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Glasner B, Jiménez-Solomon O, Collyer SM, Garfinkel I, Wimer CT. No Evidence The Child Tax Credit Expansion Had An Effect On The Well-Being And Mental Health Of Parents. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:1607-1615. [DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Curran MA, Garfinkel I, Wimer C. The Evolution and Impact of Federal Antipoverty Programs for Children. Acad Pediatr 2021; 21:S140-S145. [PMID: 34740421 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite our wealth, child poverty in the United States remains too high. The social safety net prevents and mitigates poverty for millions of children each year and evidence demonstrates long-term positive effects for recipients. But absent a commitment to universalism, our public investments in children produce uneven - and often inequitable - results. Our current system is heavily means-tested and work-conditioned. Though heavily targeted, it varies widely in adequacy and coverage by location and across population groups and it fails to serve all children in need. This article describes the evolution of the US social safety net for children over the last century. It traces the early 20th century origins of the contemporary system and the changes it saw through the mid-century's War on Poverty expansions and late 20th century's welfare reforms. Focusing specifically on federal cash and near-cash programs, it discusses key facets and principles of the current social safety net structure, its impact on children's health and economic well-being, remaining gaps, and promising advances for the future. Temporary improvements to the social safety net enacted as part of the pandemic response indicate important ways in which our public supports can reach more families, more consistently, moving forward. To reduce child poverty, one of the most promising approaches is to enact a national child allowance in the United States. Converting the existing Child Tax Credit into a universal child allowance, making it more generous, and delivering it to families on a regular basis throughout the year can accomplish this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A Curran
- Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University School of Social Work (MA Curran, C Wimer), New York, NY.
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Mitchell I. Ginsburg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems (I Garfinkel), Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY
| | - Christopher Wimer
- Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University School of Social Work (MA Curran, C Wimer), New York, NY
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Pac J, Garfinkel I, Kaushal N, Nam J, Nolan L, Waldfogel J, Wimer C. Reducing poverty among children: Evidence from state policy simulations. Child Youth Serv Rev 2020; 115:105030. [PMID: 32362701 PMCID: PMC7194072 DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
State approaches to reducing child poverty vary considerably. We exploit this state-level variation to estimate what could be achieved in terms of child poverty if all states adopted the most generous or inclusive states' policies. Specifically, we simulate the child poverty reductions that would occur if every state were as generous or inclusive as the most generous or inclusive state in four key policies: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and state Child Tax Credits (CTC). We find that adopting the most generous or inclusive state EITC policy would have the largest impact on child poverty, reducing it by 1.2 percentage points, followed by SNAP, TANF, and lastly state CTC. If all states were as generous or inclusive as the most generous or inclusive state in all four policies, the child poverty rate would decrease by 2.5 percentage points, and five and a half million children would be lifted out of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pac
- University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work, 1350 University Ave. Ste. 314, Madison, WI 53711, United States
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Neeraj Kaushal
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Jaehyun Nam
- Pusan National University, Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, South Korea
| | - Laura Nolan
- Mathematica Policy Research, 505 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612, United States
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10027, United States
| | - Christopher Wimer
- Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, United States
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Wimer C, Nam J, Garfinkel I, Kaushal N, Waldfogel J, Fox L. Young adult poverty in historical perspective: The role of policy supports and early labor market experiences. Soc Sci Res 2020; 86:102390. [PMID: 32056573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2019.102390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent research using an improved measure of poverty finds that poverty has fallen by nearly forty percent since the 1960s in the United States. But past research has not examined whether this finding holds across detailed demographic groups who might be more or less vulnerable to poverty. This paper helps fill that gap, focusing on one such vulnerable subgroup: young adults. Using the Current Population Survey, this paper examines long-term trends in young adult poverty in comparison to other groups. In contrast to almost all other groups, young adults have seen no decrease in poverty since the 1960s. We explore potential reasons for this fact, finding that young adults lack access to benefits from government programs, and are increasingly unmarried, living alone, and disconnected from the labor market, factors that leave young adults more vulnerable than other groups to poverty. The findings have implications for how antipoverty policies might assist this vulnerable group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Wimer
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - JaeHyun Nam
- Department of Social Welfare at Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, 46241, South Korea.
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Neeraj Kaushal
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| | - Liana Fox
- U.S. Census of Bureau, 4918 St Elmo Ave #413, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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Massey DS, Wagner B, Donnelly L, McLanahan S, Brooks-Gunn J, Garfinkel I, Mitchell C, Notterman DA. Neighborhood Disadvantage and Telomere Length: Results from the Fragile Families Study. RSF 2018; 4:28-42. [PMID: 30019006 PMCID: PMC6046089 DOI: 10.7758/rsf.2018.4.4.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences located at the ends of chromosomes that protect genetic material. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to analyze the relationship between exposure to spatially concentrated disadvantage and telomere length for white and black mothers. We find that neighborhood disadvantage is associated with shorter telomere length for mothers of both races. This finding highlights a potential mechanism through which the unique spatially concentrated disadvantage faced by African Americans contributes to racial health disparities. We conclude that equalizing the health and socioeconomic status of black and white Americans will be very difficult without reducing levels of residential segregation in the United States.
