MD

Two decades of research present a stark message to Maryland policymakers: Unrealistic child support policies and practices entangle low-income black families in poverty and have become a destabilizing force in the Baltimore community. Child support orders set beyond the ability of noncustodial parents to comply push them out of low-wage jobs, drown them in debt, hound them into the underground economy, and chase them out of their children’s lives. Of Maryland parents who paid all of their current support, they were expected to pay 18 percent of their earnings toward child support.

This study assessed the impact of a youth-targeted multilevel nutrition intervention in Baltimore City. The study used a clustered randomized design in which 7 recreation centers and 21 corner stores received interventions and 7 additional recreation centers served as comparison. The 8-month intervention aimed to increase availability and selection of healthful foods through nutrition promotion and education using point-of purchase materials such as posters and flyers in stores and interactive sessions such as taste test and cooking demonstrations.

This presentation was given at the 57th National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS) Workshop in 2019. The presentation, moderated by Mark Fauth, highlights efforts by states to measure caseload dynamics and earnings outcomes for TANF participants through the Family Self Sufficiency Data Center Initiative. 

This presentation was given at the 57th National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS) Workshop in 2019. This presentation provides an overview of the PROMISE program, a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and SSA that offers case management, benefits counseling and financial literacy training, career- and work-based learning experiences, and parent training and information for youth and their families.

These presentations are from the 57th National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics (NAWRS) Workshop.  This presentation discusses the components and principles of the ESCentials Model which is a coaching system that emphasizes the role of executive skills in goal setting and attaining goals through self-regulation. 

The objective of the Family Options Study is to provide research evidence to help federal policymakers, community planners, and local practitioners make sound decisions about the best ways to address homelessness among families. The study will compare four combinations of housing and service interventions for homeless families who have been in emergency shelters for at least seven days. The study is conducted as a rigorous, multi-site experiment, to determine what interventions work best to promote family stability and well-being.

This presentation draws on: 1) administrative program data collected from over 700 individuals participating in International Rescue Committee career programs (workforce development programs that are explicitly focused on supporting refugees – regardless of previous professional experience or educational background – to move into higher-skill, higher-wage jobs); 2) in-depth, semi-structured interviews with more than 40 refugees from nearly a dozen countries that have participated in International Rescue Committee career programs and; 3) interviews with nearly 20 program staff and key

Policy leaders look to quality data and statistics to help inform and guide programmatic decisions. As a result, assessing the quality and validity of major household surveys in capturing accurate program participation is essential. One method for evaluating survey quality is to compare self-reported program participation in surveys to administrative records from the program itself. In this paper, we are interested in understanding two issues.

Motivation: Baltimore City experiences one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. Although a large percentage of pregnant women in Baltimore are Medicaid recipients, they often do not take-up pregnancy and postpartum support services that are available with an appropriate referral. Particularly for high-risk pregnancies, this can lead to adverse birth outcomes. To begin accessing these services, Medicaid-eligible patients must have a prenatal risk assessment (PRA) form filled out by their provider.

These snapshots for Maryland and each of the 24 jurisdictions in the state provide demographic information about noncustodial parents, their employment, and their child support orders and payments. Additionally, comparisons are made between noncustodial parents earning full-time minimum wage or less and those earning a living wage. (Author description)