Urban Institute: Immigrants

Modeling Income in the Near Term Version 6

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

This report describes the work the Urban Institute performed to generate the Model of Income in the Near Term, Version 6 (MINT6). MINT is a tool developed for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to analyze the distributional consequences of Social Security reform proposals. MINT is a micro-level data file of individuals born between 1926 and 2075. It starts with a rich set of income and demographic characteristics from the 2001 and 2004 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data linked to SSA data on earnings and benefits. MINT then projects these characteristics until death or the year 2099.

Immigrant Diversity and Social Security: Recent Patterns and Future Prospects

paffairs@urban.org ( Melissa M. Favreault, Austin Nichols ) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Immigration is transforming the U.S. labor force with important consequences for Social Security's adequacy and finances. Using longitudinal data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation matched to administrative data on lifetime earnings and benefit receipt, we measure the extent to which nonnatives' lifetime earning patterns, payroll taxes paid, benefits received, and total incomes differ from those for the U.S.-born population. We consider other outcomes important to retirement security, like health status, marital status, and financial wealth. We also compare various immigrant groups with one another. Our findings stress heterogeneity in labor force and Social Security experiences among immigrants.

Children of Immigrants: Growing National and State Diversity

paffairs@urban.org ( Karina Fortuny, Ajay Chaudry ) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Growth in the number of children in immigrant families during the 2000s offset the decline in children with native-born parents. Between 2000 and 2009, the minority share of U.S. children under age 18 increased from 38 to 44 percent, driven by growth in the number of Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian children and a decline in non-Hispanic white children. While the increase in minority children included children with foreign-and native-born parents, children of immigrants accounted for most of the growth. This brief highlights important trends in the changing demographics of the U.S. child population nationally and across states.

Children of Immigrants: The Changing Face of Metropolitan America

paffairs@urban.org ( Ajay Chaudry, Karina Fortuny ) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

The majority (84 percent) of the 17 million children of immigrants in the United States live in the 100 largest metropolitan areas. Children of immigrants drove the growth in the child population under age 18 nationally and in the largest metros: if it was not for them, the child population in the top 100 metros overall and in many metros would have declined in the last decade. Driven by immigration and population momentum, the child minority share across the top 100 metros reached 51 percent in 2009 and many of the largest metros became "majority minority" metros.

A Comprehensive Review of Immigrant Access to Health and Human Services

paffairs@urban.org ( Karina Fortuny, Ajay Chaudry ) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

The Immigrant Access to Health and Human Services study maps and describes the policy context that can affect immigrant access to health and human services and the well-being of immigrants and their children. This paper summarizes federal provisions and key aspects of state-level variation related to immigrants' eligibility for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and CHIP based on a review of literature and the latest information. It provides a building block for the fieldwork and in-depth assessment of the policy context around immigrant access to health and human services.

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.

Private Transfers, Race, and Wealth

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST

How do private transfers differ by race and ethnicity and do such differences explain the racial and ethnic disparity in wealth? Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, this study examines private transfers by race and ethnicity and explores a causal relationship between private transfers and wealth. We examine private transfers in the form of financial support received and given from extended families and friends, as well as large gifts and inheritances. Our findings highlight important differences in private transfers by race and ethnicity: African Americans and Hispanics (both immigrant and nonimmigrant) receive less in private transfers than non-Hispanic whites.

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.

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.

Young Children of Immigrants and the Path to Educational Success : Key Themes from an Urban Institute Roundtable

paffairs@urban.org ( Olivia Golden, Karina Fortuny ) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EST

The growing presence of young children of immigrants is changing the demographic makeup of classrooms, yet debates about early education and school reform often do not mention them. As high-quality education for all becomes a prominent policy and political goal, key questions remain unanswered about whether schools and early childhood programs are addressing their needs. This paper summarizes the Urban Institute's 2010 roundtable "Young Children of Immigrants and the Path to Educational Success" discussion, which focused on the specific needs of young children of immigrants.