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Donnelly L, McLanahan S, Brooks-Gunn J, Garfinkel I, Wagner BG, Jacobsen WC, Gold S, Gaydosh L. Cohesive Neighborhoods Where Social Expectations Are Shared May Have Positive Impact On Adolescent Mental Health. Health Aff (Millwood) 2018; 35:2083-2091. [PMID: 27834250 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent mental health problems are associated with poor health and well-being in adulthood. We used data from a cohort of 2,264 children born in large US cities in 1998-2000 to examine whether neighborhood collective efficacy (a combination of social cohesion and control) is associated with improvements in adolescent mental health. We found that children who grew up in neighborhoods with high collective efficacy experienced fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms during adolescence than similar children from neighborhoods with low collective efficacy. The magnitude of this neighborhood effect is comparable to the protective effects of depression prevention programs aimed at general or at-risk adolescent populations. Our findings did not vary by family or neighborhood income, which indicates that neighborhood collective efficacy supports adolescent mental health across diverse populations and urban settings. We recommend a greater emphasis on neighborhood environments in individual mental health risk assessments and greater investment in community-based initiatives that strengthen neighborhood social cohesion and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Donnelly
- Louis Donnelly is a postdoctoral research associate in the Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child Wellbeing at Princeton University, in New Jersey
| | - Sara McLanahan
- Sara McLanahan is a professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University
| | - Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
- Jeanne Brooks-Gunn is a professor of child development at Teachers College and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, in New York City
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Irwin Garfinkel is a professor of contemporary urban problems at the School of Social Work, Columbia University
| | - Brandon G Wagner
- Brandon G. Wagner is an assistant professor of sociology at Texas Tech University, in Lubbock
| | - Wade C Jacobsen
- Wade C. Jacobsen is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Pennsylvania State University, in University Park
| | - Sarah Gold
- Sarah Gold is a doctoral candidate in social work at the School of Social Work at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Lauren Gaydosh
- Lauren Gaydosh is a postdoctoral scholar at the Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Abstract
This paper examines the association between the Great Recession and real assets among families with young children. Real assets such as homes and cars are key indicators of economic well-being that may be especially valuable to low-income families. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,898), we investigate the association between the city unemployment rate and home and car ownership and how the relationship varies by family structure (married, cohabiting, and single parents) and by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic mothers). Using mother fixed-effects models, we find that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a -0.5 percentage point decline in the probability of home ownership and a -0.7 percentage point decline in the probability of car ownership. We also find that the recession was associated with lower levels of home ownership for cohabiting families and for Hispanic families, as well as lower car ownership among single mothers and among Black mothers, whereas no change was observed among married families or White households. Considering that homes and cars are the most important assets among middle and low-income households in the U.S., these results suggest that the rise in the unemployment rate during the Great Recession may have increased household asset inequality across family structures and race/ethnicities, limiting economic mobility, and exacerbating the cycle of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Duque
- Population Studies Center and Department of Economics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Natasha V. Pilkauskas
- Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
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Shaefer HL, Collyer S, Duncan G, Edin K, Garfinkel I, Harris D, Smeeding TM, Waldfogel J, Wimer C, Yoshikawa H. A Universal Child Allowance: A Plan to Reduce Poverty and Income Instability Among Children in the United States. RSF 2018; 4:22-42. [PMID: 30246143 PMCID: PMC6145823 DOI: 10.7758/rsf.2018.4.2.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
To reduce child poverty and income instability, and eliminate extreme poverty among families with children in the United States, we propose converting the Child Tax Credit and child tax exemption into a universal, monthly child allowance. Our proposal is based on principles we argue should undergird the design of such policies: universality, accessibility, adequate payment levels, and more generous support for young children. Whether benefits should decline with additional children to reflect economies of scale is a question policymakers should consider. Analyzing 2015 Current Population Survey data, we estimate our proposed child allowance would reduce child poverty by about 40 percent, deep child poverty by nearly half, and would effectively eliminate extreme child poverty. Annual net cost estimates range from $66 billion to $105 billion.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Luke Shaefer
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Sophie Collyer
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Greg Duncan
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Kathryn Edin
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - David Harris
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Timothy M Smeeding
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Christopher Wimer
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
| | - Hirokazu Yoshikawa
- is associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. is a research analyst at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is distinguished professor in the School of Education at University of California, Irvine. is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Zanvyl Krieger School and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. is Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and interim dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work. is president of Children's Research and Education Institute and an associate of the Columbia Population Research Center. is Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. is Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work. is co-director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at the Columbia University School of Social Work. is Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education and professor at New York University
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Wang JSH, Ssewamala FM, Neilands TB, Bermudez LG, Garfinkel I, Waldfogel J, Brooks-Gunn J, You J. Effects of Financial Incentives on Saving Outcomes and Material Well-Being: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial in Uganda. J Policy Anal Manage 2018; 37:602-629. [PMID: 30122799 PMCID: PMC6092028 DOI: 10.1002/pam.22065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The use of savings products to promote financial inclusion has increasingly become a policy priority across sub-Saharan Africa, yet little is known about how families respond to varying levels of savings incentives and whether the promotion of incentivized savings in low-resource settings may encourage households to restrict expenditures on basic needs. Using data from a randomized controlled trial in Uganda, we examine: 1) whether low-income households enrolled in an economic-empowerment intervention consisting of matched savings, workshops, and mentorship reduced spending on basic needs and 2) how varied levels of matching contributions affected household savings and consumption behavior. We compared primary school-attending AIDS-affected children (N = 1,383) randomized to a control condition with two intervention arms with differing savings-match incentives: 1:1 (Bridges) and 1:2 (Bridges PLUS). We found that: 1) 24 months post-intervention initiation, children in Bridges and Bridges PLUS were more likely to have accumulated savings than children in the control condition; 2) higher match incentives (Bridges PLUS) led to higher deposit frequency but not higher savings in the bank; 3) intervention participation did not result in material hardship; and 4) in both intervention arms, participating families were more likely to start a family business and diversify their assets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Shu-Huah Wang
