Government Assistance Programs Research Articles

Environmental Standards: Government Strategies for Setting Deadlines

The acceleration of global warming has forced governments to further monitor and regulate the greenhouse gas emissions of industry. One of the simplest and most common approaches that governments use to reduce firms' emissions is to set an environmental standard for firms to comply with before a specific deadline. In this study, we examine how a government should set the deadline for a new standard in a market with two competing firms, both of whom make technology development and production decisions. Our work takes the perspective of the government and emphasizes the timing of her decision, a critical and yet understudied dimension in the literature. We find that, in general, when setting the deadline, the government should focus on how the firms are differentiated. Specifically, when the environmental impact of firms' noncompliance is high, the government should focus on potential differences in the firms' production abilities and leverage the effect of market competition to set an earlier deadline. When instead, the impact is low, the government should focus on whether differences exist between the firms' development capabilities and set a deadline such that all firms comply on time. Extending our base model, we find that (i) a government assistance program can be an effective complementary lever (to a deadline) for decreasing firms' compliance times and costs, and (ii) to ensure compliance, the government should almost always set the deadline in a way to promote collaboration amongst firms.

Policy Implementation: The Strengthen Communication In Fishermen Insurance Government Program (BPAN) Tanggetada District, Kolaka Regency

The implementation of communication strengthening policies in the Fishermen Insurance of Government Assistance program in Tanggetada District, Kolaka Regency. The methods used in this study were analyzed using qualitative descriptive techniques. The informants in this study consisted of the Fisheries Secretary, Head of Small Fishermen Empowerment, Partnership Section, Science and Technology and Small Business Information in the Fisheries Sector, Small Fishermen Training and Assistance Section, Tanggetada District Extension Officer, Fishermen. Types and sources of data used in the study use primary and secondary data. The results of communication research in the socialization of the implementation of the Fishermen Insurance Government Assistance program (BPAN) have not been going well because information about BPAN has not been distributed to all fishermen in Tanggetada District. Communication is critical to the success of achieving the goals of implementation. For effective implementation, those who must be responsible for the implementation of a policy must know what to do. The government to implement policies must be conveyed clearly, accurately, and consistently to capable people. So the implementation of the Fishermen Insurance Government Assistance program (BPAN) carries out socialization actions to fishermen and prepares coordination for fishermen insurance recipients.

IMPLEMENTASI METODE FUZY-SIMPLE ADDITIVE WEIGHTNG (F-SAW) UNTUK SISTEM PENERIMA BANTUAN RUMAH DI KECAMATAN AMARASI KABUPATEN KUPANG

Penerima bantuan rumah untuk warga yang kurang mampu merupakan program bantuan pemerintah yang memiliki anggaran yang terbatas sehingga tidak semua masyarakat menerima bantuan rumah. Penentuan kriteria penerima bantuan rumah dapat dilihat dari 13 kriteria yaitu umur, pendidikan, pekerjaan, penghasilan, kepemilikan tanah, kepemilkan rumah, jumlah pengghuni, kondisi atap, kondisi dinding, kondisi lantai, kepemilikan kamar mandi, sumber air, sumber listrik. Untuk mendapatkan penerima yang layak diperlukan sebuah Sistem Pendukung Keputusan (SPK) agar mempermudah pihak pemerintah dalam memberikan bantuan rumah untuk warga yang kurang mampu. Metode Fuzzy Simple Additive Weighting (F-SAW) merupakan salah satu metode dalam SPK yang dapat membantu menyelesaikan masalah tidak terstruktur serta dapat mengakomodir kekurangan metode SAW dalam penilaian yang bersifat linguistik dan numerik. Pengujian sistem yang dilakukan menggunakan pengujian sensitivitas yaitu dengan merubah nilai bobot masing-masing kriteria secara bertahap. Dari pengujian sensitifitas diatas yang telah dilakukan, kriteria pendidikan paling sensitif karena saat dilakukan pengujian sebanyak tiga kali dari bobot tinggi diubah menjadi sanggat tinggi mengalami 1 kali perubahan, rendah mengalami 4 kali perubahan dan sangat rendah mengalami 4 kali perubahan, dengan perubahan tersebut didapatkan hasil presentasi 90 % untuk kriteria pendidikan. Dari hasil perbandingan yang telah dilakukan antara Dinas Sosial dan sistem, kuota data yang layak untuk menerima bantuan rumah sebanyak 30 data dari Dinas Sosial menunjukan bahwa total kuota data tersebut 20 yang sama dengan sistem dan 10 data tidak sama dengan sistem.

