NCCC_OLD52: Family Economics
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCCC_OLD52: Family Economics
Duration: 10/01/2000 to 09/30/2005
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Families and individuals today face critical economic issues in an increasingly complex and dynamic environment. Rural and farm families struggle to maintain economic stability in a changing economy. Families are concerned about access to affordable healthcare and often bewildered by changes in the health insurance market. In America today, almost 20% of our children live in poverty, with well over one-third of Black and Hispanic children being in poverty (Child Trends, 1999). Poverty may lead to low levels of human capital investment in areas such as healthcare and education that, in tern, can adversely affect the current and future well-being of families and individuals. Along with these concerns, the low levels of financial literacy evident among Americans may contribute to low-levels of savings and long-term financial jeopardy, rising debt loads, and an increasing number of bankruptcies. The aging of the baby boom cohort also brings into focus concerns about the ability of families and individuals to finance retirements and increasing health care needs and to manage elder care needs. These issues are aligned with two of the North Central cross-cutting research areas, namely, Economic Development and Policy and Social Change and Development.
Family economists investigate how public policies and private sector practices affect the well-being of families and individuals, particularly with respect to the issues outlined above. The perspective of family economists is unique in that it takes as a starting point the importance of the family as an economic institution in society. Thus, the research of family economists can provide an information base to influence the development of policies and practices favorable to family well-being.
This committee facilitates communication among family economics researchers nationally and internationally. It provides a forum in which issues related to effective research on the economic well-being of individuals and families are examined in depth from the perspectives of researchers from multiple disciplines. It furthers the development of researchable ideas involving common problems of interest to multiple institutions around the nation. We propose to continue to promote research in family economics and to expand our efforts toward linking our work with researchers in other disciplines and other states, and with personnel in resident instruction and outreach positions. The NCR-52 committee is unique in its scope and does not duplicate the efforts of other NC /NCR projects.
Objectives
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Encourage and facilitate interdisciplinary, multistate research on issues affecting family economic well-being, specifically: a) Use technology to promote the availability and use of secondary data for family economics research. b) Organize a research conference or symposium on family economic issues using secondary data sources. c) Encourage continuing education on research methodology and data analysis techniques to further the field of family economics.
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Develop a multistate, multidisciplinary research project on an emerging issue significant to American families, such as financing health care, college students and debt, elder care, time allocation, or other issues.
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Assist in the dissemination of family economics research or other research, outreach, and education professionals to improve family economic well-being and the sustainability of family and community systems. a) Maintain and promote the NCR-52 list serve. b) Develop a set of research briefs. c) Investigate the possibility of an NCR-52 web site.
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Participate in the development of Plan of Work (POW) activities at the state and federal level related to family economics research and Extension education including the identification of outcome indicators.
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Inform and provide suggestions for public policy and private sector practice as a result of family economic research in such areas as family finance and retirement planning, health care, children's well-being, and economic stability of rural and farm families.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Organization/Governance
The recommended Standard Governance for multistate research activities include the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary. All officers are to be elected for at least two-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.
Literature Cited