While the Great Recession technically ended in June 2009, many families continue to feel the effects. 14.7 million children were living below the poverty line in 2013, a significant increase from 12.8 million children before the recession. Poverty is a particularly serious problem for children, who suffer negative effects for the rest of their lives after living in poverty for even a short time. Due to critical support from effective programs such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, there has been modest recovery in the well-being of our nation’s children and families. This briefing, sponsored by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), discussed these trends and others that have emerged during and since the Great Recession. The discussion highlighted the release of The Effect of the Great Recession on Child Well-Being, an update to a 2010 policy brief that provides an in-depth review of child well-being in the United States in the areas of child health, food insecurity and nutrition, housing stability, and child welfare. Pictures of this event can be seen on Facebook. Speakers included:
  • Bruce Lesley, Moderator, President of First Focus (Download the presentation)
  • Kathleen Noonan, JD, Co-Director, PolicyLab at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Faculty, Master of Public Health Program, University of Pennsylvania (Download the presentation)
  • Rachel Meadows, MPA, Communications and Policy Associate, PolicyLab at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Download the presentation)
  • Antoinette Laskey, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Safe and Healthy Families, Eccles Outpatient Center, Salt Lake City
  • George Hoover, Health Policy Director, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (Download the presentation)
  • Marta Beresin, JD, Staff Attorney, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (Download the presentation)