Child PovertyNCT05857553
Cash Transfers to Address Child Welfare Involvement
A study testing Unconditional Cash Transfer and No Direct Cash Transfer in people with Child Poverty, run by University of Pennsylvania at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
In partnership with New York Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), investigators will execute a randomized controlled trial to determine the impacts of unconditional cash transfers of $500 per month for 12 months. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Child Poverty
- What is being tested?
- Unconditional Cash Transfer and No Direct Cash Transfer
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 450 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2023to 15 Dec 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- ● Self-reported enrollment in another cash transfer study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106
About this study
Official title: Unconditional Cash Transfers to Address Poverty as a Fundamental Cause of Child Welfare Involvement
In partnership with New York Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), investigators will execute a randomized controlled trial to determine the impacts of unconditional cash transfers of $500 per month for 12 months. Investigators will measure the impacts of the unconditional cash transfers on parental physical and mental health, child health and healthcare utilization, financial stability, and interactions with the child welfare system.
Read the detailed description
Poverty has been identified as a powerful predictor of child maltreatment and child welfare involvement. Recent research shows that even modest economic and concrete supports are associated with reduced child maltreatment and involvement with child welfare. Toward that end, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), in partnership with the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR), University of Pennsylvania is conducting on randomized controlled trial of unconditional cash transfers among families with prior child welfare referrals in three New York counties in 2023.
The project will enroll approximately 150 households in Monroe, Onondaga, and Westchester counties to receive $500 per month, unconditionally, over a one-year period, totaling $6,000 per family. Another 300 will be assigned to the control group and will not receive the unconditional cash transfers but will be eligible to participate in research activities. Families will be eligible if they were served through differential response, called Family Assessment Response (FAR) in New York State. FAR is used for CPS reports that have been accepted by the New York State Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR) where there is no safety concern that rises to the level of immediate or impending danger for the child and/or family. Often, families served in the FAR track have been referred for poverty-related social needs.
Randomized Controlled Trial Design: Households referred and determined eligible for Family Assessment Response (FAR) will be invited to participate in a randomized controlled trial of unconditional cash transfers. Approximately 150 individuals will be randomly assigned to the treatment group and will receive the $500 unconditional cash transfers for one year. Another 300 will be assigned to the control group and will not receive the unconditional cash transfers but will be eligible to participate in research activities. Youth Research Inc. (YRI), an agency contracted by the New York Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), will disburse funds on a debit card. me but will be invited to participate in compensated research activities. Longitudinal repeated measures will be utilized through surveys conducted at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. Future involvement with child welfare will be measured using linked administrative data from OCFS.
- Conditions
- Child Poverty
- Being tested
- Unconditional Cash Transfer, No Direct Cash Transfer
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Unconditional Cash TransferOther
Also called Direct Cash Transfer, Guaranteed Income
Unconditional monthly transfer of $500 to household
No Direct Cash TransferOther
No intervention
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group | Experimental | Participants in the treatment group will receive $500 per month for 12 months Receives: Other: Unconditional Cash Transfer |
| Control Group | Active comparator | Participants in the control group will not receive monthly cash benefits. Receives: Other: No Direct Cash Transfer |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Unfounded reports to CPS
Count of unfounded reports using CPS administrative data
Measured: 18 months
Investigative Track reports to CPS
Count of Investigative Track using CPS administrative data
Measured: 18 months
Indicated reports to CPS
Count of Indicated reports using CPS administrative data
Measured: 18 Months
Substantiated reports to CPS
Count of Substantiated reports using CPS administrative data
Measured: 18 Months
Family Assessment Response (FAR) track reports to CPS
Count of Family Assessment Response (FAR) track reports using CPS administrative dat
Measured: 18 months
Unsubstantiated reports to CPS
Count of Unsubstantiated reports using CPS administrative data
Measured: 18 months
Foster care placements
Count of Foster care placements using CPS administrative data
Measured: 18 months
Secondary outcomes (12)
Parental self-reported general health (SF-36)
Average of 5-point likert scale score on 5 questions
Measured: 12 months
Mental health (Kessler 10)
Each item is scored from one 'none of the time' to five 'all of the time'. Scores of the 10 items are then summed, yielding a minimum score of 10 and a maximum score of 50. Low scores indicate low levels of psychological distress and high scores indicate high levels of psychological distress.
Measured: 12 months
Stress and coping (Perceived Stress Scale - 4)
Each item is scored from "never" to "all of the time" on a 5-point scale. Scores of 4 items are then summed, yielding a minimum score of 0 and a highest score of 16. Higher scores are correlated to more stress
Measured: 12 months
Family dynamics and parenting (CHAOS)
Each item is scored "yes" or "no". Scores of the items are then summed. The higher the score the higher the level of environmental chaos in the home.
Measured: 12 months
Parental Stress Sale
18-item questionnaire assessing parents' feelings about their parenting role, exploring both positive aspects (e.g. emotional benefits, personal development) and negative aspects of parenthood (e.g. demands on resources, feelings of stress). Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Parental stress scores range from 18 to 90, with lower scores indicating lower levels of parental stress.
Measured: 12 months
Food insecurity
Answer to single item question "In the past four weeks, did you worry that your household would not have enough food?"
