Urban Institute: Families and Parenting

Improving the Efficiency of Primary Care in Safety Net Clinics: San Mateo County's System Redesign

paffairs@urban.org ( Embry M. Howell, Ashley Palmer ) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

San Mateo County is one of a small number of innovative local jurisdictions that is expanding coverage for uninsured adults and at the same time undertaking a reform of its safety net primary care system. We evaluated the impact of the systems redesign by comparing outcomes for a group of people served at the largest county safety net clinic prior to systems redesign (2006) to those served at the clinic after systems redesign (2009). Use of any preventive care services in a year climbed from 25.9 percent to 33.3 percent. Continuity of care also rose significantly, and emergency room use declined. The county's experience provides an example for other communities to follow as they improve the efficiency of health care services for the most vulnerable members of society.

Bringing Promise to Washington, DC : The DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

The U.S. Department of Education's Promise Neighborhood Initiative is one of the Obama administration's major antipoverty initiatives and a core strategy of the White House's Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. It is intended to improve educational outcomes by creating a continuum of school readiness, academic services, and family and community support for children from early childhood through college. The DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI) received one of the U.S. Department of Education's 21 Promise Neighborhood planning grants in October 2010. This policy brief summarizes DCPNI's planning year and how DCPNI intends to improve the educational outcomes of youth in the years to come.

Opportunity Still Has Racial Hue

paffairs@urban.org ( Margaret Simms ) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Children are more likely to succeed if they have a stable home environment, adequate nutrition and the opportunity to get a good education. Unfortunately, nearly 50 years after the march on Washington, opportunity still has a racial dimension, argues Institute fellow Margaret Simms in this commentary for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Reaffirming the Work Requirement for Noncustodial Parents as Part of TANF Reauthorization

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen ) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Research shows that work programs for noncustodial parents can increase employment and child support payments.Yet very few state TANF programs provide these work activities even though the estimated cost of implementing a requirement is zero.Congress needs to reaffirm its intent to impose a work requirement on noncustodial parents through the child support program and clearly state that child support funds may be used to fund the work programs.

Implementation Evaluation of the District of Columbia Put Families First Program: Final Report

paffairs@urban.org ( Joshua Markman, Akiva Liberman, Jocelyn Fontaine ) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

The goal of this evaluation was to understand the planning, implementation, and execution of the Put Families First program as it is administered by Functional Family Therapy (FFT) in the District of Columbia (D.C.). The primary question is whether FFT has been implemented with high fidelity and quality, and whether there are local factors or circumstances that either facilitate or interfere with its reliable implementation. The current implementation evaluation shows promise for the effective implementation of FFT for youth at risk of out-of-home placement in D.C. For those who do complete the program, implementation is generally close to program benchmarks and showing improvement.

How Human Services Programs and Their Clients Can Benefit from National Health Reform Legislation

paffairs@urban.org ( Stan Dorn ) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Human services programs-the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, subsidized child care, etc.-and their clients can benefit from national health reform. Millions of low-income health coverage applicants can be connected with human services programs, as the latter programs: (a) help health programs efficiently reach eligible consumers; (b) access unprecedented, time-limited federal funding for modernizing eligibility computer systems while limiting risks to current funding; (c) keep social services offices available as an avenue for seeking health coverage; and (d) use a forthcoming Medicaid expansion to accomplish core human services goals related to employment and child development.

Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers: Final Impact Report for the Pilot Employment Programs

paffairs@urban.org ( Kye Lippold, Elaine Sorensen ) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

New York state implemented a pilot employment program from 2006 to 2009 for parents behind in their child support. These pilot programs, part of the Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers Initiative, provided employment-oriented services, fatherhood/parenting workshops, case management, and other support services to nearly 4,000 parents behind in their child support in four New York communities. Our evaluation shows that these programs successfully helped participants find work, increase their earnings, and pay more child support. These gains continued for at least a year after enrollment, the length of time participant outcomes were followed.

New York Initiative Helps Fathers Increase Their Earnings and Child Support

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen ) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

New York launched a pilot employment program to help parents behind in their child support in four communities between 2006 and 2009. The program was part of the state's Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers Initiative. Our evaluation found that the program's combination of employment assistance, case management, and other support services substantially increased the earnings and child support payments of disadvantaged parents who were not meeting their child support obligations.

