Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/2024
Some of the most important outcomes of increasing filings for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) are related to improved maternal and child health. And yet, low rates of women who are pregnant or with young children seek tax preparation help or are aware of EITC and other tax credits as measured by attendance at tax sites or awareness in maternal child health settings in Columbus. We convene an innovative partnership among central Ohio’s nationally recognized infant mortality collaborative (Celebrate One), the regional United Way VITA collaborative (Tax Time), and one of the nation’s largest children’s hospitals, Nationwide Children’s (NCH) to enhance EITC filings and improve maternal child outcomes. Specifically, we will use a non-randomized, prospective trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the outreach and education supported through this award to increase filings for EITC, particularly among Black women who are pregnant or with young children, and to reduce maternal depression and financial stress, risk factors for Adverse Childhood Events (ACES), thus lowering Black infant prematurity and reducing referrals for child maltreatment among families in the eight Celebrate One neighborhoods of Columbus. These neighborhoods have been consistently identified because they are areas of concentrated disadvantage with large proportions of Black families from historic structural racism/redlining. They overlap extensively with federal Opportunity Zones. Celebrate One staff and agencies will be educated in referral, outreach and the value of EITC and related tax credits as well as establishing direct referral linkages, while Tax Time staff will be trained in ACES, risk and protective factors and community resources for referral. As a lead player in both of Celebrate One and Tax Time, Nationwide Children’s will manage the outreach and coordination activities, conduct an independent evaluation through its Center for Innovation, host project management staff, provide five new VITA tax preparation sites focused on women with young children from Celebrate One neighborhoods, and monitor birth outcomes, maternal depression, and child maltreatment reports. Sustainability will be ensured through early involvement of Medicaid managed care companies, a pediatric accountable care organization and Hospital leadership, all of whom are incentivized through state Medicaid programs to reduce prematurity-related hospital costs and child maltreatment. Dissemination of findings, training materials and outreach strategies will occur through our national connections with maternal and child health programs and our leadership in the national children’s hospital association.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).