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong, Room 519, Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
| | - Fred M Ssewamala
- William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor at the Brown School at Washington University, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, Office #235, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Torsten B Neilands
- Professor in the Department of Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine, 550 16th. Street, San Francisco CA 94158
| | - Laura Gauer Bermudez
- Doctoral Candidate at Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027-5927
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems at Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027-5927
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- Professor of Social Work & Public Affairs at Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027-5927
| | - Jeannie Brooks-Gunn
- Virginia & Leonard Marx Professor of Child Development & Education at Teachers College and a Professor of Pediatrics at the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University, 525 West 120th St. New York, NY 10027
| | - Jing You
- Associate Professor at the China Anti-Poverty Research Institute, School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University of China, 59 Zhongguancun Street, Beijing 100872, China
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10
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Ssewamala FM, Wang JSH, Neilands TB, Bermudez LG, Garfinkel I, Waldfogel J, Brooks-Gunn J, Kirkbride G. Cost-Effectiveness of a Savings-Led Economic Empowerment Intervention for AIDS-Affected Adolescents in Uganda: Implications for Scale-up in Low-Resource Communities. J Adolesc Health 2018; 62:S29-S36. [PMID: 29273115 PMCID: PMC5744872 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Nearly 12 million children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Within sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda has been greatly impacted, with an estimated 1.2 million orphaned children, nearly half of which have experienced parental loss due to the epidemic. Cost-effective and scalable interventions are needed to improve developmental outcomes for these children, most of whom are growing up in poverty. This article examines the direct impacts and cost-effectiveness of a savings-led family economic empowerment intervention, Bridges to the Future, that employed varying matched savings incentives to encourage investment in Ugandan children orphaned by AIDS. METHODS Using data from 48 primary schools in southwestern Uganda, we calculate per-person costs in each of the two treatment arms-Bridges (1:1 match savings) versus Bridges PLUS (1:2 match savings); estimate program effectiveness across outcomes of interest; and provide the ratios of per-person costs to their corresponding effectiveness. RESULTS At the 24-month postintervention initiation, children in the two treatment arms showed better results in health, mental health, and education when compared to the usual care condition; however, no statistically significant differences were found between treatment arms with the exception of school attendance rates which were higher for those in Bridges PLUS. Owing to the minimal cost difference between the Bridges and Bridges PLUS arms, we did not find substantial cost-effectiveness differences across the two treatment arms. CONCLUSION After 24 months, an economic intervention that incorporated matched savings yielded positive results on critical development outcomes for adolescents orphaned by AIDS in Uganda. The 1:1 and 1:2 match rates did not demonstrate variable levels of cost-effectiveness at 24-month follow-up, suggesting that governments intending to incorporate savings-led interventions within their social protection frameworks may not need to select a higher match rate to see positive developmental outcomes in the short term. Further research is required to understand intervention impacts and cost-effectiveness after a longer follow-up period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred M Ssewamala
- George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | - Julia Shu-Huah Wang
- Department of Social Work & Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Torsten B Neilands
- School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Irwin Garfinkel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
- Teachers College and the College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
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11
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Wimer C, Fox L, Garfinkel I, Kaushal N, Waldfogel J. Progress on Poverty? New Estimates of Historical Trends Using an Anchored Supplemental Poverty Measure. Demography 2016; 53:1207-18. [PMID: 27352076 DOI: 10.1007/s13524-016-0485-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
This study examines historical trends in poverty using an anchored version of the U.S. Census Bureau's recently developed Research Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) estimated back to 1967. Although the SPM is estimated each year using a quasi-relative poverty threshold that varies over time with changes in families' expenditures on a core basket of goods and services, this study explores trends in poverty using an absolute, or anchored, SPM threshold. We believe the anchored measure offers two advantages. First, setting the threshold at the SPM's 2012 levels and estimating it back to 1967, adjusted only for changes in prices, is more directly comparable to the approach taken in official poverty statistics. Second, it allows for a better accounting of the roles that social policy, the labor market, and changing demographics play in trends in poverty rates over time, given that changes in the threshold are held constant. Results indicate that unlike official statistics that have shown poverty rates to be fairly flat since the 1960s, poverty rates have dropped by 40 % when measured using a historical anchored SPM over the same period. Results obtained from comparing poverty rates using a pretax/pretransfer measure of resources versus a post-tax/post-transfer measure of resources further show that government policies, not market incomes, are driving the declines observed over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Wimer
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| | - Liana Fox
- Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, 55 Wheeler Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138-1168, USA
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Neeraj Kaushal
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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12
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Abstract
We present new estimates of unwed fathers' ability to pay child support. Prior research relied on surveys that drastically undercounted nonresident unwed fathers and provided no link to their children who lived in separate households. To overcome these limitations, previous research assumed assortative mating and that each mother partnered with one father who was actually eligible to pay support and had no other child support obligations. Because the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study contains data on couples, multiple-partner fertility, and a rich array of other previously unmeasured characteristics of fathers, it is uniquely suited to address the limitations of previous research. We also use an improved method of dealing with missing data. Our findings suggest that previous research overestimated the aggregate ability of unwed nonresident fathers to pay child support by 33% to 60%.