Thirteen Ways of Looking at Poverty

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

This factsheet presents a quick overview of recent cross-cutting Urban Institute research on poverty, including 13 key points on poverty's effects on immigration, health care, children, infants with depressed mothers, employment, assets, and neighborhoods. One in an occasional series of "Thirteen Ways" factsheets.

Immigration Policy and Less-Skilled Workers in the United States : Reflections on Future Directions for Reform

paffairs@urban.org ( Harry Holzer ) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

This paper reviews the evidence on the effects of less-skilled immigration to the U.S., and considers the implications of this evidence for immigration reform ideas. It begins with a review of the costs of less-skilled immigration, in terms of competition to native-born American workers and fiscal costs; as well as the benefits of such immigration in the form of lower prices to consumers, higher profits for employers, and greater efficiency for the U.S. economy. The paper then reviews various reform ideas that have been proposed in Congress in recent years, and also considers a range of other ideas, that would likely raise the net benefits associated with less-skilled immigration to the U.S.

Immigration Trends in Metropolitan America, 1980-2007

paffairs@urban.org ( Ajay Chaudry, Karina Fortuny, Paul A. Jargowsky ) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

Growth in immigration flows in the past three decades has almost tripled the size of the foreign-born population in the United States: from 14 million in 1980 to 38 million in 2007. Immigrants are still heavily concentrated in the six traditional immigrant destination states (California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey), but immigrant numbers grew rapidly in many western, midwestern, and southeastern states. Not surprisingly, many metropolitan areas outside the traditional destination states saw high immigration growth. This brief examines immigration and poverty trends between 1980 and 2007 across the 100 metropolitan areas with the largest immigrant populations.

Children of Immigrants: Economic Well-Being

paffairs@urban.org ( Ajay Chaudry, Karina Fortuny ) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

This data brief is the fourth in a series that profiles children of immigrants using up-to-date census data and other sources. The first brief highlighted the fast growth of the immigrant population and important demographic trends. The second described the family circumstances of children of immigrants, and the third highlighted the circumstances of young children age 0 to 8. The current brief focuses on immigrant families' incomes, economic well-being, food insecurity, and use of public benefits.

A New Vision to Increase the Academic Achievement for English Language Learners and Immigrant Students

paffairs@urban.org ( Kathleen Leos, Lisa Saavedra ) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

This paper analyzes the challenges and opportunities posed by today's education reform debate for the early education and language learning of immigrant, limited English proficient, and English language learner students 3 to 8 years old. Because of the close connections between the preschool and early elementary years, the paper addresses children who attend early childhood and kindergarten-through-3rd-grade education programs throughout the United States. The analysis focuses on provisions in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (reauthorized as the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001), and other relevant legislation and Supreme Court decisions.

Education and Achievement A Focus on Latino "Immigrant" Children

paffairs@urban.org ( Eugene Garcia ) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EST

The high number of English language learners (ELLs) has brought a change in the demographics of public schools and a need to account for the educational experiences of these students, both linguistically and academically. A comprehensive English language development program that facilitates English language acquisition has never been comprehensively articulated and evaluated. This paper argues that robust and rigorous research could be highly useful for policy and education practice modifications. The expanded utilization of dual-language programs is a hopeful sign of that possibility as they offer an alternative with solid empirical evidence for success in selected populations and specific conditions.

Effects of Immigration on WIC and NSLP Caseloads

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have no eligibility restrictions based on the legal status of immigrants. This study reveals an increase in the number and share of immigrants and their children in WIC and NSLP between the mid-1990s and 2006; however, their share of participants is generally comparable to their shares of the eligible populations. Findings suggest that immigrants face fewer barriers to access in WIC and NSLP than they do for TANF, SNAP, and other benefits subject to immigration-related eligibility restrictions.

Children of Immigrants Drive the Increase in America's Youth Population, but Almost Half Live in Low-Income Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

Updated with 2007 and 2008 American Community Survey data, the Children of Immigrants Data Tool can generate customized graphs and charts for every state and the District of Columbia. Statistics on 26 indicators 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, work effort, homeownership, and food stamp receipt.

