Press release: May 11, 2022 According to a study by the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis, the convergence of college non-completion and student debt among borrowers lead to higher rates of material hardship, healthcare hardship, and financial difficulties than those with a high school degree, those with a college degree, and […]
Tag: Michal Grinstein-Weiss
The financial impacts of a near-miss with natural disasters
By Dan Zhao, postdoctoral research associate, and Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director When disaster strikes, it is easy to neglect the people on the boundaries. When assessing the impact of adverse economic shocks, whether it be natural disasters, pandemics, or factory shutoffs, the focal point is on those who were directly devastated by the shock. However, the […]
The Impact of Tax Refund Delays on the Experience of Hardship Among Lower-Income Households
Abstract The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial support to low-income workers in the USA, yet around a quarter of EITC payments are estimated to be erroneous or fraudulent. Beginning in 2017, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 requires the Internal Revenue Service to spend additional time processing early EITC […]
Nothing to show for it: Financial Distress and Re-Enrollment Aspirations for those with non-degreed debt
Abstract The number of individuals with student loan debt who do not earn their degrees is on the rise; nevertheless, there is little research that demonstrates their current circumstances and future aspirations. We address this knowledge gap by comparing the financial distresses and re-enrollment aspirations of student debt-holders who started college but did not earn […]
Public perceptions and the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Lessons from Israel
Abstract Objectives To explore the associations between vaccine hesitancy and demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as perspective towards the COVID-19 and its vaccines. Methods Data were collected through four online surveys on Israel’s representative sample in March (3/2 to 3/7, n = 1517), August (8/10–8/11, n = 925; 8/18–8/22, n = 1054), and September (9/22-9/24; n=1406), 2021. We employ a […]
Public perceptions and the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19: Lessons from Israel
Abstract Objectives To explore the associations between vaccine hesitancy and demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as perspective towards the COVID-19 and its vaccines. Methods Data were collected through four online surveys on Israel’s representative sample in March (3/2 to 3/7, n = 1517), August (8/10–8/11, n = 925; 8/18–8/22, n = 1054), and September (9/22-9/24; n=1406), 2021. We employ a […]
Do Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Savings and Job Loss during COVID-19 Explain Disparities in Housing Hardships? A Moderated Mediation Analysis
Abstract Despite the array of public programs offered to help households mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many still needed to rely on savings, credit, or other assets to make ends meet. This reality may exacerbate existing social and economic inequities because racial and ethnic minorities often have lower access to assets and […]
Introduction: The COVID-19 Shock to Our Deep Inequities: How to Mitigate the Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic affected nearly every aspect of household health, as well as the social and economic well-being of individuals and communities across the United States. Many in our society have faced and continue to face unprecedented challenges. Specifically, the pandemic put a microscope on inequities such as racial disparities in housing, health care, and […]
New Year greetings from the director
Thank you for being a valued member of the Social Policy Institute community this past year. I am extremely proud of our team—staff, faculty affiliates, funders and community partners—who work so hard to make the world more equitable for everyone. Our mission to make the world more equitable by applying innovative, evidence-based solutions to complex social problems […]
What we can learn from Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination of children (Links to an external site)
As many parents are still unsure whether or not to immunize their children against COVID-19, regardless of whether they themselves have received the shot, Oren Heller, Yaniv Shlomo, and Michal Grinstein-Weiss discuss the need for increased governmental transparency to increase the number of vaccinated children.
Building a better safety net for small businesses (Links to an external site)
In an op-ed by Michal Grinstein-Weiss, SPI, and Salah Goss, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, SPI research suggests that more equitable financial policies and services are needed to support small businesses.
The founder of “Savings for Every Child” admits that something went wrong along the way (Links to an external site)
Globes Magazine interviewed Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI, about her goals to increase the savings for children in Israel from underprivileged families.
Thousands continue to fly abroad, despite the obligation of isolation: “We must continue to live” (Links to an external site)
YNet shares results of a recent SPI study that show majority support for closing the Ben Guion Airport in Israel and increasing restrictions with the rise of the new COVID-19 variant.
The destabilizing cost of a pandemic: What COVID-19 meant for renters already getting assistance (Links to an external site)
Data from SPI’s survey on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 revealed the vulnerability of renters receiving federal assistance. The findings showed that low-income renters already receiving federal assistance are more likely to be evicted than low-income renters who do not receive federal support.
Food insecurity in Israel during the COVID-19 economic crisis: Prevalence and associations with children’s behaviors
Results from SPI’s Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey in Israel suggested a relationship between the pandemic and rising rates of food insecurity. To explore this, SPI launched another survey, with the results linking food insecurity to behavioral problems in children.
Towards a decision: Ministry of Health experts discuss a corona vaccine for children (Links to an external site)
Walla News discussed recent SPI findings which showed that, of 900 Israeli families, 40% were unwilling to vaccinate their children, with many citing fear that the vaccine would harm child development.