Work-Oriented Programs in Child Support

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen ) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

This PowerPoint presentation describes lessons learned from past efforts to provide work-oriented programs for low-income parents behind in their child support payments. The presentation describes a New York state pilot program that substantially increased the earnings and child support payments of disadvantaged parents not meeting their child support obligations. The presentation was given at "The Child Support Connection: Giving Children a Brighter Future" conference hosted by the New York City Office of Child Support Enforcement on October 20, 2011 at the City University of New York Graduate School.

Who are Low-Asset Low-Income Families?

paffairs@urban.org ( Mauricio Soto ) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

More than a quarter of U.S. families are in the bottom 40 percent of both the net worth and the income distributions. For these families, neither assets nor income offers much protection against financial shocks. This fact sheet describes the characteristics of these families. Low-asset low-income families tend to be younger, single, less educated, in poorer health, and minority.

Today's Children, Tomorrow's America: Six Experts Face the Facts

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

Urban Institute scholars from diverse disciplines tackle a simple-to-state, hard-to-answer question: How can solutions to our national and state budget crises fit the facts about children in the United States? In their responses, the contributors wrestle with recent and approaching economic and demographic challenges in different ways and bring very different experiences to bear.

Impact of Family-Inclusive Case Management on Reentry Outcomes: Interim Report on the Safer Return Demonstration Evaluation

paffairs@urban.org ( Jocelyn Fontaine, Douglas Gilchrist-Scott, Megan Denver ) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

This interim report details the first two years of the Urban Institute's evaluation of the family-inclusive case management component of the Safer Return Demonstrationa reentry program based in Chicago's Garfield Park neighborhood. The report presents the logic of the case management model and summarizes family members and formerly incarcerated persons experiences and perceptions, based on interviews and focus groups. In general, family members were highly supportive of returning prisoners and, despite a typically disadvantaged socioeconomic status, provided substantial material support to their returning family members, particularly housing.The implications of these findings for the Demonstration and reentry planning are discussed.

Workshop on State Poverty Measurement Using the American Community Survey

paffairs@urban.org ( David Betson, Linda Giannarelli, Sheila R. Zedlewski ) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

This workshop discussed issues surrounding the potential development of a Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) at the state level using the American Community Survey (ACS).Academics and researchers from around the country participated, including experts that have implemented the SPM for eight different areas. The discussion summarized recent experiences and challenges in implementing the SPM on the ACS and geographic adjustments to the poverty thresholds. The summary highlights the key issues and ideas for next steps.

Is the Safety Net Catching Unemployed Families?

paffairs@urban.org ( Austin Nichols, Sheila R. Zedlewski ) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

The vast majority of unemployed families received some help from core safety net programs in 2009.Among those experiencing unemployment, receipt of unemployment benefits doubled between 2005 and 2009. Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) also increased.Public Assistance played a limited role in unemployed families' lives.About 15 percent of low-work, unemployed families got no help from the safety net.The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 clearly helped to strengthen the safety net.This extra help has mostly ended, leaving many families to contend with high unemployment and a frayed safety net.

How Do States' Safety Net Policies Affect Poverty?

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Safety net policies can dramatically reduce poverty.A full assessment requires use of a Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) that adds near-cash benefits and tax credits to cash income, deducts necessary expenses, and uses up-to-date, geographically-sensitive poverty thresholds.This analysis implements the SPM in Georgia, Illinois, and Massachusetts to examine the effects of the key safety net programs on poverty.The results show that safety net policies in these three states have substantially different effects on poverty, but federal programs narrow the differences across the states.

Poverty in the United States

paffairs@urban.org ( Austin Nichols ) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

The U.S. Census Bureau has announced that the poverty rate jumped to 15.1 percent in 2010, up from 14.3 percent in 2009 and 13.2 percent in 2008. This 18-year high still understates the dire straits of many Americans today. The devastation of poverty grows more severe over time as individuals exhaust private resources and temporary benefits.

Unemployment and Poverty

paffairs@urban.org ( Austin Nichols, Thomas Callan ) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Poverty is higher among the unemployed. In 2010, 30 percent of the long-termunemployed were poor,and 66 percentof single parents unemployed more than 26 weeks were poor.

Dynamics of Being Disconnected from Work and TANF

paffairs@urban.org ( Pamela J. Loprest, Austin Nichols ) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

This paper analyses the economic well-being of low-income single mothers who "disconnected" that is neither working nor receiving public assistance benefits (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) or disability benefits). We find that the percentage of disconnected single mothers increased over time. These mothers are extremely poor and are more likely to have challenges that make work more difficult than other single mothers. In addition, many mothers remain in this situation for a year or more. Some are helped by living with other family members or cohabiting and through receipt of public food and housing benefits.

