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Children’s HealthWatch is a nonpartisan network of pediatricians, public health researchers, and children’s health and policy experts committed to improving children’s health in America.

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'Back to one meal a day': SNAP benefits drop as food prices climb

Originally posted on NPR. And for hints of long-term effects, look no further than the Great Recession. After Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, SNAP benefits went up for all recipients by at least 13.6%, according…
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SNAP benefits will drop for millions of Americans as pandemic aid winds down

Originally posted on NPR. SUMMERS: And she's right to worry if you ask a number of experts, including pediatrician Megan Sandel. MEGAN SANDEL: Think about what SNAP is. It's the largest anti-hunger program in the United States. It's an…
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Children’s HealthWatch Submits Comments on the Proposed Rule Revisions in the WIC Food Packages

On February 21, 2023, Children's HealthWatch submitted comments on the proposed rule, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages (FNS2022-0007) issued by the Food and Nutrition…
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Data Tells a Story: Here's Ours

From a young age, we realize that numbers hold significance. They can be used to measure wealth (or the lack thereof), note the passage of time from one scant second to infinity, or assign value or importance. Here at Children's HealthWatch,…
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Coalition puts tax breaks for low-income workers on table

Originally posted on WWLP.  “Regardless of the direction of the economy, lawmakers eyeing tax reform would do well to increase the Child and Family Tax Credit,” said Phineas Baxandall, policy director at the Mass. Budget and…
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Associations of household unmet basic needs and health outcomes among very low birth weight children

Abstract Objective: We examined associations of past year household hardships (housing, energy, food, and healthcare hardships) with postnatal growth, developmental risk, health status, and hospitalization among children 0-36 months…
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Children's HealthWatch Launches Healthy Families Tax Credits Coalition Campaign

Originally posted on Boston Medical Center.  BOSTON – Last week, the Healthy Families Tax Credits Coalition launched its campaign to boost family incomes and improve health for children and families across the Commonwealth…
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Haitian Migrants Face Unique Challenges Finding U.S. Housing

Originally posted on HealthCity. Haitian people continue to be displaced by natural and geopolitical forces, creating a perfect storm of people turning to U.S. ERs seeking shelter. PEDRO PARDO, Getty Images      By Allison…

Our Policy Focus Areas

Children’s HealthWatch research and policy analysis specifically focuses on the child health and developmental impacts of economic hardships with a particular focus on food insecurity, unstable housing, health care hardships and inability to afford adequate household energy.

  • Food Security

    Consistent access to food for all family members is crucial for ensuring children are healthy. Food and nutrition assistance programs are an essential cornerstone in supporting the health and well-being of low-income families.

  • Housing Stability

    Stable housing supports healthy growth and development among young children, and means families are not behind on rent, moving frequently, doubled up, overcrowded, or homeless. Policies that create affordable housing options that provide access to safe, stable housing help ensure young children and their families can thrive and be successful in life.

  • Energy Security

    Maintaining consistent utility services so homes are heated in the winter and cooled in the summer is critical for children’s health and safety. Energy supports protect families from the harmful health effects of having their utilities shut off.

  • Health Care Hardships

    When families are forced to choose between paying for health care, such as medical care and prescriptions, and other basic needs such as food, rent, child care, or utility bills, that decision can have an effect on the health and wellbeing of young children. Providing supports necessary to care for children, especially those with special health care needs, is crucial for improving child health.

  • Poverty

    Alleviating economic hardships for families with young children will require comprehensive policy solutions including improvements to nutrition assistance programs, increasing access to affordable housing, providing energy assistance, making work pay through reducing cliff effects and increasing  and expanding access to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, providing affordable child care to all children, and supporting the health and development of all children.

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A Historical Retrospective of Food Insecurity and Hunger Since the 1960’s

Published in September 2022, Children's HealthWatch and Project Bread's new historical retrospectives examine the history of food insecurity and hunger since the 1960’s. This first brief describes how unemployment rates and income instability and resulting rates of poverty and food insecurity in the US have evolved over time. The second brief describes how shifts in federal investments from the public food assistance system to the private food assistance system were used to justify cuts to Federal Nutrition Programs that adversely impacted rates of food insecurity. Both briefs provide information to re-ignite and energize conversations toward identifying solutions to address food insecurity so that all children and adults in the Commonwealth have enough food to thrive. Learn more below.
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A Historical Retrospective of Food Insecurity and Hunger Since the 1960’s

Published in September 2022, Children's HealthWatch and Project Bread's new historical retrospectives examine the history of food insecurity and hunger since the 1960’s. This first brief describes how unemployment rates and income instability and resulting rates of poverty and food insecurity in the US have evolved over time. The second brief describes how shifts in federal investments from the public food assistance system to the private food assistance system were used to justify cuts to Federal Nutrition Programs that adversely impacted rates of food insecurity. Both briefs provide information to re-ignite and energize conversations toward identifying solutions to address food insecurity so that all children and adults in the Commonwealth have enough food to thrive. Learn more below.

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