CE25-025 - Effectiveness of Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies and Policy Components on Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention, Positive Childhood Experiences Promotion and Health Equity

About This Grant

1 A substantial body of research has demonstrated the long-term negative impacts of adverse childhood 2 experiences (ACEs). Recently, growing evidence has highlighted the beneficial effects of positive childhood 3 experiences (PCEs) on both health and socioeconomic outcomes, as well as their potential to mitigate the 4 harm caused by ACEs. Despite this, disparities persist, with children from marginalized communities being 5 more likely to experience ACEs and less likely to have access to PCEs. This underscores the urgent need for 6 policies that prevent ACEs, promote PCEs, and address inequities. One potential solution is paid family and 7 medical leave (PFML), which enables parents to take time off from work to care for newborns, or sick family 8 members while retaining a portion of their income. PFML provides both economic security and an opportunity 9 for parents to bond with their children. To date, 14 states have either already implemented or are preparing to 10 introduce PFML policies. Using a difference-in-differences (DiD) statistical approach, this study aims to 11 rigorously assess the impact of PFML on two ACEs, abusive head trauma (AHT) and poor maternal mental 12 health, and two PCEs, family relationships and family resilience. To strengthen the robustness of our findings, 13 we will conduct a placebo falsification analysis with a triple-differences approach. In addition, the National Child 14 Abuse and Neglect Data Systems (NCANDS) annual reports on child maltreatment will be used as a 15 secondary measure of child abuse and neglect in the first year of life. Utilizing the NCANDS data, will 16 supplement the findings on the impact of PFML on AHT, as the frequency of AHT hospitalizations is low. The 17 study will also analyze the effects of PFML on racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in these outcomes. 18 Additionally, specific elements of PFML policies, such as benefit duration and the presence or absence of 19 progressive wage replacement and job protection provisions will be analyzed to evaluate their effects on ACEs 20 and PCEs. As more states consider or implement PFML, this research will provide valuable insights into the 21 effectiveness of such policies in preventing ACEs, fostering PCEs, and elucidate the importance of specific 22 policy features. The exploratory aim will evaluate whether the effectiveness of PFML in preventing ACEs, 23 promoting PCEs, and reducing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities varies depending on the presence 24 of other state-level family-supportive policies that bolster family income, reduce expenses, and offer 25 reasonable accommodations for pregnant or postpartum workers.