SISTEM PENDUKUNG PENGAMBILAN KEPUTUSAN SELEKSI PENERIMAAN BERAS (RASKIN) MENGGUNAKAN METODE AHP Studi Kasus: Kelurahan Tanjung Harapan Kotabumi Lampung Utara

Raskin merupakan salah satu program bantuan pemerintah yang berbentuk penyaluran beras kepada warga miskin agar dapat memenuhi kebutuhan rumah tangganya, dalam pendistribusian Raskin terkadang ditemui kendala-kendala, kendalanya bisa dari masyarakat atau petugas itu sendiri. Permasalahan yang dihadapi adalah penilaian masih bersifat subjektif. Hal ini dikhawatirkan menimbulkan ketidaktepatan dalam menilai sehingga raskin tidak tepat sasaran.
 Penyaluran raskin harus dilakukan dengan baik, transapran dan terorganisir agar raskin yang diterima tepat sasaran dan benar-benar orang yang membutuhkan. Oleh karena itu dibutuhkan sistem pendukung keputusan untuk membantu petugas dalam menyeleksi warga yang berhak menerima bantuan raskin tersebut berdasarkan kriteria-kriteria yang sudah ditentukan. Metode sistem pendukung keputusan yang digunakan dalam pengambilan keputusan ini adalah metode Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) untuk pengolahan datanya. Dalam merancang sistem ini digunakan alat bantu seperti DFD dan Flowchart sedangkan metode pengembangan sistemnya menggunakan metode waterfall.
 Sistem Pendukung Pengambilan Keputusan Seleksi Penerima Raskin pada Kelurahan Tanjung Harapan Kotabumi menggunakan Metode Analithycal Hirarchy Process (AHP) memberikan kemudahan dalam mengolah data dan mengambil keputusan untuk menentukan keluarga yang tidak mampu dan berhak menerima bantuan Raskin dan mempermudah dalam pembuatan laporan penerima Raskin.

"You're Ganja Have a Good Time": Investigating the Roots of Blunt Use Among a National Sample of Hispanic Adults.

Blunt use is a pressing public health problem in the United States. While most studies have focused on African American youth, there remains a paucity of research examining blunt use among Hispanic individuals. Previous findings, which are quite limited, suggest mixed results, thus warranting further investigation regarding the prevalence of blunt use among Hispanic individuals and factors associated with such use. In accord with Jessor's problem behavior theory, we hypothesized that prior use of illicit substances and certain psychosocial risk factors pose an increased risk for blunt use among Hispanic adults. A secondary analysis examined prior substance use and psychosocial factors of 10,216 Hispanic lifetime blunt users participating in the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Findings revealed that one in five (20.5%) Hispanic individuals reported lifetime blunt use. Significant risk factors associated with blunt use were age (18+ years or older), participation in a government assistance program, prior illicit substance use, and changes in appetite or weight. Additional research on other risk factors, prevention mechanisms, and treatment interventions for Hispanic individuals who use blunts is warranted.

Structural violence and food insecurity in the lives of formerly homeless young adults living in permanent supportive housing

ABSTRACT In this study, we explore the interconnections between structural violence and food insecurity in the lives of formerly homeless young adults living in permanent supportive housing. Using photovoice, participants identified several forms of structural violence that constrain their ability to access adequate and healthy food, including: insufficient funding through government assistance programs to cover monthly food costs; the lack of affordable, healthy food vendors in proximity to the permanent supportive housing building; and corporate policies at restaurants and grocery stores that prohibit the donation of edible food to employees or to people experiencing homelessness. Participants also reported several strategies for adapting to food insecurity, including rationing, creative combinations of food, and scavenging. Our data suggest that participants’ experiences of food insecurity contributed to feelings of stigma and shame, especially when they were unable to adequately feed themselves or their pets. Implications for programs and policies that address food insecurity for this population are discussed.