Children of Immigrants: 2008 State Trends Update

paffairs@urban.org ( Karina Fortuny ) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

This brief updates perspectives brief 9 Children of Immigrants: National and State Characteristics, which profiled children of immigrants as of 200506. The current brief presents data highlights for the 50 states and the District of Columbia from the 2007 and 2008 American Community Surveys. The statistics in this brief and other indicators on children can be obtained on the Urban Institutes Children of Immigrants Data Tool web site.

Experts Available to Comment on New Poverty Data

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

Urban Institute researchers are available to help reporters delve into the Census Bureaus new poverty numbers, to be released Thursday, September 16. To speak with an Urban Institute expert, contact Simona Combi at 202-261-5709 or scombi@urban.org.

Young Children of Immigrants: The Leading Edge of America's Future

paffairs@urban.org ( Karina Fortuny, Donald J. Hernandez, Ajay Chaudry ) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Children of immigrants have nearly doubled as a share of pre-K to 3rd grade students since 1990. The share of children under age 8 with immigrant parents stood at 24 percent in 2008, up from 13 percent in 1990. Young children of immigrants account for more than 30 percent of children in seven states, with California leading the nation at 50 percent. The majority (93 percent) of children of immigrants are U.S. citizens. This fact sheet also includes state-by-state data on the number of children of immigrants and the number of children whose parents come from more than 130 countries.

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.

Early Education Programs and Children of Immigrants: Learning Each Other's Language

paffairs@urban.org ( Hannah Matthews, Danielle Ewen ) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Children from immigrant families are the fastest growing group of children in the United States. High-quality child care and early education opportunities will be critical to these childrens success in school and in life. Yet, the early experiences of children in immigrant families are as diverse and varied as immigrant families themselves. While many immigrant families face numerous barriers to accessing high-quality child care and early education for their young children, these barriers are not insurmountable. The paper discusses state and local solutions to improving access for immigrant families and specific strategies and collaborations among providers, policymakers, and immigrant-serving organizations.

Thumbs Off the Scale: Evidence-Based Studies of the Impacts of Immigration

paffairs@urban.org ( Juan Pedroza, Robert Santos, Molly M. Scott ) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Immigration policy and reform debates test our ability to think about what's at stake when we open (and close) our doors to a diverse range of newcomers, and how ongoing immigration affects our future. As the debate on how immigrant workers and families continue to reshape the country gathers steam, the public is often misled about the challenges and opportunities stemming from policies about who can come to (and stay in) the US.

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.

Dental Care in the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program: Successes and Challenges

paffairs@urban.org ( Sara Hogan, Ian Hill, Embry M. Howell ) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Overall, the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program has greatly improved coverage and access to dental care services for children enrolled in the program. However, as with many public insurance programs, the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program has been confronted with numerous challenges in meeting the dental care needs of program enrollees, such as initially assigning different dentists to some enrollees than they had selected, confusion over charges for dental services and underreporting of encounter data.

Researchers Lay Out Ways to Address Hardships Faced By Hispanic Children

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Hispanics in the United States increasingly fuel the nation's economic engine, especially as their labor-force participation grows and baby boomers retire.Yet, educational, political, residential, and cultural challenges facing Hispanic children are likely to hamper their future achievements, say contributors to Growing Up Hispanic: Health and Development of Children of Immigrants. The volume examines how neighborhood, family, school, and community affect these children's development and well-being.

Emergency Medi-Cal and Its Challenging Relationship with Healthy Kids

paffairs@urban.org ( Ian Hill, Sara Hogan, Michael Cousineau, Albert Farias ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

For 25 years, low-income, non-citizen Los Angeles County residents ineligible for Medi-Cal coverage have had access to emergency, pregnancy-related, and nursing home services through the Emergency Medi-Cal (EMC) program. With the 2003 creation of Healthy Kids, many children enrolled in EMC became eligible for more comprehensive coverage under Healthy Kids. But no formal mechanism was established to coordinate the programs, and the potential for children to be enrolled in both Healthy Kids and EMC was created. This study examines the benefits and challenges created by dual coverage and efforts made to capture state and federal funds to support Healthy Kids.

