Clinical trial NCT06146621: Targeting Access and Knowledge of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Utilization and Policies
Official title: Targeting Access and Knowledge of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Utilization and Policies
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mental Health Issue
Food Security
Well-being
Keywords: poverty, safety net
Lead sponsor: Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of California, Berkeley
name: Boston University
name: University of California Nutrition Policy Institute
name: University of California, Merced
name: Blue Shield of California Foundation
First posted: 2023-11-24
Enrollment: 200
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 64
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: The earned income tax credit (EITC) is the largest United States poverty alleviation program, providing up to $6,600 for working families as a tax refund. Prior studies have shown the EITC's benefits for social outcomes and health. Effects are even more significant for single mothers and Black women. Despite these known benefits, 20%-33% of eligible individuals do not receive benefits, leaving $7 billion unclaimed annually. The Targeting Access and Knowledge of EITC Utilization and Policies (TAKE-UP) Study is a pilot randomized controlled trial that will develop and test the feasibility of several culturally tailored, scalable interventions to increase the take-up of the EITC among participants in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Enrolled in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC)
* Eligible for but did not receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in the prior tax year
* At least one dependent under 18 years
* Having earned income (including income of spouse, if applicable) for the current tax year within EITC eligibility thresholds based on marital status and number of dependents
* English or Spanish-speaking
* Living in California and not planning to move within the next year
* Immigration status compatible with EITC eligibility
* Access to a phone that receives text messages
* Willing to share relevant fields from tax forms if filing taxes (e.g., adjusted gross income)
* Willing to be randomized.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Number of participants who filed taxes
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
measure: Number of participants who received the EITC
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Number of participants living with material hardship. Survey instrument: Housing Insecurity/Instability/Homelessness Questions from Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network (SIREN) at University of California San Fransisco (UCSF)
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
measure: Number of participants living with depressive symptoms. Survey Instrument: General Anxiety Disorder-7
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
measure: Number of participants living with food insecurity.
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
measure: Number of hours spent tax filing
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
measure: Number of participants living with anxiety/perceived stress. Survey Instrument: General Anxiety Disorder-7
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
measure: Amount of money spent on tax filing
timeFrame: 0-12 months after intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Sacramento
country: United States
facility: California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
state: California
Study officials:
affiliation: University of California Nutrition Policy Institute
name: Wendi Gosliner, DrPH
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: