Family Strengthening News is a monthly e-newsletter produced by the Family Strengthening Policy Center, an initiative of the National Human Services Assembly funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Family Strengthening: A deliberate and sustained effort to ensure that parents have the necessary opportunities, relationships, networks and supports to raise their children successfully, which includes involving parents as decision-makers in how their communities meet family needs.  - Annie E. Casey Foundation

Family Economic Success

New Mortgage Tool Could Advance Homeownership and Affordability

The Shared-Equity Mortgage (SEM) can help people struggling with home affordability by cutting their costs without increasing their financial vulnerability, according to a new report by researchers from New York University in partnership with the Fannie Mae Foundation.  SEMs allow homebuyers to share the appreciating value of their homes in return for significant down-payment assistance from investors.  The study's authors will present their findings in an online chat on April 24, 2007, at 2:00 p.m. EDT.  (Source: KnowledgePlex)

Moving the Working Poor into the Middle Class

Growing prosperity in the Washington, DC, region has yet to reach low-income, less skilled families.  Sustaining this new vibrancy requires a commitment to reducing persistent poverty and growing the currently shrinking middle class.  A new Brookings Institution report proposes a multi-faceted strategy that goes beyond investing in workforce development to advocate for improving work supports that provide financial incentives for employment and expanding affordable housing so low-wage and middle-income working families can stay in the city.

Case Studies on Welfare Reform and Income Support Systems
A report from MDRC describes how two cities met the three main challenges of welfare reform: how to assist recipients in moving from welfare to work, how to serve recipients who have multiple or severe barriers to employment, and how to provide work supports to low-income families.

Sustaining Microenterprise Initiatives

Factors that affect the sustainability of microenterprise include increasing earned income, achieving efficiency, building an appropriate capital structure, effectively fundraising, and managing leadership transitions, according to FIELD (the microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning and Dissemination).  Based on a literature review, a new FIELD report provides practitioners and funders with ways to improve sustainability. 

The Impact of State Income Taxes on Low-Income Families

In nearly half of the states with an income tax, a family of four owes the tax even if its income falls below the poverty line, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  The report, which includes state-specific fact sheets, notes that a number of states have recently enacted significant reforms that will reduce taxes on low-income families. 

Family Support Systems

Early Head Start and Strengthening Young Parents and their Families

Teenage parents and their children have special needs that the unique set of Early Head Start services can support, according to a new issue brief from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).  For services to meet the needs of teen-parent families, Early Head Start must integrate and address the multiple risks facing these families, which may be complicated by issues involving disability, abuse, or neglect.  

Adolescent Health Guides for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners

Child Trends has released three new briefs to help out-of-school time program practitioners assess mental health, substance use and abuse, and body image and eating disorders among youth in their programs.  The briefs provide background information, tips to help youth workers recognize signs of these problems, and outcome measures that can be used in program evaluation.

Adult Literacy Assessment

The National Center for Education Statistics' Literacy in Everyday Life presents data from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, the first assessment of the English literacy of adults (16 and up) in the U.S. since 1992.  The report discusses the relationship between literacy and a number of future economic indicators and examines how parents and guardians at various literacy levels interact differently with children at home.

Family Involvement in Elementary School
A new brief from the Harvard Family Research Project reviews research on why and how family involvement matters for elementary school children's learning and socio-emotional development.  It highlights how you can use this research to promote effective policies and practices.

New Health and Poverty Data

The Kaiser Family Foundation issued a new fact sheet showing variations across states and racial and ethnic groups for six key health and health care indicators. It also provides similar breakdowns showing the percentage of each group in each state that is uninsured, enrolled in Medicaid and living in poverty.

Thriving and Nurturing Communities

Local Economic Impact of Subprime Mortgage Fallout

Congress' Joint Economic Committee released a report analyzing the subprime mortgage foreclosure problem and its economic impact on the most vulnerable communities nationwide.  The report, entitled Sheltering Neighborhoods from the Subprime Foreclosure Storm, argues that foreclosure prevention is cost-effective and presents policy suggestions for curbing future subprime foreclosures.

Building Sustainable Community Safety Initiatives

A new Chapin Hall report examines the lessons learned from the 10-year span of the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative, which the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funded to improve three low-income communities and the lives of their inhabitants.  The report provides insights on resident engagement, developing the capacity of local organizations, and efforts to build bridges between low-income neighborhoods and resources in the larger region.  (Free registration is required to access the report.)  To read the Family Strengthening Policy Center’s brief on family-centered community-building, click here.

Housing and Community Development Strategies in Rural Population Loss Counties
Rural communities that have experienced population loss are engaging in community development and community marketing strategies to serve the needs of the remaining population, revitalize communities, and encourage in-migration, according to a new report from the Housing Assistance Council.  The report illustrates strategies that have been used in the Great Plains states and highlights some communities and organizations that have been successful.

Guide to Designing Early Childhood Facilities

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation has developed a "how-to" guide to assist organizations that are planning to renovate, construct or improve their early childhood facilities.  The guide highlights the important connection between well-designed space and quality child care programming and helps providers, their development partners, and their architects create an effective space for young children.

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation Introduced to Guarantee Paid Sick Days

On March 15, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the Healthy Families Act, which would require employers with 15 or more employees to provide seven paid sick days to address an employee’s short-term medical needs or those of his or her family.  48 percent of private-sector workers and 79 percent of low-wage workers have no paid sick days.  The National Partnership for Women & Families has created an online toolkit with information and resources about paid sick days.

Maryland Legislature Passes Statewide "Living Wage"

The Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to require companies with state service contracts to pay workers a "living wage".  Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the legislation, making Maryland the first state with such a law.