Impact of Enrolling in Health Insurance on Low-Income Children that Enrolled for a Medical Reason

paffairs@urban.org ( Patricia Barreto, Moira Inkelas ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Children enrolling for a medical reason in Healthy Kids reported a range of common conditions including allergies, anemia, asthma, cough/cold, stomach problems, and ear/eye infection as their reason for enrollment. A large portion (67%) of parents report enrolling because the child needed prescription medication the family could not afford. Enrollment was associated with improved access to health care and lower out-of-pocket costs. However, families of children enrolled for a medical reason faced persistent barriers in accessing sub-specialty care and demonstrated higher use of emergency department services compared to those not enrolled for a medical reason. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Los Angeles. May 2009.

What are the Implications of Losing Healthy Kids?

paffairs@urban.org ( Ian Hill, Sarah Benatar ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

This report examines the state of the L.A. Healthy Kids program in light of recent economic and political challenges. In particular, this paper explores what may be lost if Healthy Kids' must close due to insufficient funds for children 6-18 premiums. Implications of closing the program identified include the loss of health insurance coverage for roughly 80,000 children across California, a weakened health care safety net, decreased health care access for adults and parents, loss of an outreach funding source in Los Angeles county, far-reaching effects on children's attendance and school performance, and loss of momentum towards universal children's coverage.

Changes in the Content of Developmental Care with Enrollment in Health Insurance

paffairs@urban.org ( Patricia Barreto, Moira Inkelas ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Enrollment in Healthy Kids is associated with some improvement in eliciting parent concerns and providing health education, but participation did not increase information for parents about their concerns or affect the proportion of children for whom parents have some type of concern regarding learning, development or behavior. The lack of improvement in these areas despite enrollment in a medical insurance program likely results from larger systems-level barriers to adequate developmental assessment/monitoring and anticipatory guidance within primary care. Findings suggest these barriers such as time, competing demands, and incentives in primary care are not reduced simply by enrollment in health insurance. Los Angeles: University of California at Los Angeles. September 2009.

Rates of Emergency Department Use for Ambulatory Sensitive Conditions in the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program

paffairs@urban.org ( Moira Inkelas, Patricia Barreto ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

This brief examines rates of ED visits associated with ACSC diagnoses in the first few years of Healthy Kids (2005-06). Low rates of ED use for ACSC suggest that high use is not a major problem among program enrollees. The rate of ACSCs as a proportion of ED visits also did not decline over the study period, suggesting that while the Healthy Kids evaluation shows an impact upon perceived access to care and affiliation with a primary care provider, the expansion may not have a significant impact upon relatively rare events, such as pediatric hospital stays and ED visits.

The Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program Perseveres Amid Increasing Financial Strain: 3rd Case Study of Implementation

paffairs@urban.org ( Ian Hill, Sara Hogan, Patricia Barreto ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 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. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. November 2009.

Preventable Hospitalizations Among Children in Los Angeles County and the Impact of the CHI

paffairs@urban.org ( Michael Cousineau, Albert Farias, Trevor Pickering ) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

This analysis shows that pediatric hospitalization rates are low both nationally and in Los Angeles County in comparison to adult hospitalization rates, and have gradually declined since 2000. This downward trend shows the impact of changes in the health care system that increasingly emphasizes ambulatory care and prevention over inpatient care. ACSC hospitalization rates decreased in Los Angeles, for both low- and high-income groups after the CHI was implemented (February 2003) compared to before implementation. Disparities, however, remain, and more work is needed to help close the gap in access to care for low income families in Los Angeles. Los Angeles: University of Southern California. July 2009.

Healthy Kids Program and the Safety Net: Perceptions of Community Clinic Administrators

paffairs@urban.org ( Albert Farias, Timiyin E-Nunu, Michael Cousineau ) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

It is widely known that improving access to ambulatory care helps prevent hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions. The Children's Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles (CHI) formed in order to improve children's access to primary care by increasing Medi-Cal and Healthy Families enrollment. Previous reports showed the CHI reduced the overall rate of preventable hospitalizations in low-income children. This study examines if the CHI similarly reduced preventable hospitalizations for low-income children in Los Angeles County by analyzing hospitalization rates in Los Angeles for lower income compared to higher income children, and calculating hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive conditions.

