Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Agenda: Welcome, Administrators reports, Working groups report, NRI report, Data report, Presentations from KY on use of BreezeLive conferences, Community data set report, Presentations of on-going research, Election of officers, Working groups Brief Summary: The Annual Meeting focused on research presentations from the group, goals for the next year for data analysis and dissemination (specifically BreezeLive conferences). Work Towards Objectives: Data collection and analyses: In the quantitative data set, all variables names have been changed so that they are consistent throughout the three waves. The FTP site has only the latest correct datasets. Team members should also be sure and download the latest authors guide and use the correct acknowledgements for the dataset being used. The major change in qualitative dataset is that Wave 1 names have been changed to pseudonyms. There are no longer resources to update datasets  each state is responsible for updating their own datasets. Codebooks for subcoding of the qualitative dataset & syntax for construction of quantitative variables should be posted on the FTP site in order to maintain consistency across publications. NRI Update: The lastest NRI proposal was not funded. There were many accomplishments related to NRI grant this past year. Variable analysis work is part of the legacy of the NRI grants. The project ended August 30th, but a no-cost extension will be used to fund MN staff and additional conference calls. Working Groups: The Working Groups reported on their activities, publications, and presentations over the past year. A summary of productivity is given at the end of this report. A discussion of the community data was also conducted. The group decided to match the zip code to the individual participant for Wave 1. This information will be posted on the ftp site for those who want to use zip codes to analyze data. During the 2005-06 year, 29 presentations were made, including nine with published proceedings; eleven papers were published or are in press in nine different journals; twelve additional papers are under review by nine different journals; a book chapter, a Kettering Foundation report and two fact sheets were published; and one doctoral dissertation, one masters thesis and two senior honors theses were completed. BreezeLive Conferences: Kentucky participants presented on the use of the BreezeLive conferences throughout the state. Video conferencing and sites across the state were set up in which extension coordinators met together. Kentucky had a central person to via videoconferencing to extension educators about What did we learn today; Questions to consider; Where do we begin. The BreezeLive conference linked the campus, research from project, and the educators working with families. Nominations and elections: The nomination chair (Leigh Ann Simmons) nominated Elizabeth Dolan for chair and Leslie Richards for Vice-Chair for Data. There were no nominations from the floor. Voting was conducted and both were elected unanimously. Future Work: The 2007 meeting will be held in Columbus, Ohio. Sharon Seiling will contact group about potential dates. A subcommittee was formed to work on an NRI conference grant for 2008. A subcommittee was formed to work on a new Multi-state Project Proposal.

Selected Research outcomes: Researchers studied resource change and psychological stress in rural family life. Life event changes and stresses are linked to the conservation of resources. Development of human capital through education and work experience may help families retain resources over time. Research found that most employed parents have a strong social network, which may be essential to maintaining employment in this population. Research found that mothers who manage to get off TANF need assistance to stay off, either through educational supports or social supports, if not both. Rising wages results in loss of government supports such as housing subsidies and food stamps. Wages need to be sufficient to allow the family to improve their financial position without subsidies. Perceptions of parenting confidence appear to vary for single versus partnered mothers in the area of providing a safe home for their child. Risk factors appear to be significant predictors of parenting confidence. Parent support appears to operate differently for single and partnered mothers. For Latino families, research found that social support contributed to the economic and social well-being of these families despite the challenges they faced meeting their food and housing needs. Contextual conditions (e.g., ineligible for public assistance, low hourly wages, high housing costs) and individual characteristics (e.g., lack of knowledge of community resources, low educational level) create barriers for some families in meeting their food and housing needs despite available social support. Policies and systems need to be put in place throughout rural America to help Latino immigrant families meet their basic needs so they can make greater contributions to their communities. When families are strong, communities are strong. Despite existing legislation aimed at ensuring safety in the workplace for migrant workers, unsafe practices persist. Workers continue to be exposed to levels of pesticides, resulting in illnesses. Participants who reported Spanish as their primary language were more likely to describe experiences of discrimination and exploitation in the workplace and when interacting with social service agencies. Recreation is important to rural low-income families, however financial and transportation barriers may limit or even preclude participation. Rural Families Speak researchers examined labor force participation and stability of employment, health, and social support. They found that 30% of the working women were continuously employed over the three years, and 70% were employed in one of the three waves. Stability of employment was related to occupation and number of hours worked, as was having insurance coverage. Medicaid covered 1/3 of the women who worked, and it was an important source of health insurance for low income rural women and their children.

