Advancing the Power of Economic Evidence to Inform Investments in Children, Youth, and Families

In Recent Years, The U.s. Federal Government Has Invested Approximately 63 Billion Annually In Interventions That Affect The Overall Health And Well-being Of Children And Youth, While State And Local Budgets Have Devoted Almost Double That Amount. The Potential Returns On These Investments May Not Only Be Substantial But Also Have Long-lasting Effects For Individuals And Succeeding Generations Of Their Families. Ideally, Those Tasked With Making These Investments Would Have Available To Them The Evidence Needed To Determine The Cost Of All Required Resources To Fully Implement And Sustain Each Intervention, The Expected Returns Of The Investment, To What Extent These Returns Can Be Measured In Monetary Or Nonmonetary Terms, And Who Will Receive The Returns And When. As A Result Of A Number Of Challenges, However, Such Evidence May Not Be Effectively Produced Or Applied. Low-quality Evidence And/or A Failure To Consider The Context In Which The Evidence Will Be Used May Weaken Society's Ability To Invest Wisely, And Also Reduce Future Demand For This And Other Types Of Evidence. Advancing The Power Of Economic Evidence To Inform Investments In Children, Youth, And Families Highlights The Potential For Economic Evidence To Inform Investment Decisions For Interventions That Support The Overall Health And Well-being Of Children, Youth, And Families. This Report Describes Challenges To The Optimal Use Of Economic Evidence, And Offers Recommendations To Stakeholders To Promote A Lasting Improvement In Its Quality, Utility, And Use. Introduction -- Setting The Stage -- Producint High-quality Economic Evidence To Inform Investments In Children, Youth, And Families -- Context Matters -- A Roadmap For Improving The Use Of High-quality Economic Evidence -- Appendix A: Public Session Agendas -- Appendix B: Biographical Sketches Of Committee Members And Staff -- Glossary. Eugene Steuerle And Leigh Miles Jackson, Editors ; Committee On The Use Of Economic Evidence To Inform Investments In Children, Youth, And Families ; Board On Children, Youth, And Families ; Division Of Behavioral And Social Sciences And Education ; National Academies Of Sciences, Engineering, And Medicine. Includes Bibliographical References. This Activity Was Supported By Contract No. 10002411 From The Jacobs Foundation, Contract No. 10002006 From The Macarthur Foundation, And Contract No. 10002289 From The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Any Opinions, Findings, Conclusions, Or Recommendations Expressed In This Publication Do Not Necessarily Reflect The Views Of Any Organization Or Agency That Provided Support For The Project.