Reports & Briefs

Elevate is currently assessing data from the National Beneficiary Survey (NBS), which is a national survey of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplementary Security Insurance (SSI) beneficiaries, to explore the relationship between mental health and employment among disabled beneficiaries. Sponsored by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and administered by Mathematica Policy Research, the NBS surveys a number of characteristics, including wellbeing, impairment, and barriers to employment.

This primary aim of Elevate’s research is to explore the relationship between mental health treatment services and employment, income, employment-related goals, and other measures of wellbeing for beneficiaries with a mental illness. Check back soon for the report.

Every Woman Connecticut (EWCT) is a collaborative initiative working to create rapid improvements in how health care providers and organizations care for women of childbearing age in Connecticut. EWCT is in partnership with the Connecticut March of Dimes, the Maternal and Child Health Coalition, and the Connecticut Women’s Consortium. EWCT brings together health care providers, state agencies, professional organizations, community-based partners, and consumers to advance the wellbeing of women and their families. Elevate partnered with the Connecticut Department of Public Health to assess the work of EWCT based on feedback from the initiative’s stakeholders. The report is also intended to identify needs of the initiative as well as areas for growth and opportunity.

Check back soon for the full report.

Elevate partnered with the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) to evaluate the impact of a policy change designed to improve the wellbeing of families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). In April 2018, a new Two-Generation (2-Gen) Policy took effect, ushering in a set of reforms intended to better serve both parents and children. This survey of 565 DC customers receiving TANF provides insights that can help DHS and MOMS best meet the needs of families.

You can read the full report, including the specifics of the policy here.

Elevate partnered with the VT Department for Children and Families, Economic Services Division (ESD) to investigate factors that distinguish families who receive Reach Up (Vermont’s TANF system) for 9 years or longer from those who receive it for less time. Elevate received survey data from ESD on 170 long-term families as well as data on 510 families who have received Reach Up for less than 9 years. The report builds on existing work detailing prior life experiences of long-term families and provides more insight into what, if anything, distinguishes their life experiences from those of others.

Click here to read the full report.

In 2018, the CT Office of Early Childhood (OEC), launched the Outcomes Rate Card Pilot to provide bonus payments to federally-funded providers of home visiting services whose families show improved outcomes. Elevate evaluated perspectives on this innovative initiative and conducted interviews with key stakeholders from multiple sectors. This report includes an overview of Outcomes Rate Cards—as a “pay for success” tool, their genesis in Connecticut, an evaluation of stakeholder impressions, and lessons learned.

Click here to read the full report.

Recently, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) within the Office of Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new program instruction guidance to state and territories administering TANF programs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Elevate has summarized the new federal TANF COVID-19 guidelines with additional state-by-state summaries for each MOMS scaling site.

Click here to read the brief.