Research

 

Recent Publications & Work

  • “Race, Wealth, and Bankruptcy Code Exemptions” (2023), with Matthew Adam Bruckner and Raphaël Charron-Chénier, Michigan Journal of Race and Law, (forthcoming)

    • Abstract: Although U.S. bankruptcy law is race-neutral on its face, bankruptcy scholars have theorized that it has racially disparate effects. This report provides details of original research quantifying racial disparities in personal bankruptcy cases filed in Washington, D.C. in 2011. In particular, we evaluate some of the first empirical evidence for Professor Dickerson’s theory by looking at the role that exemptions (the method for providing preferential treatment to certain assets in bankruptcy) play in perpetuating or increasing wealth inequality across Black and white Americans. This report details the frequency and value of real and personal property ownership in bankruptcy for residents of Washington, D.C. in 2011. Studied property includes retirement account ownership and the rate of insurance policy ownership. Studied property also includes the ownership rates and value of apparel, jewelry, cash and cash equivalents, other household goods, vehicles, and homes.

  • “Dimensions of Marginality During COVID-19: Precarious workers, mental health, and race & ethnicity” NBER Economic Contributions to the Societal Experts Action Network, (December 6, 2022).

    • A substantial body of literature exists on the symbiotic relationship between employment and health. COVID-19 illuminated new dimensions of this dynamic and offered greater insights into the severity that worker instability and insecurity can have on one’s health. At the peak of the pandemic, some labor force participants had to weigh the risks of COVID-19 exposure and its impact on their household health with the economic decision of whether to work through the pandemic. This was particularly problematic for Black and Hispanic workers, who on average reside in a mutli-generational household a quarter of the time (Cohn et al., 2022). The ability to work from home during the pandemic was a privilege not afforded to some, especially those most economically disadvantaged and precarious workers (Blau et al., 2021; Grooms et al., 2021). Given the catastrophic effect of the pandemic on everyday life, this paper will explore the dimensions of marginality illuminated by COVID-19. The intent of this white paper is to provide comprehensive overview of how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the mental health of vulnerable populations, particularly Black and Hispanic populations employed in precarious worker arrangements.

  • “Flipping the Script: the effects of opioid prescription monitoring on specialty-specific provider behavior”(2022), with Alice Ellyson and Alberto Ortega, Health Economics, Volume 31(2).

    • Abstract: Over the past decade, federal and state governments have implemented a variety of policies to address the debilitating effects of the opioid epidemic. One of the most effective tools has been mandatory access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (MA-PDMPs), which aim to curb the epidemic at a common point of initiation of use, the prescription. However, there is a recent concern as to whether these opioid specific policies have been too restrictive and reduced appropriate access to patients with the most need for these pharmaceuticals. To answer this question we assess the effect of this mandatory component on specialty-specific opioid prescribing behavior using the CMS Medicare Part D Public Use Files. Our findings suggest that requiring providers to query a PDMP database, prior to prescribing an opioid drug, differentially affects opioid prescribing across provider specialty. As in other studies, we find an overall decrease in prescribing as a result of implementing a MA-PDMP, but find that this decrease is largely driven primarily by primary care and inpatient care providers. Interestingly, we also find increases in prescribing for oncology and palliative care providers after a MA-PDMP is implemented. Our results indicate that MA-PDMPs may help close provider-patient informational gaps while retaining a provider’s ability to supply these drugs to patients with a need for opioids (e.g. end of life care).

  • House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth Roundtable Discussion on “Substance Use: Destroying Families, Communities, and the Opportunity for Prosperity” (March 2, 2022). Find written testimony here and Youtube video here.

  • “Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Essential Workers, Mental Health, and the Coronavirus Pandemic” (2021), with Alberto Ortega, Joaquin Alfredo-Angel Rubalcaba, and Edward Vargas, The Review of Black Political Economy.

    • Abstract: It’s clear that the pandemic is disproportionately impacting communities of color. In this study, we investigate mental health distress among essential workers during the Coronavirus pandemic across race and ethnicity. We evaluate individual responses to the Patient Health Questionnaire and General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire using unique, nationally representative, data set. Our findings suggest that Black essential healthcare workers disproportionately report symptoms of anxiety; while, Latino essential health-care workers disproportionately report symptoms of depression. Additionally, we find that being a Black or Latino essential non-health care worker is associated with higher levels of distress related to anxiety and depression. These findings highlight the additional dimensions to which Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately being affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, it calls into question how essential worker classifications, compounded by US unemployment policies, is potentially amplifying the mental health trauma experienced by workers.

  • “Substance use disorders among older populations: What role do race and ethnicity play in treatment and completion? ” (2021), with Alberto Ortega, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Volume 132.

    • Abstract: Research that explores the role of substance use treatment among older individuals is scarce. This paper offers a historical investigation of admissions and discharges for treatment episodes over the past two decades across race, ethnicity, gender, and age. Our results suggest that although older individuals are not typically associated with risky behavior, they are increasingly seeking treatment for substance use disorders. We find that substance use treatment admissions for people aged 50 and older have persistently increased over our sample period. Our findings also indicate that, on average, Black (relative to white) admissions across all ages are less likely to complete treatment and more likely to have their treatment terminated by a treatment facility. We also find some evidence that Hispanic admissions are relatively less likely to complete treatment across all age groups. Hispanics over 50 years old are also more likely to terminate treatment. Interestingly, among younger individuals in the most recent years of our sample, the disparity between minority completion rates has improved. Lastly, we find that males (relative to females) are more likely to complete a substance use treatment program but no more likely to have their treatment terminated by a substance use treatment facility.