Kebijakan Penyaluran Beras Sejahtera Madani di Kelurahan Pematang Pasir Kecamatan Teluk Nibung Kota Tanjungbalai

The purpose of this study is to describe the supporting and inhibiting factors in the implementation of the Madani Prosperous Rice Program in Pematang Pasir Subdistrict, Teluk Nibung Subdistrict, Tanjungbalai City. This research method uses qualitative research with a descriptive-analytical approach. The results showed that the limited time at the planning stage caused the implementation of Madani Prosperous Rice program to be "forced". These time limitations also influence the success of the implementation of each stage and the overall program. In targeting, mistargeting was encountered, although at a relatively low level. This is indicated by the existence of non-poor households who are recipients of Madani Prosperous Rice (leakage) and the existence of poor households that have not yet become recipients (undercoverage). For future management concepts, a household census is collected to collect household socio-economic data, including demographic structure and household characteristics, which are then used as basic information to conduct discriminant analysis to separate poor and non-poor populations. In addition it is necessary to conduct trials through small-scale pilot which need to be continuously evaluated, before the program is run nationally. It is recommended that the government design other programs that can empower the poor, so that they are not too dependent on government assistance programs.

Characterizing the local food environment and grocery-store decision making among a large American Indian community in the north-central USA: qualitative results from the Healthy Foods Healthy Families Feasibility Study.

Perceptions of social-contextual food environments and associated factors that influence food purchases are understudied in American Indian (AI) communities. The purpose of the present study was to: (i) understand the perceived local food environment; (ii) investigate social-contextual factors that influence family food-purchasing choices; and (iii) identify diet intervention strategies. This qualitative study consisted of focus groups with primary household shoppers and key-informant interviews with food retailers, local government food assistance programme directors and a dietitian. An inductive, constant comparison approach was used to identify major themes. A large AI reservation community in the north-central USA. Four focus groups (n 31) and seven key-informant interviews were conducted in February and May 2016. Perceptions of both the higher cost of healthy foods and limited access to these foods influenced the types of foods participants purchased. Dependence on government assistance programmes and the timing of benefits also contributed to the types of foods purchased. Participants described purchasing foods based on the dietary needs and preferences of their children. Suggestions for improving the purchase and consumption of healthy foods included: culturally relevant and family-centred cooking classes and workshops focused on monthly food budgeting. Participants also emphasized the importance of involving the entire community in healthy eating initiatives. Cost and access were the major perceived barriers to healthy eating in this large rural AI community. Recommended interventions included: (i) family-friendly and culturally relevant cooking classes; (ii) healthy food-budgeting skills training; and (iii) approaches that engage the entire community.

Analisis Preferensi dan Kepuasan Penerima Bantuan Pangan Non Tunai (BPNT) terhadap Beras di Kota Denpasar

Analysis of Preference and Satisfaction of Non-Cash Food Aid Recipients (BPNT)Against Rice in Denpasar City.Income differences are one indicator of differences in social classes. The role ofgovernment is very influential in the lower middle class. The government assistanceprogram in the form of Rastra, is channeled in non-cash by transforming from assistanceto subsidy patterns to social assistance (food). The purpose of this study to determinethe characteristics, preferences and customer satisfaction of rice recipients of Non-CashFood Aid (BPNT) was assessed from the level of importance and level of performanceof the attributes of rice provided by rice suppliers in Denpasar City. Data collectionmethod with survey technique and indepth interview. Data analysis used is descriptiveanalysis, Customer Satisfaction Index and Importance Performance Analysis. Based onthis study the characteristics of the dominating respondents, namely the owner of anelectronic account are women as the couple's head of the family. The high and loweducation does not affect the income they have. Most respondents are from the lowerclass who are registered as KPM and are entitled to rice assistance from the BPNTprogram. Rice endurance is the highest value attribute that is an assessment of consumerpreferences. The satisfaction index of rice BPNT recipients with a total of 80.46% is inthe range of 81% - 100% in the category of very satisfied with some improvementsfrom the results of the IPA method. The results of the Cartesius diagram attribute of riceresistance are the main priority to be improved because it is in quadrant I.

