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Subsidiarity

Paper Session

Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM (EST)

Grand Hyatt Washington
Hosted By: Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization
  • Chair: Craig Gundersen, Baylor University

A Room at the Inn: Homelessness During Pregnancy and Demand for Maternity Housing

Jessica Brown
,
University of South Carolina
William Evans
,
University of Notre Dame
Adrienne Sabety
,
Stanford University

Abstract

More than one in fifty women who give birth in the United States report experiencing homelessness during the prior year. Yet most homelessness services are not well-suited for pregnant women. One potential solution is maternity homes, which provide housing and wraparound services to unhoused pregnant women. We estimate there are over 350 maternity homes in the United States with capacity to serve about 4,500 women. Yet there is little systematic evidence about the population they serve or the need for homelessness services during pregnancy.
In this paper, we analyze the characteristics of 1,084 women applying to nine maternity homes between 2022 and 2025. We compare these women to nationally representative samples of pregnant women and of women of childbearing age to characterize their unique needs.
We find that maternity home applicants are substantially more disadvantaged than the comparison populations. For example, applicants’ formal education is significantly lower: 38% do not have a high school diploma compared to 7% of pregnant women in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS); only 3% have a four-year degree compared to 50% in MEPS. In addition, applicants report much higher drug use: one in four used cocaine, methamphetamines, or opioids prior to pregnancy, versus 6% of women ages 18-49 in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health. During pregnancy, 10% report continued use. Maternity home applicants also report significantly worse mental health, with 55% experiencing depression, compared to 14% of new mothers in PRAMS. These disadvantages may be partially traced back to childhood: 46% report five or more Adverse Childhood Experiences compared to 20% of women of childbearing age in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. These findings suggest there is a significant need for housing services during pregnancy that address barriers beyond housing, including substance use, low educational attainment, and mental health.

The Effect of Intensive Intervention for Children with Incarcerated Parents

David Phillips
,
University of Notre Dame
 Lindsey Rose Bullinger
,
Georgia Tech University
Cade Lawson
,
Georgia State University

Abstract

Children with incarcerated parents face lower educational attainment and a higher risk of future criminalized behavior. Finlay, Mueller-Smith and Street (2023) show that at the time of a parent’s felony conviction, children are about 20% more likely to be behind their age-appropriate grade in school. Such negative interactions with school can directly lead to poor outcomes as adults. The strongest predictor of adult incarceration among children in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) is being suspended from school, and Bacher Hicks et al. (2019) show that a student exogenously assigned to a school which uses suspensions more frequently ends up more likely to be arrested as an adult. Thus, reducing interactions with school discipline may be key for disrupting intergenerational cycles of incarceration.

In this study we measure the effectiveness of intensive, long-term services to children with incarcerated parents provided by Kidz2Leaders (K2L), an Atlanta-area nonprofit organization. K2L services begin with Camp Hope, a week-long, faith-based overnight summer camp designed specifically for children with incarcerated parents. Participants are invited to re-enroll in camp every summer until age 15. Beyond summer camp, children receive additional programming throughout high school such as academic support, career mentoring, and connections to internships. K2L also provides comprehensive support for caregivers, including a full-time social worker who can connect families to financial resources and regular events and retreats.

To study the effect of K2L participation on student outcomes, we combine K2L’s participation records with educational records from two large school districts in the Atlanta area from 2003-2024. We use a difference-in-differences approach to compare participants in K2L’s programming to similar youth who participate in K2L’s programming during later years. We find suggestive but imprecise evidence that participating in K2L’s suite of services may reduce disciplinary incidents and the risk of chronic absenteeism for participating students.

Improving Foster Family Supply through Community-based Support for Resource Families

Andy Brownback
,
University of Arkansas
Vivian Crumlish
,
University of Notre Dame
Jonathan Davis
,
University of Oregon
Sarah Kroeger
,
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Sally Sadoff
,
University of California-San Diego

Abstract

Many foster care systems face severe shortages of resource families, partly because rates of turnover among caregivers are high and periods of service are short. We study the Hands of Hope (HoH) program, an intensive, faith-based wraparound support program designed to expand the supply of resource families through recruitment and retention. Using administrative data covering the universe of Indiana resource families and foster children, we estimate the effects of HoH support on foster care supply at both the extensive and intensive margins. At the extensive margin, the number of resource families in a ZIP code increases as the nearest HoH-affiliated church becomes closer. The arrival of an HoH-affiliated church in a ZIP code increases the number of resource families by 10.6% relative to the pretreatment mean. At the intensive margin, relative to propensity-score-matched comparison families, families with HoH support remain active longer, support more placements, provide more child-placement days, and are more likely to remain active up to two years after their first placement. At the child level, we find no evidence that HoH support reduces placement stability or worsens related measures of care quality. Overall, our results suggest that non-monetary support for resource families can meaningfully expand foster care supply while preserving care quality.

The Returns to Short-Duration Tech Training: Evidence from a Multi-Site Randomized Trial

Tania Barham
,
University of Colorado
Brian Cadena
,
University of Colorado
Patrick Turner
,
University of Notre Dame
Alex Bacon
,
University of Notre Dame

Abstract

Each year the federal government spends more than $19 billion on training programs designed to improve economic mobility for low- and moderately-paid workers. Despite this large investment, the evidence on the effectiveness of job training programs at improving outcomes for individuals from underserved communities is mixed. This paper uses an RCT to estimate the impact of NPower’s Tech Fundamentals program, a 23-week, technology training course and internship program available to young adults from underserved communities and to military veterans. The study sample includes more than 1,500 applicants enrolled over 3 years in Harlem, NY and Dallas, TX. Using administrative data, we measure the impact of the program on outcomes across multiple domains, including employment, earnings, career trajectory, credit, and education. The results reveal that the program leads to substantial earnings gains, with average quarterly earnings improving by more than $3,000 per quarter. These preliminary results suggest that the program is a remarkably cost-effective way to bridge the skills gap between employers and talented but under-credentialed workers.

Discussant(s)
Jesus Fernandez-Villaverde
,
University of Pennsylvania
Rebecca Thornton
,
University of Notre Dame
Sarah Hamersma
,
Syracuse University
John Soriano
,
University of Dallas
Carolyn Heinrich
,
Vanderbilt University
JEL Classifications
  • I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
  • I1 - Health