Timeline: Achievements/Highlights/Testimonies
1998
Dr. Deborah Frank and colleagues launched the Children’s Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program (C-SNAP) in 6 cities
2001
Dr. Deborah A. Frank testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on expanding the Food Stamps program.
2002
Paper on food insecurity in infants and toddlers by John Cook, PhD, Boston PI, published in Nutrition in Clinical Care
2005
Dr. Deborah A. Frank testifies before the Subcommittee on Human Resources on Welfare Reform Reauthorization.
2005
Philadelphia site opens with Dr. Mariana Chilton at the helm
2007
“Heat or Eat” paper published
2007
Dr. Deborah A. Frank testifies before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget during the Farm Bill Reauthorization Hearing.
2007
“Fuel for Our Future” report published in collaboration with former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy II & Congressman Michael Capuano
2008
C-SNAP changes its name to Children’s HealthWatch
2008
Launch of Witnesses to Hunger, founded by Dr. Mariana Chilton, in Philadelphia
2008
Dr. Frank named “the woman who saved SNAP” due to her key testimony before the House on the Farm Bill
2010
Boston Witnesses to Hunger is launched
2010
Baltimore Witnesses to Hunger launched, along with Camden, NJ; Hartford, CT & Providence, RI
2010
Publication of 2 item food insecurity screener paper by Erin R. Hager, PhD, in Pediatrics
2010 to present
Hunger Vital Sign™ tool created, leading to innovation & development of implementation of best practices nationally
2011
Housing insecurity paper by Dr. Diana Cutts, Minneapolis PI, published in American Journal of Public Health
2013
Arkansas General Assembly allocates $500K to Housing Trust Fund while advocates build Permanent Source campaign
2014
CHW research helps to preserve “heat or eat” provision in Farm Bill
2015
Dr. Megan Sandel testifies before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue in support of increasing the Massachusetts Earned Income Tax Credit.
2015
MA EITC increased from 15% to 23% through efforts by CHW led Healthy Families EITC Coalition
2015
Arkansas PI, Eduardo Ochoa, Jr., MD, FAAP, testifies before the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Committee on Agriculture, US House of Representatives
2016
Housing Rx as Health Care project, funded by The Boston Foundation, begins
2017
Allison Bovell-Ammon testifies before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue on bills that would fund Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Sites and expand access to the state Earned Income Tax Credit.
2017
Healthy Families EITC Coalition successfully advocates for an expansion of EITC eligibility in the state budget enabling Massachusetts to became first state in the nation to ensure survivors of domestic violence are able to access EITC benefits.
2018
Housing instability paper by Dr. Megan Sandel, Boston site PI, published in Pediatrics
2018
Congressman James P. McGovern is named as the first recipient of the annual Children’s HealthWatch Champion award
2019
Dr. Eddie Ochoa testifies before the Committee on Education and Labor, US House of Representatives on the health benefits of federal child nutrition programs
2019
Release of Pathways to Stable Homes report and event amplifying key findings for reducing promoting housing stability through refundable tax credits, child care investment, and eviction prevention
2019
Publication of key research documenting the health effects of losing SNAP or having SNAP benefits reduced as a result of increasing income in the journal Health Affairs
2019
Dr. Ana Poblacion testifies before the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care on the importance of high-quality affordable child care for young children and families
2019
Significant investment of state funding for free tax preparation sites in Massachusetts following successful advocacy by the Healthy Families EITC Coalition
2019
Children’s HealthWatch launches the “Let’s Make Change Happen” video series
2019
Publication of research on the health benefits of SNAP participation for families with young children in the Journal of Preventive Medicine
2020
Dr. Megan Sandel invited to testify before the Committee on Financial Services, US House of Representatives on proposed changes to fair housing
2020
Launch of the Equity Town Hall series
2020
Housing Prescriptions as Health Care study findings published in Health Affairs
2020 and beyond
Release of evidence-based policy proposals for an equitable response to the needs of families with young children during the pandemic and ongoing advocacy to amplify key policy changes
2020
Allison Bovell-Ammon invited to testify before the Committee on Ways and Means, US House of Representatives on tax relief to support workers and families during the COVID-19 pandemic
2020
Launch of the Children’s HealthWatch COVID-19 Follow-up Study, longitudinal study documenting impact of COVID-19 and pandemic relief benefits on families with young children
2021
Launch of Children’s HealthWatch 2.0 survey in REDCap consisting of a core survey and randomized modules designed to collect robust data on the experiences of families with young children
2021
Children’s HealthWatch successfully advocates for key investments and policy changes in the American Rescue Plan Act
2021
Children’s HealthWatch and Boston Medical Center co-host press event with Senator Ed Markey calling for an expansion of the Child Tax Credit
2022
Dr. Maureen Black testifies before Committee on the Budget, US House of Representatives on the benefits of WIC
2022
Publication of research on the impact of evictions on health and well-being in the journal Pediatrics
2022
Drs. Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba and Megan Sandel invited to attend the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and Children’s HealthWatch commitment for the Conference featured in a White House fact sheet
2022
2023
Healthy Families Tax Credits Coalition launches