Smallholder Oil Palm Production in the Peruvian Amazon: Rethinking the Promise of Associations and Partnerships for Economically Sustainable Livelihoods

Smallholders play a major role in the expansion of oil palm as a global commodity crop. Yet outside of Southeast Asia, there is limited research on how it impacts smallholder livelihoods. This paper examines how different smallholder modes of production have emerged in the largest oil palm producing region of the Peruvian Amazon, Ucayali, and presents a typology of these arrangements. The socio-economic outcomes of these modes are analyzed using a survey of 200 smallholders and 14 months of participant observation. Results show that there is considerable variation in how smallholders produce oil palm, and in the outcomes associated with different production strategies. Independent production, corporate partnerships, and government assistance programs were viewed positively by smallholders. However, smallholders’ knowledge about the workings of the market, the role of associations, and their own financial circumstances was poor. Different modes of production yield different outcomes in terms of debt burdens, dependency on powerful actors for information, and crop and livelihood diversity. These outcomes had implications for the economic sustainability of oil palm for smallholder livelihoods. Importantly, corporate partnerships have generated comparatively massive debt burdens for smallholders. On the other hand, under other production scenarios smallholders may hold significant power over decisions, and can benefit economically from oil palm, which has important implications for ethical oil-palm debates and decision making.

Social determinants to lifetime methamphetamine use among a national sample of adults

ABSTRACTThe study purpose was to examine social determinants associated with lifetime methamphetamine use among a national sample of adults. A secondary analysis of the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health was conducted. The results from the final multivariable logistic regression model revealed that adults at increased odds for lifetime methamphetamine use were those who were male, 26 years of age or older, participated in a government assistance program, reported their health as good/fair/poor, and used cigarettes, alcohol, and/or marijuana before the age of 21. Recommendations for future studies are included.

Social Capital and Community Participation on Infrastructure Development in Pajaran Village, Malang Regency Indonesia

Indonesian statistics on village potential (2014) indicate that the province of East Java has not catch up with the infrastructure of its villages. The government is overcomes this delay through ADD (Alokasi Dana Desa/Village Fund Allocation). ADD is a government assistance program based on community participation. Desa Pajaran is part of the village group in Malang regency, which is a priority for ADD. The Mid Planning of Pajaran village 2014-2019 mentions that the priority program of the village of Pajaran is the improvement and development of infrastructure funded by ADD. The aims of the study are: 1) identification the participation level, which is divided into decision-making stage, implementation phase and utilization stage; 2) determine the factors forming social capital and social capital models and their relationship with participation. The result show that the level of participation in Desa Pajaran is low (57.5%). The structural equation model (SEM) analysis conducted in the Mplus program revealed that community social capital consisted of three elements: trust, social networks, and social norms. Trust is formed on six factors, social networks and social norms are formed on two factors. Social networks are an element of social capital that directly affects community participation in infrastructure development programs, while social beliefs and norms have an indirect relationship with community participation. The better social beliefs and norms, the better the network and community participation.

Constructing a toolkit to evaluate quality of state and local administrative data

In the United States, state and local agencies administering government assistance programs have in their administrative data a powerful resource for policy analysis to inform evaluation and guide improvement of their programs. Understanding different aspects of their administrative data quality is critical for agencies to conduct such analyses and to improve their data for future use. However, state and local agencies often lack the resources and training for staff to conduct rigorous evaluations of data quality. We describe our efforts in developing tools that can be used to assess data quality as well as the challenges encountered in constructing these tools. The toolkit focuses on critical dimensions of quality for analyzing an administrative dataset, including checks on data accuracy, the completeness of the records, and the comparability of the data over time and among subgroups of interest. State and local administrative databases often include a longitudinal component which our toolkit also aims to exploit to help evaluate data quality. In addition, we incorporate data visualization to draw attention to sets of records or variables that contain outliers or for which quality may be a concern. While we seek to develop general tools for common data quality analyses, most administrative datasets have particularities that can benefit from a customized analysis building on our toolkit.