Measured: 12 months
Child missed medical care
Parental yes/no report of any child in home with missed medical care in preceding 6 months
Measured: 12 months
Child school truancy
Parental report of day of missed school for each child in the home aged 6-17 in the preceding 6 months
Measured: 12 months
Hours per week of relative childcare
Parent-reported number of hours each week each child 0-5 spends receiving care from a relative other than a parent or guardian
Measured: 12 months
Hours per week of non-relative childcare
Parent-reported number of hours each week each child 0-5 spends receiving care from a non-relative
Measured: 12 hours
Hours per week of formal childcare
Parent-reported number of hours each week each child 0-5 spends receiving care in a day care center, preschool, or prekindergarten
Measured: 12 months
Financial-well being (CFPB Financial Well-Being Scale
Each item is scored 0 to 4 and summed to a total. The sum total is then converted to a total response value on the CFPB Financial Well-Being Scale score from 0-100.
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 May 2023
- Study start1 Jun 2023
- Primary completion15 Dec 2024
- Study completion15 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Child PovertyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of PennsylvaniaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 450 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Redlich Horwitz Foundation, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Stacia West, University of Pennsylvania
- Investigators
- Stacia West, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Pennsylvania/University of Tennessee
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05857553
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- OCFS DCT Pilot
- Status last verified
- Jan 2025
- First submitted
- 28 Apr 2023
- Last updated
- 28 Jan 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Jan 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Unconditional Cash Transfers to Address Poverty as a Fundamental Cause of Child Welfare Involvement
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05857553
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- OCFS DCT Pilot
- Conditions
- Child Poverty
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 450 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PennsylvaniaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Redlich Horwitz Foundation, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 12 May 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
In partnership with New York Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), investigators will execute a randomized controlled trial to determine the impacts of unconditional cash transfers of $500 per month for 12 months. Investigators will measure the impacts of the unconditional cash transfers on parental physical and mental health, child health and healthcare utilization, financial stability, and interactions with the child welfare system.
Detailed description
Poverty has been identified as a powerful predictor of child maltreatment and child welfare involvement. Recent research shows that even modest economic and concrete supports are associated with reduced child maltreatment and involvement with child welfare. Toward that end, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), in partnership with the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) and the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR), University of Pennsylvania is conducting on randomized controlled trial of unconditional cash transfers among families with prior child welfare referrals in three New York counties in 2023.
The project will enroll approximately 150 households in Monroe, Onondaga, and Westchester counties to receive $500 per month, unconditionally, over a one-year period, totaling $6,000 per family. Another 300 will be assigned to the control group and will not receive the unconditional cash transfers but will be eligible to participate in research activities. Families will be eligible if they were served through differential response, called Family Assessment Response (FAR) in New York State. FAR is used for CPS reports that have been accepted by the New York State Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR) where there is no safety concern that rises to the level of immediate or impending danger for the child and/or family. Often, families served in the FAR track have been referred for poverty-related social needs.
Randomized Controlled Trial Design: Households referred and determined eligible for Family Assessment Response (FAR) will be invited to participate in a randomized controlled trial of unconditional cash transfers. Approximately 150 individuals will be randomly assigned to the treatment group and will receive the $500 unconditional cash transfers for one year. Another 300 will be assigned to the control group and will not receive the unconditional cash transfers but will be eligible to participate in research activities. Youth Research Inc. (YRI), an agency contracted by the New York Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), will disburse funds on a debit card. me but will be invited to participate in compensated research activities. Longitudinal repeated measures will be utilized through surveys conducted at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. Future involvement with child welfare will be measured using linked administrative data from OCFS.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group | Experimental | Other: Unconditional Cash TransferParticipants in the treatment group will receive $500 per month for 12 months |
| Control Group | Active comparator | Other: No Direct Cash TransferParticipants in the control group will not receive monthly cash benefits. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- ● Self-reported enrollment in another cash transfer study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Unconditional Cash TransferAlso: Direct Cash Transfer, Guaranteed IncomeUnconditional monthly transfer of $500 to household | Other | Treatment Group |
| No Direct Cash TransferNo intervention | Other | Control Group |
Primary outcome
Unfounded reports to CPS
Time frame: 18 months
Count of unfounded reports using CPS administrative data
Investigative Track reports to CPS
Time frame: 18 months
Count of Investigative Track using CPS administrative data
Indicated reports to CPS
Time frame: 18 Months
Count of Indicated reports using CPS administrative data
Substantiated reports to CPS
Time frame: 18 Months
Count of Substantiated reports using CPS administrative data
Family Assessment Response (FAR) track reports to CPS
Time frame: 18 months
Count of Family Assessment Response (FAR) track reports using CPS administrative dat
Unsubstantiated reports to CPS
Time frame: 18 months
Count of Unsubstantiated reports using CPS administrative data
Foster care placements
Time frame: 18 months
Count of Foster care placements using CPS administrative data
12 secondary outcomes
Parental self-reported general health (SF-36)
Time frame: 12 months
Mental health (Kessler 10)
Time frame: 12 months
Stress and coping (Perceived Stress Scale - 4)
Time frame: 12 months
Family dynamics and parenting (CHAOS)
Time frame: 12 months
Parental Stress Sale
Time frame: 12 months
Food insecurity
Time frame: 12 months
Child missed medical care
Time frame: 12 months
Child school truancy
Time frame: 12 months
Hours per week of relative childcare
Time frame: 12 months
Hours per week of non-relative childcare
Time frame: 12 hours
Hours per week of formal childcare
Time frame: 12 months
Financial-well being (CFPB Financial Well-Being Scale
Time frame: 12 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Jan 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Stacia West, PhD principal investigator
University of Pennsylvania/University of Tennessee
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Unconditional Cash Transfer and No Direct Cash Transfer in people with Child Poverty, run by University of Pennsylvania at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 0 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Jan 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Unfounded reports to CPS (time frame: 18 months). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Jan 2025.