ASSESSING MODELS OF COORDINATED SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

Mathematica Inc., Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

Through this project, awarded to Mathematica Policy Research, ACF seeks to learn more about how states and communities coordinate early care and education, family economic security, and/or other health and human services to most efficiently and effectively serve the needs of low-income children and their families. This work builds on the Integrated Approaches to Supporting Child Development and Improving Family Economic Security project (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/integrated-approaches-supporting-child-d...). The goal of this new award is to build on that investment by identifying the range of existing models that coordinate a broader set of services. Coordinated services programs seek to address the multi-faceted needs of families and to support children?s development by providing access to high quality early childhood education while simultaneously addressing additional family needs such as parenting education, supports for family economic security, and other health and human services. By connecting and facilitating these services for families, coordinated services programs endeavor to move families out of poverty in the short-term and decrease the chance that poverty will continue into the next generation.