The merits of job training and apprenticeship programs are well known, but certain populations could stand to benefit more from these valuable tools if apprenticeship programs were expanded. Affordable child care and pre-…

In response to several proposed federal changes to safety net program requirements, the Urban Institute developed a Well Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS) and published a report on the status of individual and family health and well-being. The…

It has been 20 years since the U.S. Congress passed welfare reform, and throughout these two decades, Maryland has provided cash assistance to families whose incomes do not meet their basic needs. In this way, the Temporary Cash Assistance program (…

This policy brief from the Working Poor Families Project outlines barriers to accessing child care subsidies, reviews policies that increase access to the subsidy, and provides recommendations states can take to support increased access. As part of…

Senate Resolution 2013-62 (Appendix A) directed the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to consider the effect of major federal and state programs in assisting low-income families to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce the number of families…

The goal of workforce development efforts serving individuals in poverty is to provide them with the skills and credentials they need to increase their earnings in the labor market and advance to self-sufficiency. It is important for workforce…

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released a paper that explores four areas of work-family policy related to low-income working families: unpaid family and medical leave, extended paid parental or family…

Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago hosted a webinar on January 16, 2014 that discussed the nature of self-sufficiency and the ways different systems view economic instability. Speakers also discussed the present challenges and opportunities…

The Wilson Foundation released a report that summarizes findings from the Service and Housing Interventions for Families in Transition (SHIFT) Longitudinal Study. The SHIFT study examined the effectiveness of different housing and service models…

The Urban Institute recently published an article discussing the Work Support Strategies Initiative. Work Support Strategies (WSS) is a multiyear, multi-State initiative to implement reforms that help eligible low-income families get and keep a…