Vulnerability, Risk, and the Transition to Adulthood

paffairs@urban.org ( Daniel Kuehn, Mike Pergamit, Tracy Vericker ) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Growing up poor strongly predicts poverty and poor adult outcomes. This study explores two primary reasons poverty may persist across generations: risk behavior in adolescence and dropping out of high school. Results suggest that risk behavior and dropping out help perpetuate poor economic outcomes for children from single-parent families but are less important for children who grow up in low-income families. The findings suggest that policies directed at reducing youth risk behavior and dropping out can improve economic outcomes when targeted to youth from single-parent households.

Family Policy Scholar Elizabeth Peters Becomes Director of Urban Institute's Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST

Elizabeth Peters, the founding director of Cornell University's Population Program, has joined the Urban Institute as the director of its Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population.

Characteristics of Low-Income Single Mothers Disconnected from Work and Public Assistance

paffairs@urban.org ( Pamela J. Loprest, Austin Nichols ) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST

Families headed by low-income single mothers who are not working or receiving public cash benefits ("disconnected families") are among the most vulnerable in our society. This fact sheet shows that the number of families in this situation is increasing over time. It also describes their income, receipt of noncash benefits like housing and food assistance, living arrangements, and characteristics that may impede work.

Kids' Share 2011

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST

Kids' Share 2011: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children through 2010, a fifth annual report, looks comprehensively at trends over the past 50 years in federal spending and tax expenditures on children. Key findings suggest that the size and composition of expenditures on children have changed considerably, but children have not been a budget priority. Federal expenditures on children in 2010, were 11 percent of the federal budget, slightly higher than in 2009.This increase is temporary, however, with the children's share of the budget expected to shrink to less than 8 percent by the end of the next decade.

Head Start and the Changing Demographics of Today's Young Children

paffairs@urban.org ( Olivia Golden ) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST

The increasing diversity of America's young children has important implications for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. This paper summarizes recent changes in the racial and ethnic composition of young children, particularly increases in Hispanic and Asian children, as well as shifts in where young children live, with some northeastern and Midwestern states losing children while southern and southwestern states are rapidly gaining. Based on these trends and recent Urban Institute research, the paper makes four recommendations about how local Head Start practitioners can best meet the needs of today's young children and their families.

A Silver Lining with Holes? Losses and Gains in Homeownership for Families with Children during the Foreclosure Crisis

paffairs@urban.org ( Leah Hendey, C. Eugene Steuerle ) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST

Using data from the Making Connections Cross-site Survey, this brief explores movement into and out of homeownership for families with children in selected low-income neighborhoods. We find that poor families and those with less home equity are more likely to move out of homeownership. With the reduction in home prices in many areas, brought on by the housing crisis, there are increasing opportunities for affordable homeownership. However, we find that two-parent and Hispanic families may be relatively more likely, and blacks and single-parent families relatively less likely, to take advantage of these new chances for homeownership.

Child Care Choices of Low-Income Working Families

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EST

This research report presents the findings from a qualitative study of the child care choices of low-income working families in two urban communities. Participants included 86 parents with young children, many of whom were immigrants, English language learners, or parents of children with special needs. We discuss the key themes and variations in family experiences, giving particular attention to parental preferences and the factors that influenced their decisions, within the contexts of their employment and the early care and education programs in their communities. We conclude with policy recommendations that can promote parental access to affordable and high quality care.

Savings and Hardship Avoidance Among Households Headed by People with Disabilities: Implications for SSI

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory B. Mills, Sisi Zhang ) — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 EST

For households headed by persons with disabilities, savings can provide near-term protection against hardship. Analysis of longitudinal data from the 2001 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation indicates that households with $2,000 or more in liquid assets (interest-earning assets held at financial institutions) are better able to avoid subsequent hardships such as forgone doctor visits and missed utility payments, compared to those with smaller (or no) asset holdings. This evidence has implications for possible increases in the resource limits for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, now $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.

When Blame Isn't Enough: Troubled Child Welfare Systems

paffairs@urban.org ( Olivia Golden ) — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 EST

Sweeping policy changes and scapegoating caseworkers after high-profile cases of child abuse are not the best ways to enhance the safety of young people, says child welfare expert Olivia Golden. Taking lessons from the airline industry and elsewhere, Golden lays out why clear-headed, evidence-driven examination of the resources, conditions, and communication that guide workplace decisionmaking should be the center of attention.

