This article outlines the critical components of community-monitoring systems (CMSs), designed to monitor the well-being of children and adolescents and the factors that influence their development. This resources from the Society for Prevention…

In 2005, the U.S. teen birth rate fell to its lowest level ever according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The birth rate for teenagers ages 15-19 fell from 40.4 births per 1,000, which was a 35 percent decrease from 1991…

This paper focuses on poverty in the last 40 years in the United States, focusing on policy and poverty in the African American community. Between 1968 and 2005, the black poverty rate fell from 35 percent to about 25 percent. However, in 2005,…

From the Funder’s Network, this paper examines how housing conditions can affect aspects of child well-being in their communities. The study reviews housing characteristics, such as the cost of housing, residential mobility, and the surrounding…

Child poverty rates are increasing in Michigan, and since 2000, the child poverty rate rose from 14 percent to 17 percent. In Detroit, 72 percent of children live in families that are low-income. For a two parent family with two children, the…

This document shows that outdated minimum wages and the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit alone do not suffice in the struggle to help low-income families build assets. Instead, it is important for states to set a state minimum wage and establish…

While the Earned Income Tax Credit has traditionally been viewed as an anti-poverty policy, Alan Berube, from the Brookings Institution, offers insight into how the EITC can have significant effects on local and regional economies. In San Antonio…

From the Welfare Policy Research Project, this research article reviews a study in California on the effects of the 60-month TANF time limit. As a result of 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, all adults receiving welfare are…

This research brief, from the Families and Work Institute, provides information on how employers can engage low-wage workers to increase job retention. Utilizing a sample of 3,504 workers, researchers found that workers who feel supported and…

From the Urban Institute, this article reviews State tax policy in times of recession. Often times, tax increases carries a higher tax burden for low-income working families. However, low-income families can be protected from increases through…