discussion of strategies to address this mismatch.

Foster Youth Fall Through the Cracks Between the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Timothy Ross identifies the obstacles frustrating service coordination and details ways to strengthen the fragile web connecting the many systems involved in protecting foster youth. Child welfare agencies often have responsibility for a child when a family crisis arises, but not the authority or capacity to resolve it without cooperation from other government divisions. When complex systems and bureaucracies have overlapping jurisdiction, fine-tuned coordination is the exception and not the rule.

Fulfilling the Promise of Preschool for All : Insights into Issues Affecting Access for Selected Immigrant Groups in Chicago

paffairs@urban.org ( Gina Adams, Marla McDaniel ) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

The study involved interviews with families from Nigeria and Pakistan living on Chicago's North Side to examine their experiences and perspectives around accessing Illinois' universal preschool program, Preschool for All (PFA). Researchers conducted focus groups with parents and spoke with PFA providers for their perspective on issues families raised. The findings suggest Nigerian and Pakistani families can face numerous barriers accessing Preschool for All. While some barriers are unique to their immigration status, others are experienced by other low-income and vulnerable families as well. The report concludes with implications for policy and recommendations for future research.

Vibrant Neighborhoods, Successful Schools : What the Federal Government Can Do to Foster Both

paffairs@urban.org ( Margery Austin Turner, Alan Berube ) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

Every parent recognizes the inextricable connections between where we live and the quality of our childrens education. Although public policies have historically contributed to disparities in both neighborhood affordability and school quality, federal programs focused on affordable housing rarely take public schools into account and school officials typically assume that they have no influence over housing patterns. This paper focuses on four principles regarding the vitality and performance of schools and communities, discussing opportunities for constructive policy interventions, summarizing what we know about their likely effectiveness, and recommending next steps for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Education.

Do Access Experiences Affect Parents' Decisions to Enroll Their Children in Medicaid and SCHIP? Findings from Focus Groups with Parents

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

For the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Covering Kids and Families evaluation (CKF), researchers conducted focus groups to explore parents' experiences accessing health care for their children, and to assess whether these experiences affected decisions to enroll their children in Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In each community, groups were conducted with parents of children insured by Medicaid or SCHIP and parents of uninsured children. Researchers concluded that even when parents encountered problems accessing care, very few indicated that this discouraged them from enrolling their children into Medicaid or SCHIP, or from renewing their children's public coverage.

Rich with Insights on Child Welfare, New Book Maps Out Organizational Change and Children's Policy Reforms

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

As the director of the District of Columbia's Child and Family Services Agency, Olivia Golden led the turnaround of a troubled system. In her new book, Reforming Child Welfare, she draws on her expertise as a senior federal official, local administrator, and an academic to map out strategies for improving and revitalizing the last safety net for vulnerable children and families, the public child welfare system.

Reject proposal to end welfare

paffairs@urban.org ( Olivia Golden, Sheila R. Zedlewski ) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

In this commentary for The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.), Olivia Golden and Sheila Zedlewski advise states to grab the federal dollars offered by the economic stimulus package to help pay for recession-driven increases in the demand for welfare.

Health Care Reform for Children with Public Coverage: How Can Policymakers Maximize Gains and Prevent Harm?

paffairs@urban.org ( Genevieve M. Kenney, Stan Dorn ) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

This brief examines the potential effects of health care reform on the more than 25 million children who currently have coverage under Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Increased parental coverage will help these children since many have uninsured parents with unmet health needs. However, proposals to move these children into a new health insurance exchange could make them worse off through the potential loss of benefits and legal protections and possible exposure to higher cost-sharing; alternatively, if reimbursement rates are higher in the exchange than paid under Medicaid and CHIP, children's access to providers could improve.

Data Appendix to Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007 looks comprehensively at federal spending and tax expenditures targeted toward infants and toddlers. This appendix details our data sources, the programs we include, and the methodology used to estimate the percentage of federal expenditures that went to infants and toddlers in 2007.

