What is the mechanism of action of this treatment?

Unconditional cash transfers, such as providing $500 per month for 12 months, directly improve financial stability for families living in poverty. This financial support can reduce stress and improve the mental and physical health of parents, which positively impacts child health and well-being. Additionally, the increased financial resources can enhance access to healthcare, nutrition, and education for children, thereby addressing both immediate needs and contributing to long-term improvements in their quality of life and future opportunities.

What side effects are associated with this type of intervention?

Unconditional cash transfers, such as the $500 per month for 12 months being studied, generally aim to improve financial stability and overall well-being. Known side effects are typically positive, including improved parental physical and mental health, better child health and healthcare utilization, and reduced interactions with the child welfare system. However, potential negative side effects could include dependency on the cash transfers and possible misuse of funds, although these are less commonly reported.

What prior FDA approvals exist?

There are no FDA-approved treatments for child poverty as it is a socio-economic issue rather than a medical condition. However, interventions similar to the unconditional cash transfers being studied, such as direct financial assistance programs, have been implemented in various forms globally. These programs aim to improve financial stability and overall well-being by providing families with regular, unconditional cash payments to alleviate poverty and its associated stressors.

What other types of research exist?

Promising alternatives to Unconditional Cash Transfers for improving financial stability and overall well-being in child poverty patients include: 1) Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) that require specific behaviors such as school attendance or healthcare visits, 2) In-kind transfers providing goods or services directly, 3) Comprehensive social support programs combining financial aid with job training, education, and healthcare access, and 4) Community-based interventions empowering local organizations to support families in need.

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Cash Transfers for Child Poverty

N/A

Waitlist Available

Led By Stacia West, PhD

Research Sponsored by University of Pennsylvania

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up 18 months

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial will provide financial assistance to families in need in three New York counties. The goal is to see if this help improves the health and well-being of parents and children and reduces their involvement with child welfare services.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adults over 18 living in Monroe, Onondaga, or Westchester County, New York who have been invited by an OCFS caseworker and met state eligibility for the Family Assessment Response (FAR) within the last six months.

What is being tested?

The study tests if giving families $500 monthly with no conditions affects parental health, child health and healthcare use, financial stability, and interactions with child welfare services. It's a randomized controlled trial comparing cash transfers to no direct transfers.

What are the potential side effects?

Since this trial involves financial interventions rather than medical treatments, there are no traditional side effects. However, potential impacts could include changes in stress levels or decision-making behaviors.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ 18 months

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~18 months

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 18 months for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Family Assessment Response (FAR) track reports to CPS

Foster care placements

Indicated reports to CPS

+4 more

Secondary study objectives

Child missed medical care

Child school truancy

Family dynamics and parenting (CHAOS)

+9 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Treatment GroupExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants in the treatment group will receive $500 per month for 12 months

Group II: Control GroupActive Control1 Intervention

Participants in the control group will not receive monthly cash benefits.

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Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.

Mechanism Of Action

Side Effect Profile

Prior Approvals

Other Research

Unconditional cash transfers, such as providing $500 per month for 12 months, directly improve financial stability for families living in poverty. This financial support can reduce stress and improve the mental and physical health of parents, which positively impacts child health and well-being. Additionally, the increased financial resources can enhance access to healthcare, nutrition, and education for children, thereby addressing both immediate needs and contributing to long-term improvements in their quality of life and future opportunities.

Measuring the Effects of a Demonstration to Reduce Childhood Food Insecurity: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Nevada Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Project.The CARE Plus study - a whole-system intervention to improve quality of life of primary care patients with multimorbidity in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation: exploratory cluster randomised controlled trial and cost-utility analysis.Economic evaluation of stuttering treatment in preschool children: The RESTART-study.