Removing Barriers

“Removing Barriers to Survey Participation for Persons with Disabilities.” Susan Mitchell, Anne Ciemnecki, Karen CyBulski, and Jason Markesich, January 2006. Policymakers are exploring ways to include people with disabilities more fully in society. Part of that inclusion effort is to make sure that they can participate in key surveys, and that these surveys accurately identify their abilities as well as any challenges and impairments. Since the 1980s, Mathematica has been conducting successful, innovative surveys of this population. This paper synthesizes findings from our surveys for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration and provides lessons for conducting surveys of people with disabilities.

Read more about our work in collecting high-quality information from diverse populations to assess their needs and help design effective programs

Covering Kids

“Santa Clara County Children’s Health Initiative Outreach and Enrollment Efforts Are Effective and Helpful to Parents. In Brief #3.” Dana Hughes, February 2006. The Santa Clara County Children’s Health Initiative (CHI) is an innovative effort to expand children’s health insurance coverage in this California county. Outreach and application assistance for Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids—three health insurance programs available to children in families with incomes under 300 percent of the federal poverty level—are major components. This issue brief examines outreach and enrollment efforts, focusing on parents’ perceptions of the processes involved. Findings show that parents express consistently positive opinions about the outreach, application, and renewal stages, regardless of where they heard about the program or where they applied. Read more about this study and our other work in covering low-income kids and families.

Hunger in America

"Hunger in America 2006." Despite America's great wealth, millions of Americans do not have enough food to eat each day, according to the largest and most comprehensive study to date of this issue. Although food stamp and welfare receipt have declined in recent years, more than 25 million people use food banks and food-rescue organizations in the America's Second Harvest network each year. This paradox of hunger amid plenty is a threat to our national prosperity and collective well-being. Mathematica coordinated this comprehensive survey of over 30,000 charitable agencies and 52,000 needy individuals across the country. The findings show that 36 percent of those served by the network are working poor. In addition, nine million children and three million senior citizens use emergency food assistance each year. Read more about the survey.

Upcoming Presentation

Mathematica will be well represented at the Population Association of America Annual Meeting in Los Angeles from March 30 to April 1. Go to our conference calendar to see who will be presenting on Building Strong Families and other topics.