The Impact of the Los Angeles Healthy Kids program on County Indigent Care Programs

paffairs@urban.org ( Michael Cousineau, Albert Farias ) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Presently, two options exist for covering medical services for uninsured, low income children. The first is to enroll eligible children into comprehensive insurance programs such as Los Angeles Healthy Kids, which provides coverage for children ineligible for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families with family incomes below 300% FPL. The second option is through indigent care services delivered by county-operated safety net clinics that provide care to all people regardless of their ability to pay. This study examines the impact of Healthy Kids since its inception and compares it to utilization of pediatric care visits paid for through county indigent care programs. Los Angeles: University of Southern California. November 2008.

Evaluation of the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program: Special Study of Children Who Left the Program

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Presently, two options exist for covering medical services for uninsured, low income children. The first is to enroll eligible children into comprehensive insurance programs such as Los Angeles Healthy Kids, which provides coverage for children ineligible for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families with family incomes below 300% FPL. The second option is through indigent care services delivered by county-operated safety net clinics that provide care to all people regardless of their ability to pay. This study examines the impact of Healthy Kids since its inception and compares it to utilization of pediatric care visits paid for through county indigent care programs. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. April 2008.

Children of Immigrants: Family and Parental Characteristics

paffairs@urban.org ( Ajay Chaudry, Karina Fortuny ) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

This data brief is the second in a series that profiles children of immigrants using up-to-date Census data and other sources. The first brief highlighted the fast growth of the immigrant population and the increase in children of immigrants, along with important demographic trends. The current publication describes the family circumstances of children of immigrants, including family structure and parental employment.

Did the Los Angeles Children's Health Initiative Outreach Effort Increase Enrollment in Medi-Cal?

paffairs@urban.org ( Anna S. Sommers, Ariel Klein, Ian Hill, Joshua McFeeters ) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

In 2003, the Children's Health Initiative of Greater Los Angeles (CHI) launched the Healthy Kids Program to cover children in families with incomes below 300 percent of the federal poverty level regardless of immigration status. Concurrently, the CHI contracted community-based organizations to support outreach to uninsured children eligible for any public program, including Medi-Cal (California Medicaid). We analyze five years of data on enrollment and disenrollment to investigate whether, in addition to Healthy Kids enrollment, CHI outreach generated "spillover" enrollment into Medi-Cal. Findings suggest outreach contributed to modest increases in Medi-Cal enrollment that were somewhat offset by increases in disenrollment.

An Updated Analysis of Utilization in the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program

paffairs@urban.org ( Ariel Klein, Embry M. Howell, Ian Hill ) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

Launched in 2003, the Los Angeles Healthy Kids Program covers children in families with incomes below 300 percent of the federal poverty level regardless of immigration status. This report presents findings on utilization of health services by children ages 0 to 5 enrolling during the programs third year. These children were more likely to receive a preventive care visit, receive any primary care visit, or have a prescription filled, compared to children enrolling during the program's second year. Hospital and emergency room visit rates remained at a constant but low level from the program's second year to the third year.

Basic Facts on Children of Immigrants

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

More than one in five children in the United States has at least one immigrant parent. This fact sheet highlights key demographics on this growing population.

Assisting Newcomers through Employment and Support Services: An Evaluation of the New Americans Centers Demonstration Project in Arkansas and Iowa

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

This report presents the final results for the evaluation of the New Americans Centers (NACs) demonstration project in Arkansas and Iowa.This demonstration was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA).Through the project, ETA provided a three-year grant to Arkansas and Iowa to develop NACs within One-Stop Career Centers in high immigrant population areas.The purposes of the grant were to promote stability and rapid employment with living wages for individuals or family members who were without work or were in need of new work, speed the transition of new immigrants into their communities, assist employers, and enhance the economic development opportunities of these communities.