Express Lane Eligibility and Beyond: How Automated Enrollment Can Help Eligible Children Receive Medicaid and CHIP

paffairs@urban.org ( Stan Dorn ) — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

Automated enrollment strategies have achieved remarkable results with many public and private benefit programs, dramatically increasing program participation while lowering administrative costs and reducing erroneous eligibility determinations. The recently passed Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) should make such steps much easier for states to take in covering eligible but uninsured children. Following CHIPRA's enactment, states have both new tools and new incentives to use automated strategies in fulfilling four key functions: identifying uninsured children; determining their eligibility for health coverage; enrolling eligible children into coverage; and retaining eligible children.

Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

This report examines more than 100 programs through which the federal government spends money on children and calculates the amount spent on children under three. These first time expenditure estimates provide a place to start in gauging the priority the nation places on investing in very young children and in comparing expenditure patterns to researchers findings about investments that work. For example, despite extensive child development research underscoring the importance of quality early care and education programs for infants and toddlers, especially those in poverty, just 7 percent of federal funding for children between birth and age 2 went toward these efforts in 2007.

Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007 Key Facts

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

Extensive research shows investing in very young children can help build a strong future workforce, improve children's educational success and health, and potentially reduce some of the social ills that drain the nations resources and will. What investments does the United States currently make in infants and toddlers?

Youngest Children Are Underrepresented in Federal Budget

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

Despite extensive research documenting the benefits of investing in young children, infants and toddlers are underrepresented in the federal budget. The nation's 12.5 million children under age 3 are 4.2 percent of the population, but they received just 2.1 percent-$44.1 billion-of federal domestic spending in 2007.

Every Kid Counts in the District of Columbia: 15th Annual Fact Book 2008

paffairs@urban.org ( Jennifer Comey, David Price, Michel Grosz ) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

The 15th annual Fact Book is a comprehensive data source for indicators of child well-being in the District of Columbia. Over 50 data indicators are tracked over time. This publication provides a broad perspective on the status of children and youth in the District. We seek to inform and educate our readers about the issues affecting children and their families in the District. We encourage community residents, policy makers, professionals, and others who work with and/or on behalf of children and families to create conditions that foster the optimal health and development of our children.

Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers Initiative: Lessons from the First Year of the Evaluation

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen, Carolyn T. O'Brien, Ronald B. Mincy ) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

In 2006, New York became the first state in the country to enact legislation that consists of two innovative policies that are designed to help low-income noncustodial parents (mostly fathers) find work and pay the full amount of their current child support called the Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers Initiative. This report describes this initiative and gives detailed information about the five pilot sites that are providing employment services to low-income noncustodial parents in the following New York communities: Buffalo, Jamestown, New York City and Syracuse. It is the first of several reports that will describe this initiative and its results over the next two years.

Disability Onset Among Working Parents : Earnings Drops, Compensating Income Sources and Health Insurance Coverage

paffairs@urban.org ( Cynthia Perry, Genevieve M. Kenney, Bogdan Tereshchenko ) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

This paper examines work-limiting disability using the 1996 and 2001 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Nearly 10 percent of employed parents developed or had a recurring disability over the course of the panel. For about a quarter of this group, earnings dropped by more than 25 percent of family income, with other income sources offsetting only a small fraction of lost earnings. In addition, workers who hold health insurance policies through their employer were less likely to reduce hours worked or leave their job following disability onset, effects consistent with job lock.

Improving Early Childhood Development Policies and Practices : Before the House Committee on Education and Labor, Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee

paffairs@urban.org ( Gina Adams ) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

To improve early care and education, federal policymaking must focus on improving the quality of care for infants and toddlers, and for the children of working families, Gina Adams, an Urban Institute senior fellow, told the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Strengthening the focus on quality in the existing Child Care and Development Block Grant is an important strategy to consider.

