From the Urban Institute, this report is the first in a series on poverty, asset building strategies, and social policy. Researchers review eligibility requirements for TANF, Food Stamps, IDAs, and the EITC on asset holdings for low-educated single mothers and their families.

This newsletter, from the Casey Foundation, provides information on initiatives to promote community engagement. The Plain Talk initiative was designed in the mid-1990s to help educate youth on pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Through many Casey Foundation initiatives, resident engagement strategies have been successful by giving residents a voice in shaping solutions to local challenges and in linking residents together.

In 2006, the number of uninsured Americans rose to 47.0 million, and the number of uninsured children rose to 8.7 million, according to Census data. This policy brief, from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, reviews trends in health insurance and coverage through Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Low-income adults are more likely to be uninsured, as around 25 percent of people with incomes below $25,000 were uninsured in 2006, which is almost triple the rate among people with incomes over $75,000.

This Child Trends Research Brief reviews the neighborhood support index in terms of how neighborhoods can affect children and families. Research has shown that recreation centers in disadvantaged neighborhoods are associated with reductions in crime and violence. Additionally, researchers have found that neighborhood characteristics, such as too few play areas, heavy street traffic, or too many abandoned homes, can have a negative impact for children. Utilizing data from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health, authors construct a Neighborhood Support Index.

Jason Furman, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, gave testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means on implementing fair and equitable tax policies for working families. Because America has experienced a large increase in income inequality in recent decades, Furman reviews findings from research at Brookings on tax policies and the effect that tax policy can have on the economy and families in the United States.

Over 70 percent of mothers are now in the labor force, and supporting parents in the workforce is crucial for both employers and families. Authors from the Urban Institute summarize what has been done for mitigating work-family tensions, such as paid parental/family leave, paid sick leave, workplace flexibility, child care assistance, and links to public programs. In conclusion, authors provide how supports can be expanded to support families.

Mental health-related emergency department visits range from two percent to five percent of all hospital emergency department visits for children and youth. This brief is from the National Center for Children in Poverty and outlines mental health services in emergency rooms for children. Authors provide an overview of the challenges with mental health related emergency room visits and offers recommendations for better serving children and youth in this environment.

Lack of employer-sponsored health insurance can affect the productivity of workers and the health of their families. This paper is from the Urban Institute and offers information on access to employer-sponsored health insurance. By evaluating low-income working families, with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level, the researchers examine patterns of access for health insurance.

Researchers, from the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, conducted this study to explore the use of methamphetamine in Indian country. Professionals from three Western tribal communities completed questions on their perceptions of methamphetamine use and the implications for child abuse in their communities. The findings include significant methamphetamine use in Indian country and the professionals offered the implications that use has on children, women, families, and systems.

The FIELD program is a project through the Aspen Institute to increase awareness and funding for microenterprise for low-income families. While wages are important to economic security, accumulating assets can often help families along the way to self-sufficiency. Microenterprise programs in the United States have offered opportunities to low-income families to build wealth and acquire assets. This guide describes innovative microenterprise programs that support low-income families around the country.