A Report on the Second Year of the San Mateo County Adult Coverage Initiative and Systems Redesign for Adult Medicine Clinic Care

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

This report presents findings from the first 18 months of an evaluation of San Mateo County's Health System Redesign and Adult Coverage Initiative (ACE), an effort to improve access to high quality care for uninsured and underinsured adults and improve the financial sustainability of the San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) and related delivery systems. The County has begun implementation of team-based care, disease management, Advanced Access scheduling, and electronic medical records. Enrollment in the ACE program continues to exceed expectations, and data collected for the evaluation show increased access to care and receipt of doctor visits.

Balance Child and Family Protection with Immigration Enforcement Goals, Study Recommends

paffairs@urban.org ( Urban Institute ) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

As Congress again tries to draft comprehensive immigration reform legislation, lawmakers should balance the protection of children and the integrity of their families with immigration law enforcement objectives, according to a new Urban Institute study. "Facing Our Future: Children in the Aftermath of Immigration Enforcement" takes a hard look at current immigration policies' impacts on children of unauthorized immigrants, a part of the immigration picture that has so far been left out of focus. The report chronicles the experiences of more than 100 children affected by six worksite raids or targeted arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Facing Our Future : Children in the Aftermath of Immigration Enforcement

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

This report examines the consequences of parental arrest, detention, and deportation on 190 children in 85 families in six locations, providing in-depth details on parent-child separations, economic hardships, and children's well-being. The contentious immigration debates around the country mostly revolve around illegal immigration. Less visible have been the 5.5 million children with unauthorized parents, almost three-quarters of whom are U.S.-born citizens. Over several years, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensified enforcement activities through large-scale worksite arrests, home arrests, and arrests by local law enforcement. The report provides recommendations for stakeholders to mitigate the harmful effects of immigration enforcement on children.

An Analysis of Potential Tax Incentives to Increase Charitable Giving in Puerto Rico : In Brief

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

This policy brief summarizes the findings of a larger report on potential tax incentives to increase charitable giving in Puerto Rico. Improved incentives for private charitable giving would strengthen nonprofit organizations in Puerto Rico. Taxpayers may choose between a 100 percent deduction for contributions over 3 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI) or a 33 percent deduction for contributions with no floor. Deductions may not exceed 15 percent of AGI. Removing the 15 percent ceiling would be a relatively cost effective way of encouraging more giving.

Untangling the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act: Consequences for Children and Families

paffairs@urban.org ( Robin Koralek, Juan Pedroza, Randolph Capps ) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act (House Bill 1804) went into effect on November 1, 2007. House Bill (HB) 1804, is among the most far-reaching of the anti-immigrant laws enacted at the state level and is composed of broad provisions that have the potential to affect all aspects of life in Oklahoma for unauthorized immigrants, including where they live, how they move from place to place, what services they receive from both public and private agencies, and how they are handled when they come into contact with the law enforcement system. The Urban Institute examined the effects of HB 1804 to better understand the implications of these provisions for immigrant families with children.

Intentions and Results: A Look Back at the Adoption and Safe Families Act

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), signed into law on November 19, 1997, was the most significant piece of legislation dealing with child welfare in almost twenty years. The ambitious new law aimed to reaffirm the focus on child safety in case decision making and to ensure that children did not grow up in foster care but instead were connected with permanent families. Twelve years after the law was enacted, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) in partnership with the Urban Institute co-sponsored this series of papers to examine effects of the ASFA law and its implementation.

Community-Based Organizations and Immigrant Integration in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

This study examines immigrant integration through the lens of community-based organizations. Based on interviews with nonprofit leaders and an analysis of data from the National Center for Charitable Statistics, the study found that immigrant-serving nonprofits provide a wide range of programs and services to foreign-born communities which promote the social and political mobility of newcomers. Findings also suggest a potential spatial mismatch between immigrant-serving organizations and the people they serve. The organizations are concentrated in the metropolitan area while immigrant populations are growing in the outer suburbs. Moreover, different political and administrative structures and policies affect the ability of these nonprofits to serve their constituents.

Children of Immigrants: A Statistical Snapshot

paffairs@urban.org ( 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.