Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly recognized for their positive impact on children's physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health. However, no mindfulness-based lifestyle interventions have focused on improving both the physical and mental well-being of economically marginalized preschoolers. Therefore, this one-group study…

Background/Context: Prior research has demonstrated that educators' well-being is closely linked to high-quality teaching and positive child outcomes (Arens & Morin, 2016; Herman et al., 2018) However, job stress and burnout are widespread among educators in early care and education (ECE), particularly within Head Start programs, where…

Increasingly, parents of young children need postsecondary credentials to compete in the labor market and meet basic family needs. This study uses a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of Career"Advance," a two-generation education intervention that offers postsecondary career training in healthcare for parents paired with…

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation's largest domestic food and nutrition assistance program for low-income Americans. SNAP-Education, commonly referred to as SNAP-Ed, is the nutrition education arm of SNAP benefits. SNAP-Ed aims to help individuals stretch their food budgets wisely while working to make healthy…

Background: The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program that serves free, nutritious meals during the summer months. In 2019, 6 federal waivers that previously helped sponsors serve meals were rescinded. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to assess the impact of the waiver rescission on the experiences of SFSP…

Purpose: We used data from the National Survey of Children's Health to (1) examine differences in economic hardship and safety net program use after the implementation of federal relief efforts, and (2) assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated autism-based disparities in hardship and program use. Methods: We examined five dimensions of…

Social marketing campaigns are effective in promoting health behavior changes in individuals and communities. Mississippi State University Extension Service's (MSU Extension) Office of Nutrition Education launched a statewide social marketing campaign branded HappyHealthy to target nutrition and healthy lifestyle-related behaviors of Supplemental…

Food insecurity is the leading indicator of well-being for vulnerable children in the United States due to the magnitude of the problem (9.3 million in 2021) and the associated numerous negative health and other consequences. Given the magnitude of food insecurity and its health consequences, food insecurity is a leading contributor to health…

Substance use--when people use drugs, alcohol, or tobacco in ways that can harm themselves or others--remains a persistent problem in the United States. Substance use can result in negative consequences, including poor school performance and diminished mental health. Research suggests that prevention programs for school-aged children may help…

Communities may often lack the resources to deliver intensive programs to assist teen mothers, and many eligible adolescents may decline participation in lengthy interventions. Therefore, alternative approaches involving less resource and time may be needed. Behavioral economics (BE) can inform the development of such novel interventions. BE often…

Nutrition is vitally important both during pregnancy and during a child's early years. Inadequate nutrition during this critical period can harm children's health and developmental outcomes throughout childhood and into adulthood. Thus, write Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach and Betsy Thorn, it's particularly important that young children have adequate…

This article estimates earnings impacts for those who completed long-term college credentials (degrees or college certificates requiring a year or more of study) and those who did not in an experimental evaluation of a federally-funded sectoral job training program. The experimental evaluation found no overall impact of the program on earnings,…

Background: We assess the impact of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) on National Performance Measures (NPMs) related to health care access and utilization among Medicaid-insured youth in Delaware. Methods: Our retrospective analysis of Delaware's SBHC program data linked with Medicaid claims during 2014-2016 for 13 to 18-year-olds assessed…

Research Findings: Very little research has examined whether the contributions of Head Start's Family Service Workers (FSWs) and family partnership services influence family and child outcomes. Using data from 215 families in the 2014 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), this study used structural equation models to examine…

Each year, effective federal programs give parents the power to provide their children with affordable healthcare, nutritious food, stable housing, and early childhood education. These programs lift millions of children out of poverty, but also have long-term benefits--children in families who accessed these programs have higher educational…