How to Evaluate Choice and Promise Neighborhoods

paffairs@urban.org ( Robin E. Smith ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EST

Living in concentrated poverty stifles the life chances of adults and children. Efforts to transform neighborhoods of extreme poverty into places of opportunity must grapple with concentrated disadvantages including distressed housing, failing schools, joblessness, poor health, and violence. Two federal initiatives seeking to address neighborhood deficiencies simultaneously are the Department of Education's Promise Neighborhoods effort and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Choice Neighborhoods program. Evaluating these efforts presents many methodological challenges. This brief provides a framework for designing evaluations of Choice and Promise Neighborhoods including key research questions, different research approaches, and components of an evaluation strategy.

Home Visiting and Maternal Depression: Seizing the Opportunities to Help Mothers and Young Children

paffairs@urban.org ( Olivia Golden, Amelia Hawkins, William Beardslee ) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 EST

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.

For Working Poor, Tax Season Brings Rush to Use Refund Anticipation Loans and Checks

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

Nearly one in five tax filers getting a refund this tax season, many of whom number among the working poor, are expected to use a refund anticipation loan (RAL) or refund anticipation check (RAC), a new Urban Institute study estimates. A related study investigates how state regulations affect consumer use of payday loans, auto title loans, pawnbroker loans, RALs, and rent-to-own transactions.

Assessing the Evidence about Work Support Benefits and Low-Income Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory B. Mills, Jessica F. Compton, Olivia Golden ) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

For low-income working parents, benefits received through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, and child care subsidies provide vital work support. Access to these programs has been restricted, however, by barriers relating to federal and state funding, program policy, and administrative process, complicating program enrollment and benefit retention. As a result, many low-income working families do not receive the multi-program benefits for which they are eligible. This paper provides a strong rationale for the Work Support Strategies demonstration, enabling selected states to design, implement, and evaluate modernization strategies to dramatically improve families' access to a package of work support benefits.

Nine States Chosen to be Laboratories Testing Inventive Ways to Streamline Services for Low-Income Working Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

In a major effort to tap and foster state capital ingenuity, the Urban Institute has selected nine states to receive $250,000 each in planning grants as part of a five-year initiative with lead funding from the Ford Foundation. Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and South Carolina were chosen for first-year grants to test inventive ways to streamline services for low-income working families.

Who Needs Credit at Tax Time and Why: A Look at Refund Anticipation Loans and Refund Anticipation Checks

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) and Checks (RACs) are controversial financial products used by one in seven tax filers. This report presents findings on many of the most important individual and geographical characteristics influencing RAL/RAC use, as well as, insights about product use from tax preparers, RAL/RAC lenders, RAL/RAC tax form software developers, low-cost RAL lenders, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program sites. The results suggest that factors such as lack of interest income, geographic location, EITC receipt, filing as a head-of-household, income, and living in a poor neighborhood, each independently contributes strongly to RAL/RAC use.

Prohibitions, Price Caps, and Disclosures: A Look at State Policies and Alternative Financial Product Use

paffairs@urban.org ( Signe-Mary McKernan, Caroline Ratcliffe, Daniel Kuehn ) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

Using new nationally representative data from the National Financial Capability State-by-State Survey, this paper examines the relationship between state-level alternative financial service (AFS) policies (prohibitions, price caps, disclosures) and consumer use of five AFS products: payday loans, auto title loans, pawn broker loans, RALs, and RTO transactions. The results suggest that more stringent price caps and prohibitions are associated with lower product use and do not support the hypothesis that prohibitions and price caps on one AFS product lead consumers to use other AFS products.

Summary on Developing a Research Agenda on Small-Dollar Credit and Financial Empowerment

paffairs@urban.org ( Signe-Mary McKernan, Jessica F. Compton ) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

The U.S. Department of the Treasury gathered 50 foundation representatives and researchers from academia, government, the nonprofit sector, and industry to participate in the convening Developing a Research Agenda on Small-Dollar Credit and Financial Empowerment.This summary provides key insights from the one-day event including discussions on both the demand for and supply of small-dollar credit and what participants identified as research needed to inform policymaking in order to address the challenges related to meeting the small-dollar credit needs of underserved populations, notably low- and moderate-income individuals.