Residential Segregation and Low-Income Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Margery Austin Turner, Karina Fortuny ) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

Historically, residential segregation constrained where minorities could live, contributing to disparities in education, employment, and wealth. Researchers interested in the well-being and future prospects of low-income working families have not yet explored how their residential patterns may vary across racial and ethnic lines or considered the implications of these patterns. Therefore, this paper explores differences in neighborhood characteristics among white, black, and Hispanic low-income working families. The findings suggest that policies aimed at reducing the persistent disadvantages facing minority low-income working families need to address the ways the neighborhoods in which minorities live may be compounding these disadvantages.

Nine in Ten: Using the Tax System to Enroll Eligible, Uninsured Children into Medicaid and SCHIP

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

In 2004, 89.4 percent of uninsured children who qualified for Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program lived in families who filed federal income tax forms. This substantially exceeds the proportion of uninsured but eligible children who can be reached through many other outreach strategies. Federal lawmakers could cover uninsured children in these families by: (a) changing federal income tax forms so parents can identify their uninsured children and request coverage; (b) investing in information technology allowing data exchange between states and the Internal Revenue Service; and (c) letting states cover uninsured children if tax information shows they qualify.

Los Angeles Healthy Kids Improves Access to Care and Health Status : Brief No. 26

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Los Angeles Healthy Kids program provides health insurance to low income children in the county who have no other source of coverage (including undocumented children and children above the income limits for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families).These findings from a longitudinal survey of parents of young children in the program indicate that access to medical and dental care for enrolled children increased dramatically over time, use of the emergency room went down, and parents perceived improvements in the health status of their children. This analysis is one piece of a broader Urban Institute evaluation of the program.

Examining Child Support Arrears in California: The Collectibility Study

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

This report was prepared in response to a mandate from the California State Legislature to analyze how much of the $14.4 billion in child support arrears owed statewide in March 2000 was realistically collectible. Child support arrears had grown dramatically in California during the prior decade and state legislators were concerned about their collectibility. The Urban Institute estimated that $3.8 billion, or 26% of the $14.4 billion, would be collected over 10 years. The reason that so little arrears are likely to be collected is that most of the arrears are owed by individuals who owe more than $20,000 in arrears and have relatively low incomes.

Preventing Child Support Arrears in Texas by Improving Front-end Processes

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen, Tess Tannehill ) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

In 2003, the Texas Office of Attorney General fundamentally altered the process of establishing child support orders, going from a highly judicial process of establishing orders to a process that establishes most orders administratively. It also substantially improved the issuance of income withholding orders. This report describes the implementation of these reforms and measures their impact. It finds that, after the reforms were implemented, the amount of time it takes to establish child support orders and income withholding orders on newly opened cases declined significantly and the amount of arrears assessed on newly established orders declined significantly, suggesting a highly successful initiative.

HealthConnect in Our Community: What Do Health Navigators, Community Health Workers, and Families Say About the Program?

paffairs@urban.org ( Louise Palmer, Ian Hill, Asya Magazinnik ) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

HealthConnect in Our Community is one component of a three-part initiative to address the health and related needs of children in Miami-Dade County. This report provides findings from five focus groups, two with community workers and three with parents. Both staff and parents are pleased with the program. They believe that the greatest strength of the program is its responsiveness to the cultural diversity represented in Miami-Dade County. The focus group participants also provided some areas for improvement, such as the need to raise the program's visibility in the community; improve targeting of services; and standardize data collection protocols.

Evaluation of HealthConnect in Our Community: Final Report

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

In 2005 The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County initiated HealthConnect in Our Community, designed to improve the health of children and adolescents in the county. The program uses community workers to reach out to underserved children and their families. The Urban Institute and three local consultants conducted a formative assessment the program's first year of operation. In a six-day site visit we interviewed 26 individuals, observed program operations in 19 separate locations, and conducted five focus groups, three with clients and two with program staff. This report summarizes the findings from the evaluation, and provides recommendations for improving the program.