Beyond Income: Expanding our Empirical Toolkit to Better Predict Caregiver Well-Being

Despite growing concern that income alone does not capture how low-income families are managing financially, it continues to be one of the most commonly used indicators of socioeconomic status and is routinely used as a qualifying factor for government assistance programs. Income can be difficult to measure accurately and alone may not be the best predictor of caregiver well-being, in particular among ethnically diverse families. A more nuanced understanding may be critical for identifying families in need of services and supporting success after enrollment in need-based programming. Thus, the current study investigated the relationship between traditional (low income, low education, unemployment), and less traditional (economic pressure, economic hardship, perceived social status, crowding) socioeconomic indicators and caregiver well-being (caregiver depressive symptoms, anxiety, dysfunction in the parent-child relationship) using data from a multisite study. Participants were 978 racially/ethnically diverse caregivers (97% female) of young children enrolled in Early Head Start programming from six sites across the United States. Exploratory factor analyses resulted in a three-factor model, capturing demographic risk, resource strain, and perceived social status. The Resource Strain factor was most strongly associated with greater caregiver depressive and anxiety symptoms, and dysfunction in the parent-child relationship. Further, hierarchical regression models revealed up to a four-fold increase in variance explained when adding economic strain along with traditional variables to models predicting caregiver well-being. Results support the need to supplement traditional economic measurement when supporting families experiencing low income and for measuring poverty among ethnically diverse families.

Cooking Frequency Associated With Dietary Quality in iCook-4H Youth Participants at Baseline.

Background:Increased intakes of ready-made and fast foods paralleled with decreased homemade food consumption have been associated with increased rates of obesity. Researchers have shown associations between cooking self-efficacy (SE) and cooking frequency (CF) with dietary quality and weight status. Some cooking interventions have shown positive associations with dietary outcomes, such as increased fruit and vegetable intake and decreased fast food consumption. There is still much unknown about SE and CF, especially among youth.Objective:Determine baseline SE and CF and the associations with dietary quality and body mass index (BMI) of youth enrolled in iCook 4H.Methods:Youth (n = 228, ages 9-10 years) completed online surveys assessing SE, CF, dietary quality, and demographics. Anthropometrics were collected to calculate BMI-for-age percentiles and weight categories. Descriptive statistics were completed for CF, SE, BMI categories, and demographics. Differences in CF and SE by sex, race, and participation in government assistance programs were determined through independent-sample t tests. Pearson correlations were used to assess the association between dietary quality and CF and SE. Associations between CF and dietary quality were assessed further through 2-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) that included CF and sex and CF and race as independent variables. Associations between SE and CF and BMI were assessed through ANOVAs.Results:Thirty-seven percent of youth were overweight or obese. Females reported significantly higher CF than males (P = .042). Cooking frequency was positively associated with dietary quality (P < .001), but BMI was not associated with dietary quality. SE was not associated with dietary quality or BMI.Conclusion:Based on results, CF was positively associated with dietary quality among youth. More research is needed to assess how different types of cooking relate to diet and BMI. Interventions are needed to determine whether increasing CF leads to better diet outcomes.

A descriptive profile of state Child Care and Development Fund policies in states with high populations of low-income Hispanic children

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) serves dual goals of promoting low-income parents' employment, education, and training, and supporting parents’ use of high quality child care and education. While changes in CCDF policies have aimed to improve the accessibility and functionality of CCDF subsidies for all eligible low-income families, utilization among Hispanic families, who represent the highest growing proportion of income poor families, remains low. Our study explores the ways in which the state-level child care policy context may differentially affect utilization among Hispanic families and contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in program utilization. We use the child care accommodation model and administrative exclusion to offer an expanded conceptual framework. We consider how policies and administrative practices may interact with demographic and community characteristics common among low-income Hispanic families and impose differential learning, psychological, and compliance costs for accessing government assistance programs such as CCDF. Our analysis of the 13 states in which over 80% of the low-income Hispanic child population resides, identifies policies around eligibility, documentation requirements, receipt prioritization, and the online user experience that vary across states and may serve to either facilitate or constrain access to a child care subsidy. Implications for the design of child care policies to equitably support economic and child well-being for all eligible families are discussed.

Housing Voucher Take-Up and Labor Market Impacts.