Effects from Living in Mixed-Income Communities for Low-Income Families : A Review of the Literature

paffairs@urban.org ( Diane K. Levy, Zach McDade, Kassie Dumlao Bertumen ) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

There continues to be considerable interest in the potential of mixed-income housing and neighborhoods to alleviate poverty, desegregate neighborhoods in terms of household income, and revitalize neighborhoods. This annotated literature review, prepared with support from the Casey Foundation, surveys the research on mixed-income housing that focuses on the impact on low-income children and adults. The review examines definitions of mixed-income, hypothesized benefits for low-income families, evidence of benefits, and viability of mixed-income areas over time. It concludes by identifying research gaps that foundations might consider addressing through the support for future work.

Can Savings Help Overcome Income Instability?

paffairs@urban.org ( Gregory B. Mills, Joe Amick ) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

Savings can help low-income households cope with income Instability and unexpected expenses, according to new evidence presented here. For households with nonelderly heads in the lowest income quintile, modest holdings of liquid assets (amounts up to $1,999) can significantly reduce the probability of hardships with health care, housing payments, food security, utility and phone bills, and basic consumption. Programs to promote saving can help low-income households protect themselves from economic shocks, as income variability, in addition to low income, increases risk of such hardships.

Every Kid Counts in the District of Columbia: 17th Annual Fact Book 2010

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

The 17th annual Fact Book is a comprehensive data source for indicators of child well-being in the District of Columbia. It tracks the progression of child well-being over time, as well as differences in child well-being across wards and races/ethnicities. It is organized to reflect the six citywide goals for children and youth in DC: children are ready for school; children and youth succeed in school; children and youth are healthy and practice healthy behaviors; children and youth engage in meaningful activities; children and youth live in healthy, stable, and supportive families; and all youth make a successful transition to adulthood.

Who Benefits From the Dependent Exemption?

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Maag ) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

The dependent exemption reduces taxable income by a fixed amount ($3,650 in 2010) for each qualifying child in the family. Benefits depend on a family's marginal tax rate. Low-income families receive a tax reduction of up to $365 per exemption compared to high income families that receive a tax reduction of $1,278 per exemption. Benefits flow mostly to families with relatively high incomes. In 2010, TPC estimates 1.5 percent of benefits will accrue to families in the lowest income quintile while 57.1 percent of benefits will accrue to families in the top 40 percent of the income distribution.

Child Care Instability: Definitions, Context, and Policy Implications

paffairs@urban.org ( Gina Adams, Monica Rohacek ) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

Child care instability affects children's development, parent's employment, and family stability. This paper describes why it matters, discusses definitional and measurement challenges, provides a framework to examine links between instability in child care and family domains, and examines the causes of instability (including child care subsidy policy and practice). Findings suggest that policies supporting stability in child care could interrupt the cascading effect of instability in other domains. Policy strategies to improve the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)/Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), such as funding, voucher flexibility, eligibility, quality of care, and referral systems, are examined.

Child Support Plays an Increasingly Important Role for Poor Custodial Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Elaine Sorensen ) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

The child support program has become a critical public program for children, serving 17 million children, representing nearly one in four children in the United States. Among social welfare programs, only the Medicaid program serves more children. It is also an important source of income for poor families, lifting a million people from poverty in 2008. This brief describes the role of child support in reducing poverty and shows how poor custodial families have become more reliant upon child support.

From Awareness to Action: A Case Study of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption's Philanthropic Strategy

paffairs@urban.org ( Francie Ostrower ) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption was created in 1992 to increase adoptions from foster care in North America. A decade later, the Foundation concluded that it needed to change its philanthropic approach to achieve that goal. In response, the Foundation launched the Wendy's Wonderful Kids initiative, in partnership with Wendy's, to implement and evaluate an alternative method to finding families for hard-to-place children. This case study examines the Foundation's philanthropic strategy to enhancing its effectiveness, identifies lessons that may help other foundations, and draws implications for the respective roles of private and public initiative in addressing major social issues.

Emergency Food Assistance Helps Many Low-Income Hispanic Children

paffairs@urban.org ( Michael Martinez-Schiferl, Sheila R. Zedlewski ) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

In 2009, nearly 1 in every 5 children in the United States lived in families that used emergency food assistance through Feeding America, the nation's largest organization of emergency food providers. Higher shares of Hispanic and black children used emergency food assistance than white children, reflecting their higher rates of poverty. While the majority of families using emergency food assistance also accessed at least one of the federal nutrition assistance programs, only one in four received food stamps. The high demand for private food assistance demonstrates the extreme need in 2009 caused by high unemployment and poverty.