Updates on State EITC Legislation

The State EITC Online Resource Center provides policy updates about state efforts to enact or expand state Earned Income Tax Credits. 

Review, Assessment, and Forecast of Federal Assets Policy

This report from the New America Foundation summarizes the current state of federal policy through an asset-building lens, especially as it affects the asset base of families with lower incomes and fewer resources.

Housing Advocate's Guide

The 2007 edition of the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual Advocate’s Guide to Housing and Community Development Policy, describing programs, issues, and policy proposals, is available on the Web.

Announcements & Additional Resources

New Casey Foundation Website Launched

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's new website provides up-to-date information on how the Foundation is working to help vulnerable kids and families across the country.   The site's Knowledge Center offers nearly 2,000 resources developed either by Casey or a Casey grantee that capture the experience and learning of the Foundation.

New Blog for Anti-Poverty Campaign

Catholic Charities USA launched a new blog for its Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America with the latest news, tools, resources and more information about how individuals, local Catholic Charities agencies and other organizations are making a difference.

Grants Support Asset Formation and Financial Literacy Services

Deadline: April 30, 2007

The Administration for Children and Families is offering funding to encourage the creation or strengthening of partnerships aimed at increasing the financial education, literacy and asset formation of low-wage earning households.

Funding to Connect Small Grassroots Organizations with One-Stop Career Centers

Deadline: May 8, 2007

The Employment and Training Administration is offering grants to link hard-to-serve individuals, and the clients of small organizations, with the existing network of job and life skills services.

Grants for Services to Microenterprises in Underserved Communities

Deadline: June 5, 2007

The HP Microenterprise Development Program will award grants to nonprofit microenterprise development agencies, programs and higher education institutions that provide start up assistance, business training, access to capital and advice to entrepreneurs and very small businesses in underserved communities.

Research Grants on Parenting Capacities and Children's Health Outcomes

Deadlines: June 5, October 5, February 5

The National Institutes of Health is seeking research applications aimed at increasing the parenting skills and capacities of parents and caregivers to improve the health outcomes of their young and adolescent children.

Conferences & Events

Afterschool for All Challenge
Afterschool Alliance
April 23-24, 2007, Washington, DC
The two-day program will include special topic forums, networking sessions, the Breakfast of Champions and visits to Capitol Hill offices.

Cover the Uninsured Week 2007
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
April 23-29, 2007

Audio Conference: State Health Care Reform Efforts Affecting Children and Youth

Grantmakers in Health and Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families

Parent-Child Home Program Annual Conference
April 30-May 1, 2007, Garden City, NY 
The conference is designed for the professional development of those involved in home visiting, early childhood, and family support programs.  For further information, or to register, contact: Michele Morrison, Parent-Child Home Program, at 516-883-7480 or e-mail mmorrison@parent-child.org.

Asset Building: The Vital Link
National Housing Conference
May 4, 2007, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Washington, D.C. 20006
A discussion exploring the intersection of housing and asset-building policy.

Strengthening Families Leadership Summit
The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP)
May 10-12, 2007, San Diego, CA
CSSP's Strengthening Families Initiative uses early childhood programs to build evidence-based protective factors for children and their families.

Annual Conference on Neighborhood Concerns

Neighborhoods, USA

May 23-26, 2007, Baton Rouge, LA

Workshops bring the state-of-the-art to participants on six topic areas: building healthy neighborhood organizations, celebrating arts and culture, creating safe and livable communities, development and redevelopment of communities, healing humanity, and nurturing and empowering youth.

National Symposium on Poverty and Economic Security
Community Action Partnership

May 29-31, 2007

North Bethesda, MD

The symposium is part of a multi-year anti-poverty initiative that will bring together a cross section of practitioners, policymakers, foundations, and researchers for a discussion on the causes and conditions of poverty, and solutions and new strategies for ending it.

First International Society for Child Indicators Conference
June 26-28, 2007, Chicago, IL
Speakers from around the globe will convene to explore how child indicators can be used to improve the development and well-being of the world’s children.

EITC and Beyond Summit

National League of Cities & United Way of America

July 11-13, 2007

San Francisco, CA

Generations United's 2007 Conference
July 24-27, 2007, Washington, DC
The conference will feature presentations that emphasize the positive difference intergenerational programs and practice have made in the lives of young and old, how to substantiate these findings through evaluation and research, and how to use the results to promote sound public policy at the local, state, and national levels.

National Summit on Your City's Families

National League of Cities

September 30-October 2, 2007

San Antonio, TX

National Family Week

Alliance for Children and Families

November 18-24, 2007

For other conferences and events, click here.

Family Strengthening Policy Center Briefs

Click on the title to view the brief in PDF format:

Related Materials:

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National Human Services Assembly
www.nassembly.org
The National Human Services Assembly (National Assembly) is an association of the nation’s leading national nonprofits in the fields of health, human and community development, and human services.   The National Assembly's mission is to engage leaders of the sector in collective efforts to advance the effectiveness of health & human services in the United States.  

National Collaboration for Youth
www.collab4youth.org
The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a 30-year old affinity group, is a coalition of National Assembly member organizations that have a significant interest in youth development.  This Web site includes NCY's public policy agenda and issues and information about NCY's F.I.L.M. (Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies) and juvenile justice projects.

National Youth Development Information Center
www.nydic.org
A one-stop Web site for youth workers with information on funding, programming, research, policy, job and training opportunities. NYDIC also provides current news to the youth development field and has one of the largest online libraries, providing practice-related information at low-cost or no cost.