Families receiving Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), Maryland’s equivalent of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, are one of the most economically marginalized groups in the state. Even though these parents and their children are receiving assistance from the state to navigate a rough patch, they are still more likely to face housing insecurity and homelessness than other Marylanders. Maryland has some of the highest housing costs in the nation, and families that receive TCA cannot afford unsubsidized rent in the state. Many of the families receiving cash assistance are likely to also qualify for housing assistance programs but, due to deeply inadequate funding of such programs, many who are eligible are unable to receive the help they need. Maryland policymakers can tackle the housing burden for families receiving TCA in various ways, such as eliminating penalties that reduce cash assistance amounts for families also receiving subsidized housing,…

Maryland children, particularly those living in poverty and children of color, are facing significant challenges, which prior to the COVID-19 pandemic had been trending in the wrong direction but has been markedly exposed in its aftermath. A precipitous fall in fourth grade reading and eighth grade math proficiency among students in Maryland between 2019 and 2022 indicates the urgent need for Maryland leaders and policy makers to do more to prepare children to learn and prepare them for success later in life. Chronic absenteeism along with adverse childhood experiences are also factors that are impacting the current and future wellbeing of children in the state. Maryland ranks 22st in child well-being, according to the 2024 KIDS COUNT® Data Book just released by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Data Book, released annually, is a 50-state report of recent household data developed by the Foundation that analyzes how children and families…

Maryland’s immigrant communities are driving economic and population growth in the state, according to a report the Office of the Comptroller recently published. But while immigration positively impacts communities in Maryland and across the U.S., immigrants face significant barriers that make it harder to immigrate and successfully find well-paying or permanent jobs. Although the most impactful policy changes for immigrants are centralized at the federal level, Maryland can also find ways to support immigrants living here. Maryland is already home to large immigrant communities from El Salvador, China, and India, among other countries, and it benefits all Marylanders to ensure that these residents can fully and equitably participate in all facets of life in the state. In fact, Maryland has made great strides to pass immigrant-friendly policies over several years, which has strengthened our communities and our economy. To name some: Senate Bill 167 of 2011/SB 537 of 2019 expanded…

2020 Census formPhoto by M via Wikimedia Commons This spring, the federal government updated its standards governing data on race and ethnicity for the first time in 27 years. Informed by years of research and community engagement, the new standards are widely expected to offer improved insights into the ways policy choices impact Americans of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Once fully implemented, the new standards’ impacts will range from the U.S. Census Bureau to state and local agencies that administer many federal programs. While publication of the new standards is an important step, federal, state, and local agencies must now get to work implementing the standards effectively. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) first published comprehensive rules for the collection of race and ethnicity data by federal agencies in 1977. These standards have impacts felt throughout American society – here are just a few: Census data on…

Not accurately counting the number of people living in a certain jurisdiction during the decennial census can have far-reaching implications, from loss of federal funds to the skewing of data used to determine how many congressional representatives each state gets, as well as representation in state legislatures and local government. Recently the Census Bureau released new experimental estimates showing that young children ages 0 to 4, a historically undercounted population in decennial censuses, continued to be undercounted in every state in the 2020 census. Maryland was among 14 states and the District of Columbia with a larger undercount than the nation as a whole. The report showed that despite the unprecedented challenges of the 2020 census, due to the pandemic, the quality remained consistent with the same population groups historically undercounted and others overcounted. In fact, the 2020 Census had a larger undercount of young children than every other census…

The 2024 legislative session saw Maryland lawmakers struggle to balance the need for improved social safety nets and economic well-being with the reality of the state’s fiscal challenges. Unlike the past couple of years, which brought new initiatives and temporary but larger amounts of funding to prevent the exacerbation of existing health and economic disparities during the pandemic, Maryland did little to move the needle this year on strengthening public benefits for children, families, and low-income individuals. The truth is that we need to build on the progress already made, and such investments will need continued and increased funding. And while this year’s changes were modest in comparison to some of the more impactful changes of the last few years, they will still benefit thousands of low- and moderate-income Marylanders.   Governor Moore’s ENOUGH Act passed with funding changes Championed by Governor Moore, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 482/House…

The budget deal lawmakers reached last week made some progress on funding transportation needs, but left considerable uncertainty about the state’s ability to fund education, child care, and other essential services in coming years. Ongoing general fund revenues are currently projected to fall $1.7 billion short of the state’s budget needs in FY 2026, increasing to nearly $3.3 billion by FY 2028. Deep cuts to the building blocks of strong Maryland communities will become unavoidable if Gov. Moore and the General Assembly do not act decisively to raise new revenue next year. This year’s legislative session opened with dual budget challenges: First, the state faced nearly $3 billion per year in projected structural deficits by the end of the five-year budget forecast window, driven by the lack of sufficient new revenue to support the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future school funding reform. The Board of Revenue Estimates’ downward revision slightly worsened…

As a growing number of low-income households across the country who rely on food and cash assistance to purchase food and other essentials began experiencing thefts of funds from their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, Maryland was among the first states to take action and ensure that people who experience theft can promptly have their benefits replaced. Now, proposed legislation puts that program at risk. Families experiencing EBT theft cannot afford to not have their stolen benefits replaced. Households receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) should not only feel secure knowing that the state will do everything in their power to protect their benefits from theft, but that reimbursement of such benefits is guaranteed if such event were to occur. These programs provide critical food and cash assistance that help meet families’ everyday needs. However, House Bill 1434 would potentially leave families…

New budget forecasts show our state facing growing fiscal challenges, even as we continue to underinvest in essential services that enable Maryland communities to thrive. As the 2024 legislative session nears, Gov. Moore and lawmakers must decide how to address these challenges. Closing corporate tax loopholes and asking wealthy individuals to pay their fair share would generate the resources we need to support great schools, effective government, and modern transportation networks. Maryland faces considerable fiscal challenges: The state faces a projected $761 million general fund structural deficit in the budget year that begins next July (FY 2025). This is the amount by which regular, ongoing expenditures are expected to exceed ongoing revenues. This shortfall is forecast to reach nearly $2.7 billion by FY 2029, driven largely by increasing education costs. These deficits are somewhat larger than state analysts forecast last month, for two main reasons: The state Board of Revenue…

When families go through a challenging period, income support programs are vital to helping them keep food on the table and a roof over their heads as they get back on their feet. The federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program helps families afford the basics when they are experiencing employment insecurity, sudden health complications, or other economic distress from personal or familial emergencies. In Maryland, the TANF core programs are cash assistance, known as Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) and the job-training program, known as the Work Opportunities Program. Families receive these benefits and services through the Family Investment Program. Core programs are meant to serve the four purposes of TANF which include: Providing assistance to low-income families so that children can be cared for in their homes; Promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; Preventing and reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and Encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families TANF…