Presentations with Proceedings Braun, B. & Huddleston-Casas, C. (2006). Laboring towards economic self-sufficiency: A public policy perspective. Available at: http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/May_PolicyBrief.pdf Cook, C.C., Greder, K. A., Garasky, S., & Randall, B. (October). Housing hardship and food insecurity: Understanding the circumstances of rural Latinos. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association. Ithaca, NY. Dolan, E.M., Seiling, S., & Glesner, T.J. (2006). Making it work: Rural low-income women in service jobs. In B.J. Cude (ed.) Proceedings of the 33rd Conference for the Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association, Knoxville, TN. February 23-25, 2006. pp. 38-46. Dyk, P. H., Bauer, J., & Katras, M. J. (forthcoming) Rural Contexts, Opportunities and Responses: Vulnerable Families Realities for Labor Force Participation. Conference Proceedings of the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society. Louisville, Kentucky Huddleston-Casas, C. & Braun, B. (2006). Laboring towards economic self-sufficiency: A research perspective. Available at: http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/May_ResearchBrief.pdf Mammen, S., & Lawrence, F. 2006). Use of the Earned Income Tax Credit by Rural Working Families.. In B.J. Cude (ed.) Proceedings of the 33rd Conference for the Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association, Knoxville, TN. February 23-25, 2006. pp. 51-62. Seiling, S. B., Reschke, K., & Manoogian, M. (2006). Rural families speak out: Child care and social support. Breeze Live presentation, University of Minnesota, April 19, 2006. Available at: http://fsos.che.umn.edu/projects/rfs.html. Seiling, S. B., Stafford, K., McCabe, S., & Reschke, K. (2006). Social support as a means to well-being for rural low-income mothers. Proceedings of the Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association Conference, February 23-25, Knoxville, TN, 88-100. Simmons, L.A., Dolan, E.M., & Braun, B. (2006). The State of Rural Womens Economic & Health Status: KY, MD, NH.. In B.J. Cude (ed.) Proceedings of the 33rd Conference for the Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association, Knoxville, TN. February 23-25, 2006. pp. 47-49. Publications Anderson, E. A., Braun, B., & Walker, S. (2005). Teaching family policy: Advocacy skills education. Journal of Marriage and Family Review. 38(2), 61-76. Bove, C.F. & Olson, C.M. (in press). Obesity in Low-Income Rural Women: Qualitative Insights About Physical Activity and Eating Patterns. Women & Health, 44, 57-78. Kim, E-J., Seiling, S., Stafford, K., & Richards, L. (2005). Rural low-income womens employment and mental health. Journal of Rural Community Psychology, E8 (2). Mammen, S., & Lawrence, F.C. (2006) How Rural Working Families Use the Earned Income Tax Credit: A Mixed Method Analysis. Financial Counseling and Planning, 17 (1), 51-63. Maring, L.F. and Braun, B. (in press). Drug, alcohol and tobacco use in rural, low-income families: An ecological and resilience perspective. Journal of Rural Community Psychology. Volume 9 (1). Parra-Cardona, J. R., Bulock, L., Imig, D. R., Villarruel, F. A., & Gold, S. J. (2006). Trabajondo duro todos los dias (Working hard every day): Learning from the life experiences of Latino/a migrant families. Family Relations, 55, 361-375. Reschke, K. L., Manoogian, M. M., Richards, L. N., Walker, S. K., & Seiling, S. B. (2006). Maternal grandmothers as child care providers for rural, low-income mothers: A unique child care arrangement. Journal of Children and Poverty, 12, 159-174. Reschke, K.L, and Walker, S.K. (2006). Mothers child caregiving and employment commitments and choices in the context of rural poverty. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work. 21(3): 306-319. Seiling, S. B. (2006). Changes in the lives of rural low-income mothers: Do resources play a role in stress? Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment,13 (1):19-42. Simmons, L.A., Dolan, E.M. & Braun, B. (in press). Rhetoric and reality of economic self-sufficiency among rural, low-income mothers: A longitudinal study. Journal of Family & Economic Issues. Swanson, J.A., Olson, C.M., Miller, E.O., Lawrence, F.A. (in press). Rural mothers use of formal programs and informal social supports to meet family food needs: A mixed methods study. Journal of Family and Economic Issues Other Braun, B. & Waldman, J. (2006). Engaging unheard voices final report to the Kettering Foundation. Unpublished report. College Park: University of Maryland. [report] Simmons, L. A. (2006). Health: An essential resource for rural, low-income mothers' economic self-sufficiency. Rural Families Speak Project Policy Brief. Available at: http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/March_Health_PolicyBrief.pdf Simmons, L. A. (2006). Health: Essential to rural, low-income mothers' economic well-being. Rural Families Speak Project Fact Sheet. Available at: http://fsos.che.umn.edu/img/assets/16501/March_Health_FactSheet.pdf Walker, S., and Reschke, K. Care for children and youth in rural areas. Rosalynn Carter Caregiving Institute. Rural Caregiving. (scheduled for 2007 publication) [book chapter] Theses & Dissertations Bird, C.L. Life quality: Assessing the influence of parenting performance or confidence and economic strain among rurl, low-income women. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Minnesota, 2006. (J.W. Bauer & V.S Zuiker, co-advisors) Glesner, Talia J. Grief and separation: Rural low income mothers experiences with foster care. Unpublished Masters Thesis, University of New Hampshire. September 2006. Plumb, J. (2006). Rural low- income womens struggles and strength: A call to change. Unpublished Undergraduate Senior Thesis. University of Maryland: College Park, MD. Tatum, James M., Comparing the health and healthcare needs of poor rural Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites, Completed June 6, 2006. Undergraduate Honors Thesis, B.S., Biology, Oregon State University.