Children’s HealthWatch Principal Investigators, Dr. Frank and Dr. Sandel wrote letters to Governor Patrick as well as the leadership in both the House and the Senate urging the necessity of clarifying the […]
New research by Children’s HealthWatch finds that families who are behind on rent are more likely to have children in fair or poor health, at risk of developmental delays, and a […]
Testimony on The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program.
Children’s HealthWatch and the Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston released a joint report entitled “Bringing Children in from the Cold: Solutions for Boston’s Hidden Homeless.” The report describes a population of “hidden homeless” families and new research showing that children in these families are more likely to be hungry and in poor health. Unrecorded by any homeless census, these families move frequently, often into overcrowded apartments, or double up with another family never knowing how long they can stay. The report estimates that there are over 14,800 hidden homeless families in Boston and that this number is likely to grow as the economy declines.
A report from a research team from the Boston Medical Center Department of Pediatrics revealing that, on average, the monthly cost of the Thrifty Food Plan (upon which Food Stamp Program benefits are based) is $27 more than the maximum monthly food stamp benefit allowance. A low-cost healthier diet based on the most recent nutrition guidelines exceeded the maximum monthly food stamp benefit by $148 — an annual differential of $1,776. This is an unrealistic budgetary stretch for most families who qualify for nutrition assistance.