Plus, the shortage of career and technical education instructors, and Ukraine’s urgent need for U.S. assistance.
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Brookings Brief

April 11, 2024

A distressed mother sits with her child.
Safety net programs can help protect single mothers’ mental health

 

“On average, single mothers have lower levels of wealth, are more vulnerable to economic shocks, and have more caregiving responsibilities. They are also more likely to experience mental health challenges,” Tara Watson and Simran Kalkat write.

 

In a new commentary, the authors shed light on the high rates of psychological distress among single mothers, identify driving factors, and explain how safety net programs can improve mothers’ mental health and create positive spillover effects for children.

Read more
 

More research and commentary

 

U.S. assistance for Ukraine. House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed support for Ukraine but hasn’t yet taken action to assist the country. “Further delay will mean more successful missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, more Ukrainian casualties and the retreat of Ukraine’s army,” warns Steven Pifer in an opinion piece for The Hill.

 

A hidden weak spot in the teacher workforce. Enrollment in career and technical education (CTE) courses can improve students’ chances for high school graduation and lead to higher career earnings. However, schools across the U.S. are facing shortages of CTE instructors. Hannah C. Kistler and Shaun M. Dougherty identify some reasons for CTE teacher turnover and share policy ideas to address the issue.

 

About Brookings

 

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