Advancing Health Equity Via Basic Income + Early Childhood Systems Integration: An RCT of the Baby Bonus Program

Summary

Early childhood is a critical period, laying the foundation for future growth and deveopment. This foundational period has an outsized effect, impacting health, well-being and achievement across one's lifespan. The U.S. lacks a cohesive early childhood system to support families with young children ages 0-5. The goal of this randomized controlled trial(RCT) is to test if community-based support via community health workers(CHWs) improves social and health services utilization, and child development. Furthermore, the trial will examine if income support enhances the impact of a CHW integrated system. Participants are English and Spanish speaking families with healthy newborns. This RCT was designed based on family priorities, community capacity and needs in a collective impact model. This trial is anchored at a university based children's hospital and involves many partners: families, county health, county leadership, a leading early childhood non-profit organization, the county's Medicaid managed care organization.

Eligibility

Age range

0+ years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Behavioral
  Community Health Worker

  A Community Health Worker will assist participants in navigating the medical system and connecting the participants to community services during the first three years of their child's life.

• Behavioral
  Community Health Worker + Guaranteed Basic Income

  A Community Health Worker will assist participants in navigating the medical system and connecting the participants to community services during the first three years of their child's life. Participants will also receive a monthly unconditional cash gift for the first three years of their child's life.

Location