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13
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Abstract
We use longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study to investigate the impacts of the Great Recession on the health of mothers. We focus on a wide range of physical and mental health outcomes, as well as health behaviors. We find that increases in the unemployment rate decrease self-reported health status and increase smoking and drug use. We also find evidence of heterogeneous impacts. Disadvantaged mothers-African-American, Hispanic, less educated, and unmarried-experience greater deterioration in their health than advantaged mothers-those who are white, married, and college educated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Currie
- Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Director of the Center for Health and Well-Being, Princeton University 316 Wallace Hall Princeton, NJ 08544 and NBER
| | - Valentina Duque
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York City, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, NY 10027
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems, Co-director of the Columbia Population Research Center, School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York City, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, NY 10027
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14
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Abstract
The proportion of children born out of wedlock is now over 40 percent. At birth, about half of these parents are co-habiting. This paper examines data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study (N = 4,271) to describe for the first time the role of welfare state benefits in the economic lives of married, cohabiting, and single parent families with young children. Surprisingly, total welfare state benefits received by the three family types are relatively similar. Nearly half of the full incomes of fragile families come from welfare state transfers. For single parent families the proportion is slightly more than two thirds. Though aggregate welfare state transfers are approximately equal across family type and thus change very little as marital status changes, these transfers and the taxes required to finance them cushion family status changes and substantially narrow the gap in full income between married and fragile families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irwin Garfinkel
- Columbia University, School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York City, NY 10027, USA
| | - Afshin Zilanawala
- University College London, Epidemiology and Public Health, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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15
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Abstract
"Doubling up" (living with relatives or nonkin) is a common source of support for low-income families, yet no study to date has estimated its economic value relative to other types of public and private support. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we examine the prevalence and economic value of doubling up among families with young children living in large American cities. We find that doubling up is a very important part of the private safety net in the first few years of a child's life, with nearly 50 % of mothers reporting at least one instance of doubling up by the time their child is 9 years old. The estimated rental savings from doubling up is significant and comparable in magnitude to other public and private transfers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha V Pilkauskas
- Columbia Population Research Center, Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA,
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16
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Mitchell C, McLanahan S, Hobcraft J, Brooks-Gunn J, Garfinkel I, Notterman D. Family structure instability, genetic sensitivity, and child well-being. AJS 2015; 120:1195-225. [PMID: 26046228 PMCID: PMC5033051 DOI: 10.1086/680681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The association between family structure instability and children's life chances is well documented, with children reared in stable, two-parent families experiencing more favorable outcomes than children in other family arrangements. This study examines father household entrances and exits, distinguishing between the entrance of a biological father and a social father and testing for interactions between family structure instability and children's age, gender, and genetic characteristics. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and focusing on changes in family structure by age (years 0-9), the authors show that father exits are associated with increases in children's antisocial behavior, a strong predictor of health and well-being in adulthood. The pattern for father entrances is more complicated, with entrances for the biological father being associated with lower antisocial behavior among boys and social father entrances being associated with higher antisocial behavior. Child's age does not moderate the association; however, genetic information in the models sharpens the findings substantially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colter Mitchell
- Survey Research Center and the Population Studies Center, University of Michigan
| | - Sara McLanahan
- Center for Research on Child Wellbeing and Office of Population Research, Princeton
| | - John Hobcraft
- Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of York
| | - Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
- Teachers College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
| | | | - Daniel Notterman
- College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University
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17
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Fox LE, Wimer C, Garfinkel I, Kaushal N, Waldfogel J. Waging War on Poverty: Poverty Trends Using a Historical Supplemental Poverty Measure. J Policy Anal Manage 2015; 34:567-592. [PMID: 26347369 PMCID: PMC4559281 DOI: 10.1002/pam.21833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Using data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey and the March Current Population Survey, we provide poverty estimates for 1967 to 2012 based on a historical Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). During this period, poverty, as officially measured, has stagnated. However, the official poverty measure (OPM) does not account for the effect of near-cash transfers on the financial resources available to families, an important omission since such transfers have become an increasingly important part of government anti-poverty policy. Applying the historical SPM, which does count such transfers, we find that trends in poverty have been more favorable than the OPM suggests and that government policies have played an important and growing role in reducing poverty-a role that is not evident when the OPM is used to assess poverty. We also find that government programs have played a particularly important role in alleviating child poverty and deep poverty, especially during economic downturns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana E Fox
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Day , , , Address: Sveavägen 164D, Stockholm, Sweden 11346
| | - Christopher Wimer
- Research Scientist and Co-Director, Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia School of Social Work, Day , , , Address: 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, Room 735, New York, NY 10027
