by Caitlin Carey, Doctoral Candidate of Public Policy and Public Affairs

On Tuesday, January 29th, the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Center for Social Policy hosted a webinar called, Cliff Effects: Turning Research into Action for Economic Mobility. The webinar highlighted the latest research on cliff effects from the Center for Social Policy and focused on how research is being deployed for policy and workforce practice.

Center for Social Policy Director Susan Crandall, along with Werby Intern, Magaly Vanessa, Saenz Somaribba, and PPPA doctoral student Caitlin Carey, presented their latest findings on cliff effects in Hampden County, Massachusetts, including an overview of policy solutions.

Michael Cole, Director of Budget and Analytics for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, presented on the Learn to Earn Initiative and the CommonCalc Benefits Navigation Tool. With input from a CSP prototype, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance is developing the CommonCalc Tool in order to better help workforce development providers assist program participants in getting over the benefits cliffs.

Milissa Daniels at Holyoke Community College, one of the five Learn to Earn grants recipients, spoke on the success to date of the medical assisting program. Anne Kandilis, Springfield WORKS/Working Cities Challenge Director, Economic Development Council of Western Mass, shared her findings from the Springfield WORKS initiative in which employers partnered with local workforce development providers ton increase employee retention. She also shared a detailed example of a family facing cliff effects, developed in partnership with the Center for Social Policy, entitled “Christina’s Dilemma.”

Abhidnya Kurve, Policy Associate & Coordinator for the On Solid Ground Coalition, spoke about On Solid Ground, which is cross-sector coalition of families and advocates, with the Center for Social Policy as the lead research partner. She highlighted new legislation to address housing stability and economic mobility for families living in Massachusetts.

According to Crandall, accessible webinars such as this that inform both the public and policymakers are an essential part of the Center for Social Policy’s mission. She commented, “I am thrilled that our Center for Social Policy research on cliff effects is being successfully deployed to develop tools, enhance practice, and influence policy for economic mobility. As an applied research center working at the intersection of employment practice and public policy, it is exactly what we aspire to do.”