The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison will host a webinar on November 20, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET to cover the latest research on the dynamics of noncustodial fatherhood involvement and co-parenting. The webinar will also offer strategies for providers to support families more holistically by valuing and engaging mothers and fathers and promoting co-parenting relationships. Speakers include researchers from the Institute for Research on Poverty and the Men’s Health Unit at the City of Milwaukee Health Department who will cover statewide and national trends and programs.

The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison will host a webinar on July 17, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT to discuss the 11th Annual Wisconsin Poverty Report. Report findings will be presented, including why the poverty level in Wisconsin has not changed since the end of the Great Recession despite an overall improvement in the statewide economy.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison provides concrete data on how the opioid crisis has grown in Wisconsin. Identification of the rising number of opioid-related deaths, geography of opioid-related deaths (for urban and rural communities), and the increased number of opioid-related ER visits are presented in reader-friendly graphics.

This Administration for Children and Families blog post from the Office of Child Support Enforcement Commissioner presents examples of how states are taking the lead in testing and implementing child support-led employment services. These projects, funded under the National Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration program, IV-D incentive funds, and waiver authority granted under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act (to support programs in Colorado, Ohio, and Wisconsin), include intensive case management, parenting peer support, and related employment services. A final evaluation report expected in April will demonstrate the positive outcomes of these programs that lead to increased capacity of noncustodial parents to support their children financially.

The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison teamed with the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to present a webinar on March 27, 2019 on current research, as well as outreach and programming field practices that are responsive to fathers’ needs. Presenters included faculty from the University of Wisconsin’s School of Social Work and practitioners from the Indianhead Community Action Agency (serving Northwestern Wisconsin), the Parenting Network of Milwaukee, and the City of Milwaukee Health Department Men’s Health Unit.

This Institute for Research on Poverty study from the University of Wisconsin at Madison examines the dynamics behind transitions in and out of poverty within rural areas. The research proposes that changes to cash and non-cash resources to pay for food, clothing, shelter, and utilities play a larger role in poverty transitions than changes in family composition (for example, changes to the family due to birth, death, divorce, or repartnering).

This policy evaluation from the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison assesses the Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration project. The report covers 18 implementation sites, where half of the 10,161 demonstration project enrollees received enhanced child support services, employment assistance, parenting education delivered in a peer-supported format, and case management. The other half of enrollees were in a control group and did not receive extra services. Report findings suggest that future programs might invest in strong partnerships and communication systems as well as support customer-oriented approaches for enrollees. There are also recommendations on recruiting staff who can manage large caseloads and designing and delivering services to support sustained engagement among program participants.

This fact sheet by the University of Wisconsin’s Institute for Research on Poverty reviews the challenges of low-wage jobs and identifies factors of economic instability; these factors include irregularity in work schedules and monthly income. The fact sheet considers how unpredictability can be a complicating issue for safety net program eligibility and affects the workers’ well-being.