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and Co-Director, Columbia Population Research Center, Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia School of Social Work, Day , , , Address: 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, Room 714, New York, NY 10027
| | - Neeraj Kaushal
- Associate Professor, Columbia School of Social Work, Day , , , Address: 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, Room 917, New York, NY 10027
| | - Jane Waldfogel
- Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children's and Youth Problems, Columbia School of Social Work, Day , , , Address: 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, Room 729, New York, NY 10027
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18
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Gottlieb A, Pilkauskas N, Garfinkel I. Private Financial Transfers, Family Income, and the Great Recession. J Marriage Fam 2014; 76:1011-1024. [PMID: 25505802 PMCID: PMC4259095 DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,701; 1998-2010), the authors studied whether the unemployment rate was associated with private financial transfers (PFTs) among urban families with young children and whether family income moderated these associations. They found that an increase in the unemployment rate was associated with greater PFT receipt and that family income moderated the association. Poor and near-poor mothers experienced increases in PFT receipt when unemployment rates were high, whereas mothers with incomes between 2 and 3 times the poverty threshold experienced decreases. Simulations estimating the impact of the Great Recession suggest that moving from 5% to 10% unemployment is associated with a 9-percentage-point increase in the predicted probability of receiving a PFT for the sample as a whole, with greater increases in predicted probabilities among poor and near poor mothers.
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Mitchell C, Hobcraft J, McLanahan SS, Siegel SR, Berg A, Brooks-Gunn J, Garfinkel I, Notterman D. Social disadvantage, genetic sensitivity, and children's telomere length. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014. [PMID: 24711381 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.140429311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Disadvantaged social environments are associated with adverse health outcomes. This has been attributed, in part, to chronic stress. Telomere length (TL) has been used as a biomarker of chronic stress: TL is shorter in adults in a variety of contexts, including disadvantaged social standing and depression. We use data from 40, 9-y-old boys participating in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to extend this observation to African American children. We report that exposure to disadvantaged environments is associated with reduced TL by age 9 y. We document significant associations between low income, low maternal education, unstable family structure, and harsh parenting and TL. These effects were moderated by genetic variants in serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways. Consistent with the differential susceptibility hypothesis, subjects with the highest genetic sensitivity scores had the shortest TL when exposed to disadvantaged social environments and the longest TL when exposed to advantaged environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colter Mitchell
- Survey Research Center and Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
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21
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Mitchell C, McLanahan S, Brooks-Gunn J, Garfinkel I, Hobcraft J, Notterman D. Genetic differential sensitivity to social environments: implications for research. Am J Public Health 2013; 103 Suppl 1:S102-10. [PMID: 23927507 PMCID: PMC4012542 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2013.301382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Researchers have proposed a genetic differential sensitivity to social environmental (GDSE) model positing that individuals with certain genetic makeups are more sensitive to favorable and unfavorable environmental influences than those without these genetic makeups. We discuss several issues facing researchers who want to use GDSE to examine health: (1) the need for greater theorizing about the social environment to properly understand the size and direction of environmental influences; (2) the potential for combining multiple genetic markers to measure an individual's genetic sensitivity to environmental influence; (3) how this model and exogenous shocks deal with gene-environment correlations; (4) implications of this model for public health and prevention; and (5) how life course and developmental theories may be used to inform GDSE research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colter Mitchell
- Colter Mitchell is with the Survey Research Center and Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Sara McLanahan is with the Department of Sociology and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. Jeanne Brooks-Gunn is with the Teachers College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY. Irwin Garfinkel is with the School of Social Work, Columbia University. John Hobcraft is with the Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of York, York, UK. Daniel Notterman is with the Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University and Penn State College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey
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22
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Abstract
Economic downturns lead to lost income and increased poverty. Although high unemployment almost certainly also increases material hardship, and government transfers likely decrease hardship, the first relationship has not yet been documented and the second is poorly understood. We use data from five waves of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study to study the relationships between unemployment, government transfers, and material hardship. The latest wave of data was collected during the Great Recession, the worst recession since the Great Depression, providing a unique opportunity to look at how high unemployment rates affect the well-being of low income families. We find that the unemployment rate is associated with increased overall material hardship, difficulty paying bills, having utilities disconnected, and with increased usage of TANF, SNAP, UI and Medicaid. If not for SNAP, food hardship might have increased by twice the amount actually observed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet Currie
- Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Health and Well-being at Princeton University
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Mitchell I. Ginsberg Professor of Contemporary Urban Problems and co-director of the Columbia Population Research Center, in the School of Social Work at Columbia University
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23
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Abstract
High U.S. incarceration rates have motivated recent research on the negative effects of imprisonment on later employment, earnings, and family relationships. Because most men in jail and prison are fathers, a large number of children may be placed at considerable risk by policies of incarceration. This article examines one dimension of the economic risk faced by children of incarcerated fathers: the reduction in the financial support that they receive. We use a population-based sample of urban children to examine the effects of incarceration on this support. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal regressions indicate that formerly incarcerated men are less likely to contribute to their families, and those who do contribute provide significantly less. The negative effects of incarceration on fathers' financial support are due not only to the low earnings of formerly incarcerated men but also to their increased likelihood to live apart from their children. Men contribute far less through child support (formal or informal) than they do when they share their earnings within their household, suggesting that the destabilizing effects of incarceration on family relationships place children at significant economic disadvantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Geller
