Anti-Poverty Programs: Their Impact and a New Way to Measure

A better way to measure poverty and the programs that help fight it.

Throughout the month of February we have looked at poverty in Missouri; how poverty affects our children, which government programs help reduce poverty, and how Missouri Kids Count Community Partnerships are working to fight poverty in their communities.

As mentioned in the previous weeks, poverty is all encompassing and affects children and families in all facets of life. Children are least able to resist the impacts of poverty.

 

 

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Explaining the Supplemental Poverty Measure

This week we are pleased to share the first KIDS COUNT report released by The Annie E. Casey Foundation in 2015. The new KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot, Measuring Access to Opportunity, points to a better index for measuring poverty – The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which takes into account the impact of social programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, and considers various factors that affect a family’s budget. The report shows that in every state anti-poverty programs have led to a reduction in the child poverty rate based on the SPM. You can read the report here.

 

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More about the Supplemental Poverty Measure and the impact of government anti-poverty investments

The Children’s Defense Fund has also released a report that focuses on the SPM and the value of expanding investment in government programs that have a measurable effect on child poverty.

 

The raising of America

This Spring watch for the documentary series and public education campaign, The Raising of America, that explores how a strong start for all our kids can lead to a healthier, stronger, more prosperous America. This documentary offers a unique approach to translating the science, the studies, the data into a compelling narrative capable of changing the way parents, practitioners, policy makers and the public think about society’s responsibilities and interests in these crucial years of our children’s lives. Previews of this exciting campaign can be seen here.

 

Looking ahead

Stay tuned to our website. In March we will turn our attention to immunizations in Missouri.

February 25, 2015