Prospects for Reducing Uninsured Rates among Children: How Much Can Premium Assistance Programs Help?

paffairs@urban.org ( Genevieve M. Kenney, Allison Cook, Jennifer Pelletier ) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

With the reauthorization of the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under consideration in early 2009, an important question is the extent to which uninsured children could be covered under employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) through premium assistance programs. Only 440,000 uninsured children who are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP have at least one parent with ESI coverage. Since many more uninsured children are eligible for public programs than have access to ESI through their parents, policies to increase enrollment and retention in Medicaid and SCHIP have much greater potential than premium assistance programs to close coverage gaps among children.

Assessing Child Support Arrears in Nine Large States and the Nation

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen, Liliana Sousa, Simone G. Schaner ) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

In September 2007, child support arrears had reached $107 billion. The purpose of this report is to provide information about the individuals who owe child support arrears, estimate how much arrears are likely to be collected, and identify the factors that have led to their rapid growth. We find that most arrears are owed by noncustodial parents who have no or low reported incomes. We estimate that 40 percent of arrears in seven large states are likely to be collected over 10 years. The primary reason arrears have grown is because many states have begun to assess interest on arrears.

Providing Maternity Care to the Underserved : A Comparative Case Study of Three Maternity Care Models Serving Women in Washington, D.C.

paffairs@urban.org ( Louise Palmer, Allison Cook, Brigette Courtot ) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

This comparative case study describes the organization, delivery, and content of care of three maternity care models serving low-income women at risk of poor birth outcomes in Wards 5, 6, and 7 in Washington D.C. The first model, a birth center, provides prenatal care, birth services, postpartum follow-up, and infant and child health care. The second is a safety net clinic, which provides a variety of primary health care services, as well as prenatal care services. A not-for-profit teaching and research hospital represents a third option in which prenatal and postnatal care is provided through an on-site obstetric clinic.

Setting Income Thresholds in Medicaid/SCHIP: Which Children Should Be Eligible?

paffairs@urban.org ( Genevieve M. Kenney, Jennifer Pelletier ) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

As the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and broader health care reform efforts are considered, important policy questions include where eligibility thresholds should be set for public coverage and how much latitude states should have in setting their thresholds. This analysis shows that employer-sponsored insurance premiums are less affordable for families at 300 percent of the FPL now than they were for families at 200 percent of the FPL in 1996, particularly in areas with a high cost of living and suggests the need to adjust eligibility thresholds for growth in health care costs.

Department of Health and Human Services: Improving Services for Children and Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Olivia Golden, Joan Lombardi ) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

This chapter was part of an online effort by the Center for American Progress Action Fund and New Democracy Project to offer expert advice to the new administration as part of its Change for America book project (http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2008/changeforamerica/additionalcontributions.html). Washingtons new leadership, its authors say, should build on the Administration for Children and Families assets and focus on the interrelated goals of promoting family economic security and promoting healthy child and youth development. These twin goals can best be achieved through new strategic investments, capacity building and innovative partnerships, coordination across offices and departments, and collaboration with states and the private sector.

State Buy-In Programs: Prospects and Challenges

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

State buy-in programs are designed to address coverage shortfalls among moderate- and higher-income children whose families are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP but who cannot afford, or do not have access to, private coverage. These programs allow families to buy their children into a comprehensive public insurance plan with low out-of-pocket cost sharing at an unsubsidized premium. As more states aim to achieve universal coverage for children, buy-in programs may be one component they consider in their plans to reach that goal. This brief explores some issues for states to consider before implementing a buy-in program.