- Schools of Social Work and Law, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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24
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Esping-Andersen G, Garfinkel I, Han WJ, Magnuson K, Wagner S, Waldfogel J. Child Care and School Performance in Denmark and the United States. Child Youth Serv Rev 2012; 34:576-589. [PMID: 24163491 PMCID: PMC3806146 DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Child care and early education policies may not only raise average achievement but may also be of special benefit for less advantaged children, in particular if programs are high quality. We test whether high quality child care is equalizing using rich longitudinal data from two comparison countries, Denmark and the United States. In Denmark, we find that enrollment in high-quality formal care at age 3 is associated with higher cognitive scores at age 11. Moreover, the findings suggest stronger effects for the lowest-income children and for children at the bottom of the test score distribution. In the US case, results are different. We find that enrollment in school or center based care is associated with higher cognitive scores at school entry, but the beneficial effects erode by age 11, particularly for disadvantaged children. Thus, the US results do not point to larger and more lasting effects for disadvantaged children. This may be because low income children attend poorer quality care and subsequently attend lower quality schools.
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25
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Abstract
High rates of incarceration among American men, coupled with a high prevalence of fatherhood among the incarcerated, have led to millions of children and families whose fathers are, or have been, in the nation's jails and prisons. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Survey to estimate the extent to which paternal incarceration increases family material hardship. Analyses from a series of longitudinal regression models suggest that material hardship is statistically significant and positively associated with paternal incarceration. These hardships are found to reflect not only a reduction in fathers' income and financial contributions but also an increase in financial and other family strains. The findings underscore the challenges facing families with incarcerated fathers. They also emphasize the need for efforts by criminal justice agencies and social service providers to help mitigate the risks associated with paternal incarceration.
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26
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Abstract
Children in single-parent families, particularly children born to unmarried parents, are at high risk for experiencing material hardship. Previous research based on cross-sectional data suggests that father involvement, especially visitation, diminishes hardship. This article uses longitudinal data to examine the associations between nonresident fathers' involvement with their children and material hardship in the children's households. Results suggest that fathers' formal and informal child support payments and contact with their children independently reduce the number of hardships in the mothers' households; however, only the impact of fathers' contact with children is robust in models that include lagged dependent variables or individual fixed effects. Furthermore, cross-lagged models suggest that material hardship decreases future father involvement, but future hardship is not diminished by father involvement (except in-kind contributions). These results point to the complexity of these associations and to the need for future research to focus on heterogeneity of effects within the population.
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27
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Abstract
This study estimates 2007 national poverty rates using an approach largely conceptualized by a 1995 National Academy of Sciences panel and similar to the supplemental poverty measure that will soon be produced by the U.S. Census Bureau. The study uses poverty thresholds based on expenditures for shelter, food, clothing, and utilities, as well as a measure of family income that includes earnings, cash transfers, near-cash benefits, tax credits, and tax payments. The measure also accounts for child care, work, and out-of-pocket medical expenses; variation in regional cost of living; and mortgage-free homeownership. Under this method, the rate of poverty is estimated to be higher than the rate calculated in the traditional manner, rising from 12.4 percent in the official measure to 16 percent in the new measure; the rate of child poverty is more than 3 percentage points higher, and elderly poverty is nearly 7 points higher.
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28
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Abstract
This study examines the total package of child support that mothers receive from the nonresident fathers of their children, by focusing on three components of total support: formal cash, informal cash, and in-kind support. Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this article considers how contributions change over time and the effects of child support enforcement on these contributions. Findings suggest that total cash support received drops precipitously over the first 15 months of living apart (as informal support drops off) and then increases slightly after 45 months (as the increase in formal support overtakes the decrease in informal support). While the study finds no effect of enforcement on total support received in the first 5 years after a nonmarital birth, the substantial differences in total cash support received by the length of time that parents have not been cohabiting suggest that strong enforcement may be efficacious over time.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Using a population-based, longitudinal family survey (N=4,898), we identify economic, residential, and developmental risks particular to the children of incarcerated parents. METHODS: We use parental reports of incarceration history, demographic background, and a rich set of child and family outcomes, in a series of multivariate regression models. RESULTS: Children of incarcerated parents face more economic and residential instability than their counterparts. Sons of incarcerated fathers display more behavior problems, though other developmental differences are insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: We find that incarceration identifies families facing severe hardship, which cannot be explained by other observed family characteristics. Given the prevalence of incarceration, our findings suggest that a large population of children suffers unmet material needs, residential instability, and behavior problems. These risks may be best addressed by using the point of incarceration as an opportunity for intervention and the administration of age-appropriate social services.
