Essential Policy Design Elements for Statewide Child Development Accounts

Clancy, M. M., Sherraden, M., & Beverly, S. G. (2019, December). Essential policy design elements for statewide Child Development Accounts (CSD Fact Sheet No. 19-47). St. Louis MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/1rvq-dy43

The Impact of the Gig-Economy on Financial Hardship among Low-Income Families

New work arrangements coordinated by gig-economy platforms offer workers discretion over their work schedules at the expense of traditional worker protections. We empirically measure the impact of expanding access to gigs on worker welfare, with a focus on low-income families. We are interested in the likelihood that a family experiences hardship, meaning they fail to […]

Child Development Accounts at Scale: Sample State Legislation

Clancy, M. M., Sherraden, M., & Beverly, S. G. (2019, November). Child Development Accounts at scale: Sample state legislation (CSD Policy Summary No. 19-46). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/cptg-2n77

Friedman: Spark Prosperity for Everyone to Close the Racial Wealth Gap

Robert E. Friedman believes we can close the racial wealth divide in a generation. “I believe in the promise of this country … and in this community. St. Louis has become a symbol to the country of the results of racial inequity, and I think it’s leading the way to close the racial wealth divide, and to let America live up to its ideals.”

Sawhill: Big-Impact Research, Data Access Needed to Help Working Class

Courtesy of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Isabel Sawhill thinks too many researchers are more interested in publishing papers than making sure their work has major impact. “An awful lot of researchers are not asking the right questions,” says Sawhill, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution. “We need to push scholars to do more research on big questions.”

Credit-building services for employees: An assessment of engagement and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we examine administrative data for national nonprofit Working Credit’s employee benefit, which combines credit building education, one-on-one counseling, and access to financial products to help workers establish good credit. Working Credit offers credit-building services […]

Workplace credit-building counseling at a Midwest employer: An assessment of take-up, engagement, and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we focus on a workplace credit-building counseling program. This service is offered by a non-profit service provider that combines credit-building education, one-on-one counseling, and access to financial products to help low-income workers establish good […]

Financial counseling for low- and moderate-income home health care employees: An assessment of take-up, engagement, and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we analyze administrative data and interviews regarding Trusted Advisor, a workplace financial wellness benefit offering one-on-one counseling linked to vetted financial tools. The purpose of this study was to examine take-up, engagement, and financial […]

When a job is not enough: Employee financial wellness and the role of philanthropy

Employee financial wellness programs provide workplace products and services such as financial coaching and small-dollar credit products that may help employees address the various challenges that are at the root of their financial stress. This report is intended to offer guidance to grant makers to understand the role philanthropy can play in promoting the development […]

Dependent care FSAs: The uneven playing field for employers and workers

This research was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We thank them for their support but acknowledge that the findings and conclusions presented in this report are those of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Foundation.The authors are grateful to Don Baylor at the Annie E. Casey Foundation […]

Financial wellness programs in the workplace: Employer motivations and experiences

Employee financial wellness programs (EFWPs) are a benefit innovation that promise to address the financial challenges of employees while also benefiting employers. Results from a mixed-methods study of employers suggest early adopters appear to be motivated primarily by a desire to help employees. EFWP success may depend on promotion by organizational champions. Programs that accommodate […]

Healing Policies for Black Boys and Young Men in St. Louis: Priorities in 2019

Joe, S., Motley, R., Ivory, A., Finner, A., & Frederick, J. (2019). Healing policies for Black boys and young men in St. Louis: Priorities in 2019 (Race and Opportunity Lab Brief Report No. 2). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development, Race and Opportunity Lab. https://doi.org/10.7936/a3gh-8d26

Financial Social Work

Sherraden, M. S., & Huang, J. (2019). Financial social work. In C. Franklin et al. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.923

Who Will Help Children? Building Regional Brain Regimes

Tate, W. F., IV. (2019, August). Who will help children? Building brain regimes (CSD Perspective No. 19-30). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/362f-yk84

Volunteering and Measures of Human Development

Lough, B. J. (2019, July). Volunteering and measures of human development (CSD Research Brief No. 19-28). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/k92h-8h77

Segregation and a Path Forward to Inclusion in St. Louis

Webber, H. S. (2019, May). Segregation and a path forward to inclusion in St. Louis (CSD Perspective No. 19-25). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/1s4r-0929

A Time of Opportunity

Glover Blackwell, A. (2019, May). A time of opportunity (CSD Perspective No. 19-24). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/9jyy-gw12

Assets and Income: Disability-Based Disparities in the United States

Parish, S.L., Grinstein-Weiss, M., Yeo, Y. H., Rose, R. A., & Rimmerman, A. (2019). Assets and income: Disability-based disparities in the United States. In T. B. Bent-Goodley, J. H. Williams, M. L. Teasley, S. H. Gorin (Eds.), Grand challenges for society: Evidence-based social work practice (pp. 431–443). Washington, DC: NASW Press.

Assessing the Impact of an Asset-Based Intervention on Educational Outcomes of Orphaned Children and Adolescents: Findings from a Randomised Experiment in Uganda

Nabunya, P., Namatovu, P., Damulira, C., Kivumbi, A., Byansi, W., Mukasa, M., Nattabi, J., & Ssewamala, F. M. (2019). Assessing the impact of an asset-based intervention on educational outcomes of orphaned children and adolescents: Findings from a randomised experiment in Uganda. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 29(1), 59–69. doi:10.1080/02185385.2019.1575271

Building Assets From Birth: Singapore’s Policies

Loke, V., & Sherraden, M. (2019). Building assets from birth: Singapore’s policies. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 29(1), 6–19. doi:10.1080/02185385.2019.1571940