Characteristics of SNAP Households in FY 2011: USDA has updated its demographic information for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households. In FY 2011, as in prior years, a large majority of SNAP households (76%) contained an elderly or disabled person and/or a child. Among all SNAP households, nearly 31% had earnings and 41% of all individual participants lived in families with earnings. Twenty percent of households had no cash income of any kind. The average monthly income for a SNAP household was 59% of the poverty line. A two page summary may be found here.
SNAP & Direct Certification with School Lunches: This annual report to Congress tracks the progress of State and local efforts to directly certify children from SNAP participant households for free school meals. The report finds that States and local educational agencies directly certified 11.6 million children at the start of school year (SY) 2011-2012, 1.7 million more than in the previous school year. The national direct certification rate reached 86 percent in SY 2011-2012, up from 77 percent in SY 2010-2011. Click here for the executive summary. (2 pp.)
HHS Reviews Placement Stability of CWS Infants: HHS has released a research brief exploring the stability of caregivers and households of infants in out-of-home care. Based on longitudinal data, the brief focused on 1,196 children who were infants involved in investigations of abuse or neglect and were followed until they reached 5-7 years old. Data were collected from 1999 to 2007 and through interviews with caregivers and caseworkers. Results showed that caregiver changes were very common in the first 2 years of life. More than 33% of children experienced at least one caregiver change during the first 6 months of life. Just under 25% of children 13-18 months old experienced at least one change, and almost half of the children (45.1%) experienced at least one change from 19 to 24 months old. (8 pp.)
Federal Child Support Newsletter: The October-November Child Support Report from the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement focuses on managing change within the program, as well as articles on local and state agency responses to domestic violence. (12 pp.)
Hunger Report Released: Generations United has released a report on hunger, based on findings of a new poll commissioned by the organization and conducted by Harris Interactive. In the past year, nearly one-third of adults in America have either experienced lack of food or been concerned about food insecurity among their family, friends, or neighbors. Equally troubling, one in 10 adults went without a basic need (such as food, medicine, or health care) in order to provide food for another family member. Click here to read the summary. The full report may be viewed here.
Half in Ten Releases 2012 Annual Report: In 2011 the official poverty rate in the U.S. was 15% -- statistically unchanged from 2010. This means that 46.2 million people -or nearly one in six Americans- lived below the official poverty line of $23,018 a year for a family of four. Half in Ten's 2012 annual report sheds light on how America is faring on key indicators of cutting poverty and expanding opportunity for all, tracking progress from 2010 to 2011 as well as longer-term trends at the national level and for every state.
Facts sheets for each state and more may be found on their data indicators page.
KIDS COUNT Report on Youth, Work and Opportunity: In the U.S., 6.5 million 16- to 24-year-olds are jobless and out of school. These disconnected youth encounter many obstacles to long-term success. Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity emphasizes the need to provide multiple, flexible pathways to success for disconnected young people and find ways to reengage high-school dropouts. The report also advocates creating experiences that allow youth to gain early job skills through community service, internships, summer and part-time work and other opportunities. Download the report featuring new data and recommendations from the Casey Foundation.
Teen Parent Fact Sheets: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy has updated two items on their Why It Matters Fact sheets series. One is on teen mothers; the second is on single parenthood and father involvement. Among the new statistics: 30% of teen girls who have dropped out of high school cite pregnancy or parenthood as a reason; 67% of teen mothers who moved out of their own families' household live below the poverty level; of teen mothers who were not married when their child was born, only about one-third (34%) went on to marry by the time their child reached age five.
What's Happening in Court?: An Activity Book for Children: This activity book is designed to prepare children for attending and participating in a family court in California. It includes activities that address: reasons for going to court; court personnel; court behavior; the role of a witness; juvenile dependency; the role of lawyers and Court Appointed Special Advocates; mental health hearings; family law court; guardianship; adoption; custody and visitation; child support; domestic violence; and more. Click here for a web-based version. Download a printable version here.