Low-Income Hispanic Children Need both Private and Public Food Assistance

paffairs@urban.org ( Michael Martinez-Schiferl, Sheila R. Zedlewski ) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

Families that use emergency food assistance often also get help from federal nutrition programs. Hispanic families less often receive help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps) than families of other racial/ethnic groups placing them at greater nutritional risk. Families that do not receive SNAP benefits often think that their income, assets or citizenship status makes them ineligible. The broad use of food banks and pantries among low-income families with children demonstrates unmet nutritional needs and confirms that enhancements to the federal nutrition safety net are needed.

Two-Generation Strategies and Involving Immigrant Parents in Children's Education

paffairs@urban.org ( Robert Crosnoe ) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Intervening in the parent generation can improve current and future prospects in the child generation. Such two-generation strategies target either parents life circumstances or parenting behaviors. Because many immigrants do not have the English capabilities, inside knowledge about schools, or social standing, engaging them more fully in the educational process in the home, school, and community could bring academic returns for children. This paper describes two-generation approaches to the education of young children from immigrant families that center on parental involvement in education. It focuses on Latin American and Asian immigrants, who make up the bulk of the immigrant population.

1 in 4 Young Students Has an Immigrant Parent

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

"Young Children of Immigrants: The Leading Edge of America's Future" shows that 24 percent (8.7 million) of children under age 8 have at least one immigrant parent, double 1990's 4.3 million. The study includes data on the number of children of immigrants in each state, as well as on the number of children whose parents come from a list of more than 130 countries.

Transformed Housing Major Improvements in CHA Residents' Quality of Life : CHA Families and the Plan for Transformation Series

paffairs@urban.org ( Larry Buron, Susan J. Popkin ) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

A main goal of the HOPE VI program was to improve public housing by replacing failed developments with healthy and safe communities that offer a better quality of life for residents. This brief explores whether the safety gains for early relocates have been sustained and whether those who moved later have benefited equally because these residents tended to be among the most vulnerable, there was good reason to think that they would not fare as well. We find that almost all former residents are now living in safer conditions and that improved safety and quality of life has been the greatest benefit of the Plan for Transformation for CHA residents.

After Wells: Where Are the Residents Now? : CHA Families and the Plan for Transformation Series

paffairs@urban.org ( Larry Buron, Susan J. Popkin ) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Eight years after the Madden/Wells redevelopment started, this brief presents what has happened to the original residents, including the type of housing assistance they received and where they lived in 2009. Despite a number of challenges, we found that by 2009, all of the residents had relocated and nearly one in five former Madden/Wells residents was living in a new mixed-income housing development. Most of the former Madden/Wells residents reported that their current housing and neighborhood was better than Madden/Wells. However, only a minority lived in economically or racially diverse neighborhoods that offer real opportunities for themselves and their children.

The CHA's Plan for Transformation: How Have Residents Fared? : CHA Families and the Plan for Transformation Series

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

This overview presents findings from the Chicago Panel Study, a follow up to the Urban Institutes five-site HOPE VI Panel Study, to assess how the residents are faring as the Plan for Transformation progresses. We find that after 10 years, the story for CHA families is far more positive than many observersincluding ourselves would have predicted at the outset. Regardless of where they have moved, most families in our study are living in considerably better circumstances. However, the study also highlights the serious challenges that remain, most significantly, residents extremely poor health and persistently low rates of employment.

The Integration of Immigrants and Their Families in Maryland : A Look at Children of Immigrants and Their Families in Maryland

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Organizations face increasing pressures to improve, and document, their performance. Good performance management systematically identifies desired ends, selects reasonable indicators of progress through means to those ends, and promotes continuous improvement over time. Key preconditions include assessing organizational measurement-readiness and overcoming inertiaand fearamong middle managers and front-line staff. To succeed, performance measurement must be seen as helping people do their jobs better, not creating new chains for yanking. Nurses and their employers have far to go to figure out how best to organize their caregiving and their administrative supports so as to improve quality and safety while constraining costs. Journal of Nursing Regulation 1(2):60 (July 2010); Marr, Bernard. Managing and Delivering Performance. Elsevier Ltd, 2009.