Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration (CSPED) on employment, earnings, and public benefits receipt.
- The study used a randomized controlled trial study design to assign participants to either receive CSPED services or regular services. Using survey and administrative data, the authors conducted statistical models to examine the differences in outcomes.
- The study found no significant differences in employment, earnings, or public benefits receipt between the CSPED and regular services groups in the two years after random assignment.
- The study receives a high evidence rating. This means we are confident that any estimated effects are attributable to Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration (CSPED), and not to other factors. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.
Intervention Examined
Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration (CSPED)
Features of the Intervention
The goal of the Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration (CSPED) was to improve the reliability of child support payments by providing noncustodial parents with employment and parenting services. Employment services included job-readiness training, job search support, and assistance with job placement. The programs were required to provide 16 hours of parenting classes. The program also provided case management, enhanced child support services (e.g., reduction in arrears owed to the state) and domestic violence services (e.g., referrals, screening). CSPED served noncustodial parents who were not regularly paying child support or who had difficulty paying child support due to lack of employment.
Features of the Study
The study was a randomized controlled trial conducted at 18 counties in eight states. Recruitment occurred between October 2013 and September 2016. Sites used direct recruitment methods and referrals from child support staff, courts, and other agencies. Eligible participants needed to have established paternity, were being served by the child support program, and were either not regularly paying child support or were expected to have difficulty with these payments due to lack of employment. The authors randomly assigned 10,161 study participants to either receive CSPED services (treatment group) or regular services (control group). Services were provided primarily during the year after random assignment. Local child support agencies implemented the CSPED program. The treatment or extra services group received CSPED services while the control group received regular services from the participating child support agency.
The study sample was primarily male (90%), with an average age of 35 years. Forty percent of participants were Black, 33 percent were White non-Hispanic, and 22 percent were Hispanic or Latino. Data sources included a baseline survey, a 12-month follow-up survey focusing on outcomes since random assignment, and two years of administrative data on child support, employment, public benefits receipt, and criminal justice involvement. A total of 10,161 participants completed the baseline survey. Of the 6308 members who enrolled through June 2015, 4282 participants responded to the follow-up survey. In the analysis, responses were weighted to represent the full sample. Authors used statistical models with controls for the baseline characteristics to examine the average effect of the CSPED program across all sites.
Study Sites
Participating Study Sites
- California – one county
- Colorado – five counties
- Iowa – one county
- Ohio – one county
- South Carolina – three counties
- Tennessee – three counties
- Texas – two counties
- Wisconsin – two counties
Findings
Earnings and wages
- The study found no significant differences in earnings outcomes between the treatment and control group participants in the two years after random assignment.
Employment
- The study found no significant differences in employment outcomes between the treatment and control group participants in the two years after random assignment.
Public benefits receipt
- The study found no significant differences in public benefit receipt between the treatment and control group participants in the two years after random assignment.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The funding agency provided recommended eligibility criteria which may have been modified by individual grantees (states). Also, the study reports a less stringent statistical significance level, considering p-values of less than 0.10 to be significant, though it is standard practice to consider statistical significance if the p-value is less than 0.05. Only results that demonstrate a p-value of less than 0.05 are considered statistically significant in this profile.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that any estimated effects would be attributable to Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration (CSPED) and not to other factors. However, the study did not find statistically significant effects.