Published through Child Trends, this newsletter includes information from the National Survey of Children’s Health, which provides state-level data on children’s health and wellbeing. Additionally, authors provide information on new data tools and resources on child welfare.

The Department of Mental Health in Massachusetts is committed to preventing homelessness for people with serious mental illness. From the Urban Institute, this report is the beginning of an evaluation of the Homelessness Initiative, and provides an overview of the history of the Initiative for the last 15 years.

This report from the Government Accountability Office reviews how States are preparing youth in foster care for independent living. In 1999, the funding for independent living programs was increased to $140 million. GAO evaluated the funding allocations by State, the services provided, State coordination of programs to provide services, and the Administration for Children and Families' progress in meeting its accountability requirements.

This resource from the Urban Institute provides information on asset building among low-income families. Because welfare benefits and food stamps are means tested, assets and income must fall below set limits for families to qualify. This ensures that benefits go to the most needy families; however, asset limits can also discourage asset building for low-income families. Authors review how assets, such as education, a home, a car, or an individual development account (IDA), can be exempted.

This Bulletin from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reviews the characteristics of low-income households with very low food security in 2005. Food security is used to measure how effective nutrition assistance programs are meeting the needs of the population that these programs are meant to serve. As part of the strategic plan, the USDA seeks to reduce the prevalence of very low food security among low-income families.

From the Urban Institute, this paper reviews the use and quality of care and education that children in low-income families receive. Authors focus on these issues and provide suggestions for better supporting the development of children in low-income families before they enter the public school system. Current public policies are focused on supporting parental work, child development, and the quality of market-based settings, and many policies do not focus on all three of these issues, which are important.

This GAO report reviews leveraging Federal dollars for Federal housing, community, and economic development programs. Leveraging funds can be useful for financing affordable housing and community and economic development programs, but can have limitations.

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 neighborhood on the health, social, and emotional well-being of children. Authors call for a more rigorous evaluation of existing housing programs and outcomes for children.

GAO conducted this study on dental services for children on Medicaid because the 31 million children on Medicaid are particularly vulnerable to tooth decay, which, if untreated, may lead to more serious health conditions. Research looked at the data that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires States to report on the provision of dental services. Children on Medicaid should have access to services to treat dental disease, as these services are critical for ensuring that children and adolescents are healthy and prepared to learn.

Thirty-five million Americans face hunger every day, and this study shows the economic costs that hunger has on the population as a whole. This research, from Harvard, Brandeis, and Loyola Universities, shows that Americans pay $90 billion per year for hunger issues in our country. Increasing funding for food stamps and nutrition programs could alleviate hunger in our country, while decreasing the financial burden.