PolicyLab

Last week, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which includes a temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit. This expansion provides a cash benefit to many families with dependent children and has the potential to pull millions of children out of poverty—but just for one year.

PolicyLab Policy Analyst Tyler DeRubio, MPA, and Improvement Advisor for the Population Health Innovation Program and the Division of Social Work at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Leigh Wilson-Hall, MSW, LSW, recently wrote an opinion piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer on how expanding the Child Tax Credit could significantly improve the health and well-being of children and families in Philadelphia, particularly if Congress makes it permanent. The authors also note that as pediatric health systems look for sustainable and effective ways to address families’ social needs, public policies such as this are a necessary component of efforts to help reduce child poverty and the impact of health disparities.

Be sure to read the Philadelphia Inquirer opinion piece to learn more about the potential benefits for countless communities.