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30
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Abstract
We investigate the widely held premise that welfare participation causes women to refrain from marriage. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study (N = 3,219), we employ an event history approach to study transitions to marriage among mothers who have had a non-marital birth. We find that welfare participation reduces the likelihood of transitioning to marriage (hazard ratio is .67, p < .01), but only while the mother is receiving benefits. Once the mother leaves welfare, past receipt has little effect on marriage. We infer that the negative association between welfare participation and subsequent marriage reflects temporary economic disincentives rather than an erosion of values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien O. Teitler
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 ()
| | - Nancy E. Reichman
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 97 Paterson St., Room 435, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 ()
| | - Lenna Nepomnyaschy
- School of Social Work Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 536 George St., Room 205, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 ()
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 ()
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31
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32
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Garfinkel I, Miller C, McLanahan SS, Hanson TL. Deadbeat dads or inept states? A comparison of child support enforcement systems. Eval Rev 1998; 22:717-750. [PMID: 10345196 DOI: 10.1177/0193841x9802200602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
This article provides information on the effectiveness of state child support enforcement systems. We use individual level data from the Child Support Supplements of the Current Population Surveys (1978-1992) to create an index of state effectiveness that captures success at securing child support awards, setting award levels, and collecting obligations. We identify states that were performing above or below the national average in the late 1980s to early 1990s and states that showed substantial improvement or decline in child support effectiveness during the 1980s. Identifying successful states will help researchers to determine what policies and practices are associated with successful enforcement. These variations in state effectiveness also suggest that low levels of child support are not due to deadbeat dads alone but also to inept states.
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33
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Kim RY, Garfinkel I, Meyer DR. Is the whole greater than the sum of the parts? Interaction effects of three non-income-tested transfers for families with children. Soc Work Res 1996; 20:274-285. [PMID: 10162569 DOI: 10.1093/swr/20.4.274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R Y Kim
- College of Social Work, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA.
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34
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Abstract
Abstract
This paper examines trends in child support award rates, award amounts, and receipts, We investigate four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the downward trend in these outcomes during the 1980s: (1) changes in the demographic composition of the population eligible for child support, (2) increases in mothers/ income, (3) decreases in fathers’ income, and (4) inflation. Our results indicate that trends in nonmarital fertility can explain much of the decline in award rates. The steady downward trend in fathers’ incomes during the 1980s also explains a considerable portion of the decline in award rates, award amounts, and receipts. Our results are also consistent with the notion that persistent money illusion is responsible for the decline in real child support awards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L. Hanson
- Department of Child and Family Studies, College for Human Development, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- The Columbia University School of Social Work, Columbia University
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35
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Hanson TL, Garfinkel I, McLanahan SS, Miller CK. Trends in child support outcomes. Demography 1996; 33:483-96. [PMID: 8939420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines trends in child support award rates, award amounts, and receipts. We investigate four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the downward trend in these outcomes during the 1980s: (1) changes in the demographic composition of the population eligible for child support, (2) increases in mothers' income, (3) decreases in fathers' income, and (4) inflation. Our results indicate that trends in nonmarital fertility can explain much of the decline in award rates. The steady downward trend in fathers' incomes during the 1980s also explains a considerable portion of the decline in award rates, award amounts, and receipts. Our results are also consistent with the notion that persistent money illusion is responsible for the decline in real child support awards.
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Affiliation(s)
- T L Hanson
- Department of Child and Family Studies, College for Human Development, Syracuse University, NY 13244, USA.