Parents' Opinions of the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program Remain High Despite Recent Challenges : Findings from the Second Evaluation Focus Groups

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

A second series of focus groups with parents of children enrolled in the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program found that opinions of the program remain favorable despite its recent fiscal challenges. Healthy Kids had provided comprehensive, affordable coverage to nearly 45,000 poor children from birth through age 18 until mid-2005, but funding shortfalls led the program to cap enrollment for older children and enrollment levels for all children subsequently slipped. Still, the program remains highly valued by parents for providing high quality, comprehensive coverage and parents report good access to linguistically appropriate care and affordable out-of-pocket costs.

Kids Having Kids Unravels the Complex Consequences of Teen Parenthood for Individuals and Society

paffairs@urban.org ( The Urban Institute ) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

The second edition of Kids Having Kids: Economic Costs and Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy from the Urban Institute Press examines the context and impact of teen parenthood and finds no simple relationship between a persons early parenthood and her or her familys subsequent health, wealth, or education. Instead, the volumes 21 contributors find, many personal and economic factors combine to influence the life of a teen parent and her family.

Three Considerations for Children's Savings Accounts

paffairs@urban.org ( Barbara Butrica ) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

A primary goal of children's savings accounts (CSAs) is to provide children, especially in low-income families, a strong economic footing. The ability to do that, however, depends on how CSAs are designed and how much families contribute. This study uses projections from the Urban Institute's DYNASIM model to estimate the wealth building impact of CSAs under alternative scenarios that vary the design features. The results highlight three points relevant for any asset-building proposal or program: incentives make a difference, targeting can be difficult, and nontaxability matters for all subsidies.

What Can We Expect from Children's Savings Accounts?

paffairs@urban.org ( Barbara Butrica ) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

Children's savings accounts (CSAs) are being promoted to improve financial literacy, increase the number of low- to moderate-income households that are banked, and encourage saving for education, homeownership, or retirement. This study uses projections from the Urban Institute's DYNASIM model to estimate the wealth building impact of CSAs. The results suggest that most CSAs will have small balances after accounting for inflation. Still, such accounts could help get children, particularly those in low-income families, into financial instruments that demonstrate the value of saving and of compound interest.

Growing Pains for the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program

paffairs@urban.org ( Ian Hill, Patricia Barreto, Brigette Courtot, Eriko Wada ) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST

The Los Angeles Healthy Kids program, during its first four years, extended comprehensive, affordable coverage to over 40,000 poor and vulnerable children, and improved their access to and use of care. Yet, the program also faced serious challenges, primarily related to financing. Funding for children ages 6 through 18 ran short in spring 2005 and Healthy Kids capped their enrollment. State health reform efforts that could have stabilized funding for the program have failed. Based on interviews with over 40 stakeholders, this case study analyzes the complex challenges that the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program faces at this critical juncture.

Mapping the Childhood Obesity Epidemic : A Geographic Profile of the Predicted Risk for Childhood Obesity in Communities Across the United States

paffairs@urban.org ( Sharon K. Long, Leah Hendey, Kathryn L.S. Pettit ) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

This study explores the link between community risk factors and childhood obesity using data on child obesity from the 1988-1994 National Health and Examination Survey, the 2002-2004 National Medical Expenditures Survey, and the 2003-2004 National Survey of Children's Health, combined with data on community characteristics from a wide variety of sources. Multivariate models that relate child obesity to the characteristics of the child's community are used to predict the "risk of childhood obesity" for communities in the United States. The report includes maps and community profiles for 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Mapping Community Data on Children of Prisoners: Strategies and Insights

paffairs@urban.org ( Diana Brazzell, Nancy G. La Vigne ) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST

Children of incarcerated parents are often an invisible population, but analyzing and mapping local-level data on these children and their parents can help policymakers and advocates better understand their experiences and needs. This brief discusses the mapping of community data on these families, drawing on the experiences and insights of partners in the Urban Institutes Reentry Mapping Network (RMN). The brief discusses the value of analyzing and mapping data on children of incarcerated parents, outlines potential data sources, and explores the process of working with and mapping data on this population.