COVID-19 Among Youth in Israel: Correlates of Decisions to Vaccinate and Reasons for Refusal
The primary aim of the present study is to examine the reasons for adolescents’ refusal to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and examine correlates of vaccination among adolescents aged 12–18 years in Israel. A total of 150 youth aged 12–18 years participated in the study. Following parental consent (30% response rate) from an online internet […]
Financial Shocks and Financial Well-Being: What Builds Resiliency in Lower-Income Households?
Households in the U.S. regularly experience unexpected negative income or expense shocks, and low- and moderate-income households experience these shocks at disproportionately high rates. Relatively little is known about the impact these shocks have on households’ subjective sense of financial well-being, and how access to different types of liquidity (e.g., liquid assets, credit cards, social […]
Did government benefits help Israeli households avoid hardship during COVID-19? Evidence from a national survey
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Israel quickly introduced aggressive social distancing measures to curb the virus spread and adapted its unemployment insurance program in response to rising unemployment rates. This study examines the relationship between household income and the experience of material hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel and […]
Pandemic isolation increasing negative behaviors among children in Israel
Isolation as a result of COVID-19 exposure is a key public health protocol to mitigate the spread of the virus; however, new survey results indicate increased isolations are associated with anger, violence, difficulties sleeping, and prolonged screen time.
The new child tax credit does more than just cut poverty (Links to an external site)
A new SPI study published in Brookings shows how families plan to use the child tax credit and suggests that the expansion will not only help to decrease child poverty but will also increase family social mobility in the long term.
Use of Public Benefits Over the First Year of Pandemic
In response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. federal government enacted initiatives designed to help households weather the pandemic’s effects. These initiatives included expansions of existing programs, such as unemployment insurance, as well as new programs like the economic impact payments. In this brief, we investigate the extent to which […]
Impact of COVID-19 on Households with Children
The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions in employment, child care and education. As a result, both parents and children experienced a variety of hardships in their work and education. While these hardships had reverberating effects throughout households, they were not equally distributed across families with children. In this brief, we explore the effects of COVID-19 […]
Employment Changes During COVID-19
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. unemployment peaked at 14.4%. While some workers have returned to payrolls, others have been left behind. This brief examines the nuances of employment changes over the course of the pandemic and the impact of those changes on household financial well-being. Our study finds that the proportion of employees who […]
Housing Hardships During COVID-19
Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. households were burdened by the cost of rental and mortgage payments, burdens which disproportionately fell on Black and Hispanic families. Using a 5-wave survey, we examined whether disparities in housing cost burden continued throughout the pandemic and trends in how households fell behind on rent and mortgage payments. […]
The game is not yet over, and vaccines still matter: Lessons from a study on Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination (Links to an external site)
In a new SPI study released through Brookings, researchers aimed to better understand vaccine hesitancy in Israel by examining demographic and socioeconomic factors correlating to vaccination.
Pinching pennies or money to burn? The role of grit in financial behaviors
We explore whether gritty individuals are better savers by virtue of their wealth or due to diligent choices that benefit their long-term economic health. We test these competing hypotheses by examining the ways in which grit influences how LMI tax filers report spending or saving their tax refund in the months following tax filing. We […]
Can students be safe in school when COVID-19 spikes? (Links to an external site)
The Jerusalem Post shared recent SPI findings that 52% of parents said they did not feel safe about sending their children back to school in August.
Pfizer’s FDA approval is another strike against anti-vaxxers – analysis (Links to an external site)
The Jerusalem Post shared SPI findings that 40% of Israelis who are not vaccinated did not want to because they believed that the vaccine was not safe in the short term.
Radio interview: vaccine incentives in Israel (Links to an external site)
Kan interviewed Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI, on the usage of incentives to encourage vaccination. Hebrew: האם כסף יעודד את הסרבנים להתחסן?
Why are 11% of Israelis still not vaccinated?
A new nationally representative survey from the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis (SPI) indicates that among the 11% of Israelis who are not vaccinated, 75% do not plan to get vaccinated.
A Fifth of Israelis Think COVID Is a Government, Pharma Conspiracy, Poll Says (Links to an external site)
Haaretz discusses a recent finding from the Social Policy Institute that shows that a fifth of Israelis believe that the vaccine is a government or pharma conspiracy.
Only half of Israelis want a third COVID-19 vaccine shot – Survey (Links to an external site)
Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI, was interviewed by the Jerusalem Post about research findings that only 52% of Israelis who received the original vaccine would take a third shot. This finding comes from the latest data from SPI on the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 in Israel.
The Impact of State Earned Income Tax Credit Increases on Material and Medical Hardship
The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides substantial financial assistance to low- and moderate-income workers and has been shown to reduce poverty and encourage employment. Many U.S. states have also implemented their own EITCs to supplement the federal tax credits. Leveraging unique administrative and survey data and employing a difference-in-differences approach, this study investigates […]
The debate that divides parents and experts – should children be vaccinated against corona? (Links to an external site)
Michal Grinstein-Weiss, director of SPI, was interviewed on television by N12 about children’s vaccination rates. Recent research from the Socioeconomic Impact of the COVID-19 Survey based in Israel found that even though 90% of respondents were vaccinated, only 40% of them expressed the desire to vaccinate their children.