Low participation rates in government assistance programs are a major policy concern in the United States. This paper studies take-up of Section 8 housing vouchers, a program in which take-up rates are quite low among interested and eligible households. We link 18,109 households in Chicago that were offered vouchers through a lottery to administrative data and study how baseline employment, earnings, public assistance, arrests, residential location, and children's academic performance predict take-up. Our analysis finds mixed evidence of whether the most disadvantaged or distressed households face the largest barriers to program participation. We also study the causal impact of peer behavior on take-up by exploiting idiosyncratic variation in the timing of voucher offers. We find that the probability of lease-up increases with the number of neighbors who recently received voucher offers. Finally, we explore the policy implications of increasing housing voucher take-up by applying reweighting methods to existing causal impact estimates of voucher receipt. This analysis suggests that greater utilization of vouchers may lead to larger reductions in labor market activity. Differences in take-up rates across settings may be important to consider when assessing the external validity of studies identifying the effects of public assistance programs.

Wind Energy Exploration over the Atacama Desert: A Numerical Model–Guided Observational Program

AbstractOver the past 15 years, Chile’s energy agencies have undertaken a series of projects aimed at evaluating the wind energy potential of the northern part of the country (western South America between 18° and 32°S), including the Atacama Desert. These projects have produced an unprecedented database of wind observations and ancillary meteorological data over an especially interesting climatic region, including more than 30 sites with 20-m meteorological masts and six high towers (60–80 m) with multilevel wind and temperature measurements. Measuring periods vary between 1 and 10 years, with about half the stations having 5 or more years of data. Site selection was guided by the results of a mesoscale numerical model, so the program provides a good example of modeling–observation interaction, as well as being a demonstration of a successful collaboration between government, university, and international assistance programs. This paper describes the publically available database of meteorological measurements, provides examples of regional climatological features revealed by the observations, compares observations with model results, and describes how the information provided by the program has contributed to the development of wind energy projects in the region.

Produce Rx Programs for Diet-Based Chronic Disease Prevention

To explore the ethical and policy implications of produce prescription (Rx) programs, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature on existing Rx programs in February 2018. A review of the literature identified 19 articles published on produce Rx programs; all were included in the review. Inclusion criteria were interactions between a medical professional and patient in a health care setting where a prescription for the consumption of fruits and vegetables was provided. Programs were further classified by whether patients were recruited based on eligibility criteria such as low socioeconomic status, diet-related condition, and the type of referring physician. An ethical matrix was then used to evaluate well-being, autonomy, and fairness from the perspectives of adult and child patients, patient families, participating local farmers, physicians, and government assistance programs. Patients with low income were subjects of 14 articles; 13 studies identified populations with diet-related health conditions such as diabetes or hypertension. Only 9 studies examined both health conditions and low socioeconomic status. An ethical analysis indicated that despite reducing financial burdens and increasing food choice, Rx programs might have unintended psychosocial consequences on participants with low income. Health care professionals benefit from employing a partnership model of care, building trust, and emotional intelligence. Participating farmers benefit from an enlarged customer base but might experience greater financial burdens. Some produce Rx programs could use existing government assistance programs (ie, Medicaid in medically underserved areas or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in food deserts), although disbursement may be cost inefficient and disorganized without policy cohesion at all levels of government. Future research must test a variety of produce Rx program designs to ameliorate tradeoffs between well-being, fairness, and autonomy. As pilots grow in scale, produce Rx programs must acknowledge the critical roles and perspectives of health care professionals and local participating farmers. Programs must also determine whether Rx incentives will use the existing government assistance programs to identify patients with low income, with diet-related health conditions, or with both.

Living Arrangements for Sex Offenders in Ohio: Effects of Economics, Law, and Government Assistance Programs

Throughout the United States, Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) laws have created housing issues for registered sex offenders (RSOs). As a result of SORN, many RSOs may need to rely on family members for their housing needs. This study, drawing on data from 188 adult male RSOs in Ohio, focused on two separate SORN laws (i.e., Megan’s Law and the Adam Walsh Act). The findings suggest that neither law influences RSOs’ living with family members. However, the results did conclude that an RSO’s income, receipt of government assistance, or being on probation/parole predicted the odds of living with family members. Policy implications of such findings are discussed.