Youth Poverty in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands: Updates and Policy Recommendations

February 13, 2020

On February 13, the New York Fed, in partnership with the Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud and Family Promise, hosted "Youth Poverty in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands: Updates and Policy Recommendations," which explored the economic costs and consequences of high rates of child poverty as well as options that can lead to a reduction in child poverty.

The event included a panel discussion examining the intersection between child poverty and other policy areas, including tax incentives, economic and workforce programs, and human capital development. The discussion also included the national impacts of child poverty on health and long-term consequences.

The event brought together leaders from across the non-profit, community development and health sectors, including Claas Ehlers, Chief Executive Officer, Family Promise; María Enchautegui, Research Director, Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud; Dr. Irwin Redlener, Clinical Professor, Health Policy and Management and Pediatrics, Columbia University; and Kimberley Causey-Gomez, Commissioner Designee, Dept. of Human Services, U.S. Virgin Islands. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor of the City University of New York, moderated the panel discussion.

Event Details

Date & Time
Thursday, February 13, 2020
3:00pm - 6:30pm

Location
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Museum & Learning Center
33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045

Audience
This event was open to members of the public.

Agenda

2:30pm-3:00pm	Registration (Bring a government-issued ID. Please allow 30 minutes for entrance and security screening.)
3:00pm-3:05pm	Welcome Remarks David Erickson, SVP & Head of Outreach & Education, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Amanda Rivera Flores, Executive Director, Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud
3:05pm-3:30pm	National Perspective and Context Claas Ehlers, Chief Executive Officer, Family Promise
3:30pm-3:50pm	A Closer Look: Child Poverty—How Much Does It Cost and What Can We Do? María Enchautegui, Research Director, Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud
3:50pm-4:50pm	Panel Discussion: Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands Child Poverty—Costs and Consequences Moderator: Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor of the City University of New York María Enchautegui, Research Director, Instituto del Desarollo de la Junventud Kimberly Causey-Gomez, Commissioner Designee, Dept. of Human Services, U.S. Virgin Islands Dr. Irwin Redlener, Clinical Professor, Health Policy & Management and Pediatrics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Leticia Peguero, Vice President of Programs, The Nathan Cummings Foundation
4:50pm-5:00pm	Closing Remarks Javier Silva, Senior Associate Director, Community Engagement, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
5:00pm-6:30pm	Networking Reception The networking reception was closed to the press.

Media
This event was open to the media. All remarks and panels were on-the-record, unless otherwise noted.

Co-sponsors Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud
Family Promise

Resources

The KIDS COUNT Data Center is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and a national source of data on children and families. Each year, the Foundation produces a comprehensive report—the KIDS COUNT Data Book—that assesses child well-being in the United States.

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