  • “Distance Learning and Parental Mental Health During COVID-19” (2020),  with Cassandra R. Davis, Alberto Ortega, Joaquin Alfredo-Angel Rubalcaba, and Edward Vargas, Educational Researcher, Volume 50(1).

    • Media: US News & World Report | Research Minutes | American Educational Research Association

    • Abstract: As COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the country, there is a concern about the extent to which this pandemic will affect students. Since March 2020, schools transitioned to a distance-learning format, which unintentionally forced parents into new teaching roles as proxy educators. In this brief, we explore the association between distance learning and the mental health of proxy educators. We find that parents with children who struggled with distance learning experienced elevated mental distress. Given the relationship between teacher burnout and student outcomes, we argue the importance of supporting parents during this time to improve students’ schooling. (pdf)

  • “No Home and No Acceptance: Exploring the Intersectionality of Sexual/Gender Identities (LGBTQ) and Race in the Foster Care System.” (2020), The Review of Black Political Economy, Volume 47(2).

    • Abstract: Black youth have been overrepresented in the U.S. foster care system for decades. This, coupled with disparities in treatment and outcomes, has forced all child welfare agencies to take note and influenced policy change, at the federal level. Recently, literature has begun to bring to light the existence of a substantial LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) foster youth population which is overrepresented and underserved. This article offers a comprehensive look at the LGBTQ foster youth population, its vulnerabilities, and its distinct needs. It further contributes to the existing body of literature by exploring the intersectionality of foster youth who identify as Black and LGBTQ.

  • “Examining Medicaid Expansion and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders.” (2019), with Alberto Ortega, AEA Papers and Proceedings, Volume 109: 187-92.

    • Abstract: In this paper, we complement existing research on the effects of Medicaid expansion on SUD treatment admissions by investigating whether the supply of treatment responds to ACA Medicaid expansion. Our findings are both paramount in understanding the treatment of a vulnerable population and also have implications in addressing the social externalities associated with SUDs.

Working Papers/Report

  • “Patterns of Child Tax Credit Receipt Among Children with Retired and/or Disabled Household Members in 2021” (with Madelaine L’Esperance and Tim Smeeding) Under Review

    • Abstract: We investigate monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) benefit receipt amongst the Social Security beneficiary population, broadly defined. Approximately 60% of all households with children reported receiving Child Tax Credit payments in the Census Household Pulse Surveys collected last summer and fall, July 21, 2021, through December 13, 2021. However, only about 46% of households with children who have a household member that belongs to a Social Security beneficiary proxy group report receiving the credit. When we examine CTC receipt rate at the child- rather than household-level, we find that 51% of children who live with a proxied Social Security beneficiary receive CTC payment relative to 70% of children who do not live with a proxied beneficiary. Children who live with a proxied beneficiary receive CTC payment at about 72% of the rate of children who do not.

  • “Getting with the Program: Medicaid Expansion and Access to Substance Use Treatment” (with Alberto Ortega) Under Review

    • Abstract: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded health coverage and services to millions of individuals. In this paper, we employ a difference-in-difference and event-study framework to exploit the timing of a state's decision to expand Medicaid (via the ACA) and estimate the impact on substance use disorder treatment across race and ethnicity. We find the expansion of coverage and benefits resulted in a persistent increase in Medicaid admissions into substance use treatment facilities. We find overall increases in white, Black, Hispanic, and Asian Medicaid admissions. We further consider whether Medicaid expansion had hetergenous effects across substance type and service setting. We find suggestive evidence the Medicaid expansion could help to close the Black-white gap in treatment admissions.

  • “School Trust and Expectations During the Coronavirus Pandemic” (with Cassandra R. Davis, Alberto Ortega, and Joaquin Alfredo-Angel Rubalcaba) Under Review - Draft September 2022

    • Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educators to confront past shortcomings in school-parent engagement and seek new strategies to build relationships and garner trust. This Brief investigates how school- initiated communication, and the provision of resources to families have facilitated parental trust and perceptions of past performance. We find that schools that provided direct communication and meals were perceived to perform above expectation during the pandemic shutdown. We also find that, in addition to past performance, direct communication with teachers is the only other measure that promotes trust.

  • “Social Security Interactions with Child Tax Credit Expansion” (with Madelaine L’Esperance and Tim Smeeding), Draft September 2022

    • Abstract: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC), increasing the number of eligible children and payment amount with advance monthly payments from July to December 2021. Many Social Security program participants were newly CTC eligible and tax filers with eligible children receiving a maximum CTC amount of $3,600 per child per year. Using Current Population Survey and Survey of Income and Program Participation data, this study simulates CTC eligibility and effects on income and poverty among SSI child beneficiaries and OASDI or SSI adult beneficiaries with children (hereafter “beneficiaries”) following the CTC expansion. The project identifies which program rules are most influential in increasing eligibility and how CTC program effects differ by demographic subgroups and geography. The findings from this study offer evidence on the interactions between CTC and Social Security Administration (SSA) administered program.

Works in Progress

  • Expanding Autonomy: Scope of Practice and Opioid Prescribing Behavior

  • Race, Gender, and Opioid Treatment Admissions: The Effect of PDMPs on the Most Afflicted

Other Work

Recent Seminars and Presentations

  • The Well-Being of Essential Workers & Parents in the COVID-19 Pandemic, The Institute for Research on Poverty Webinar, at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (Feb. 10, 2021)

    • Slides can be found here.