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36
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Garfinkel I, Mclanahan SS. [Children in single-mother families: economic insecurity and policy dilemmas]. Cah Que Demogr 1994; 23:179-206. [PMID: 12291395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
"In the absence of government assistance, most mother-only families would be poor and economically insecure.... Government can reduce economic insecurity, but doing so will increase dependence on government....This creates a major dilemma for policy makers: whether to give priority to reducing economic insecurity or whether to give priority to reducing dependence and prevalence. In this paper we address key questions relevant to the dilemma: the extent of insecurity, dependence, and prevalence; the role of government in producing and maintaining all three; and the experience of single mothers and their children in the United States as compared to those in other advanced industrial nations.... Evidence from both international comparisons and American experience during the past 20 years indicates that a further reduction in welfare benefits will increase poverty and insecurity. Furthermore, the beneficial effects on dependence and prevalence are not likely to be great." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND SPA)
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Garfinkel I, Melli MS, Robertson JG. Child support orders: a perspective on reform. Future Child 1994; 4:84-100. [PMID: 7922287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a brief historical account of child support reform in the United States during this century. Reform in this area primarily reflects a shift from judicial discretion to administrative regularity. The two predominant types of child support guidelines in use today, income shares and percentage of income, are described and compared. The authors then present information on some of the current issues with regard to child support guideline reform. Finally, a Child Support Assurance system, which would provide a publicly guaranteed minimum benefit award to custodial parents under special circumstances, is proposed. Further discussion of child support reform is presented in the Overview and Analysis section of this journal issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Garfinkel
- School of Social Work, University of Columbia
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38
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Abstract
Abstract
This study examines the changes over time in the personal incomes of nonresident fathers—whether divorced or nonmarital—in Wisconsin. Using data from the Wisconsin Court Record data base and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the authors examine the incomes of these fathers over the first seven years following a divorce or the initiation of a paternity suit. They also study separately the income patterns of initially poor nonresident fathers and fathers whose nonresident children receive welfare. The most important finding is that the incomes of nonmarital fathers, which typically are low in the beginning, increase dramatically over the years after paternity establishment—often to a level comparable with the incomes of divorced fathers. On the basis of their findings, the authors conclude that failing to establish child support obligations for nonresident fathers simply because their incomes are initially low does not appear justified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Phillips
- School of Social Work and Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- School of Social Work, Columbia University and Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Phillips E, Garfinkel I. Income growth among nonresident fathers: evidence from Wisconsin. Demography 1993; 30:227-41. [PMID: 8500638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the changes over time in the personal incomes of nonresident fathers--whether divorced or nonmarital--in Wisconsin. Using data from the Wisconsin Court Record data base and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the authors examine the incomes of these fathers over the first seven years following a divorce or the initiation of a paternity suit. They also study separately the income patterns of initially poor nonresident fathers and fathers whose nonresident children receive welfare. The most important finding is that the incomes of nonmarital fathers, which typically are low in the beginning, increase dramatically over the years after paternity establishment--often to a level comparable with the incomes of divorced fathers. On the basis of their findings, the authors conclude that failing to establish child support obligations for nonresident fathers simply because their incomes are initially low does not appear justified.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Phillips
- School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706
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40
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Abstract
Abstract
In recent decades, the number of families headed by women has increased dramatically. In this article, we use U.S. census data from 1950 to 1980 to consider the extent to which population growth, fertility change, decreased marriage, increased divorce, and increased household headship have contributed to the growth of femaleheaded families. For white women, the major source of growth during the 1960s and 1970s was an increase in the number of formerly married mothers due to increased divorce and decreased remarriage. There is a similar pattern for black women for the 1960–1970 period. During the 1970–1980 decade, however, the major source of growth for black women was an increase in the number of never-married mothers due to decreased marriage and increased fertility among nonmarried women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger A. Wojtkiewicz
- Department of Sociology and Center for Life Course and Population Studies, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-5411
| | - Sara S. McLanahan
- Department of Sociology and Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Irwin Garfinkel
- School of Social Work and Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
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Wojtkiewicz RA, McLanahan SS, Garfinkel I. The growth of families headed by women: 1950-1980. Demography 1990; 27:19-30. [PMID: 2303139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, the number of families headed by women has increased dramatically. In this article, we use U.S. census data from 1950 to 1980 to consider the extent to which population growth, fertility change, decreased marriage, increased divorce, and increased household headship have contributed to the growth of female-headed families. For white women, the major source of growth during the 1960s and 1970s was an increase in the number of formerly married mothers due to increased divorce and decreased remarriage. There is a similar pattern for black women for the 1960-1970 period. During the 1970-1980 decade, however, the major source of growth for black women was an increase in the number of never-married mothers due to decreased marriage and increased fertility among nonmarried women.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Wojtkiewicz
- Department of Sociology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803-5411
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Abstract
Abstract
This article explores the extent to which noncustodial fathers can pay child support by estimating the income of noncustodial fathers and coupling these estimates with simulations of alternative normative standards for how much absent parents should be expected to contribute to the costs of rearing their children. The study indicates that the amount that is currently paid in child support ($6.8 billion in 1983) is far below the amount that should be paid under the various standards—from $24 billion to $29 billion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irwin Garfinkel
- Institute for Research on Poverty, Department of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Donald Oellerich
- Graduate School of Social Work, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
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Garfinkel I, Oellerich D. Noncustodial fathers' ability to pay child support. Demography 1989; 26:219-33. [PMID: 2731618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
This article explores the extent to which noncustodial fathers can pay child support by estimating the income of noncustodial fathers and coupling these estimates with simulations of alternative normative standards for how much absent parents should be expected to contribute to the costs of rearing their children. The study indicates that the amount that is currently paid in child support ($6.8 billion in 1983) is far below the amount that should be paid under the various standards--from $24 billion to $29 billion.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Garfinkel
- Department of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
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Garfinkel I, Sorensen A. Sweden's child support system: lessons for the United States. Soc Work 1982; 27:509-515. [PMID: 10258897 DOI: 10.1093/sw/27.6.509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
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