Israel’s next president has long-standing relationship with the Social Policy Institute at Washington University
With Isaac Herzog set to become Israel’s 11th president later this summer, the Social Policy Institute (SPI) reflects on its long-standing partnership with the future president. SPI director, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, began working with President-elect Herzog in 2010 to generate national support to create the first universal child development account program (CDA) in the world. Grinstein-Weiss, […]
Material Hardship among Lower-Income Households: The Role of Liquid Assets and Place
Lower-income households are at risk for material hardship, particularly amidst the economic fallout of COVID-19. Where one lives (e.g., suburb, small town) may affect this risk due to variable access to resources, yet the evidence is mixed concerning the influence of place. We used a pooled, national cross-sectional sample of 66,046 lower-income tax filers to […]
Student debt forgiveness would impact nearly every aspect of people’s lives (Links to an external site)
With recent calls for student loan debt forgiveness by political leaders, SPI researchers investigated how debt relief could impact household spending and behaviors. Brooking Institute published recent findings on the implications for debt forgiveness on household economic stability and mobility.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Housing Instability during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Assets and Income Shocks
Abstract Stable and adequate housing is critical in the midst of a pandemic; without housing, individuals and families cannot shelter in place to prevent the spread of disease. Understanding and combating housing hardships in vulnerable populations is therefore essential to a sound public health response. This study aims to explore the pandemic’s disproportionate impacts on […]
Inequalities in housing hardship declined because everybody is now worse off (Links to an external site)
Over recent months, SPI researchers found that the disproportionate experiences of housing hardship have lessened, but only because everyone became worse off. They also have observe that Black families have become “long-haulers” when it comes to their experience of housing hardship.
Assessing the Short-Term Stability of Financial Well-Being in Low- and Moderate-Income Households
Much of the literature on household finance tends to focus on relatively objective measures of financial security (e.g., savings, income, financial knowledge), and there has been less research on measures of subjective financial well-being. This gap is due in part to the absence of a common understanding on defining and measuring subjective financial well-being. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau […]
Can Workplace Financial Counseling Help Lower-Income Workers Improve Credit Outcomes?
Financial counseling has been found to be effective in improving consumers’ credit outcomes and could be expanded through the workplace to reach lower-income workers who struggle with various financial challenges. We examine engagement and credit outcomes associated with a workplace financial counseling program offered to 2,849 frontline workers in New York City. Age and credit […]
Grinstein-Weiss addresses U.N. session on status of women (Links to an external site)
Michal Grinstein-Weiss spoke at an event at the civil society forum for the UN session on the Commission on the Status of Women. Learn more from The Record and view the event.
Israel’s COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout Is Slowing at a Critical Moment. That’s a Warning for the Rest of Us (Links to an external site)
What does vaccine hesitancy in Israel mean for the United States? Michal Grinstein-Weiss was interviewed by The Times on SPI’s Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 survey and how vaccine hesitancy in minority populations in Israel reflect many of the same characteristics of minority groups in the United States.
Women can’t be stopped: Applying resiliency of pandemic struggles to acquire new, high-quality job opportunities
International Women’s Day marks one year since the COVID-19 crisis began. Over the past year, the pandemic drastically cut women from the workforce in the United States and beyond. However, despite all of this, there is a chance for a new opportunity. Women around the world have an opportunity now to apply their resiliency to acquire new skills and re-enter the workforce in industries where they have been historically under-represented.
The first city in the world to have all its population vaccinated against corona (Links to an external site)
Interview with SPI director, Michal Grinstein-Weiss in Hebrew based on the Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 Survey in Israel. A return to almost-normalcy relies on the vast majority of Israelis over age 50 getting vaccinated for COVID-19, but it isn’t happening. New studies explain who isn’t getting the shot, and why.
There are three groups of Israelis who fear the vaccine. How can we change the image? (Links to an external site)
Interview with SPI director, Michal Grinstein-Weiss in Hebrew based on the Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 Survey in Israel. A return to almost-normalcy relies on the vast majority of Israelis over age 50 getting vaccinated for COVID-19, but it isn’t happening. New studies explain who isn’t getting the shot, and why.
Hundreds of Thousands of Israelis Have Said No to the COVID-19 Vaccine: Why Are They Waiting? (Links to an external site)
Interview with SPI director, Michal Grinstein-Weiss based on the Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 Survey in Israel. A return to almost-normalcy relies on the vast majority of Israelis over age 50 getting vaccinated for COVID-19, but it isn’t happening. New studies explain who isn’t getting the shot, and why
Channel Kan 11 interviews Michal Grinstein-Weiss about the vaccine in Israel (Links to an external site)
SPI director, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, was interviewed by Kan 11 about findings from the Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19 Survey in Israel related to the vaccine.
The Challenge of Living Together: Can the Coronavirus Be an Opportunity?
This event has passed. Watch a recording. Michal Granstein-Weiss, director of SPI, and Avital Blonder, founder and CEO of Jindas Association for Urban Urban Renewal, presented at 12:30 p.m. (CT) on January 25, 2021, part of the Shared Israeliness and Social Solidarity lecture series presented by Beit Keinan and the Initiative for Shared Israeliness at the […]