CABS was established to combine MDRC's decades of experience working with social programs with insights from behavioral science. We are committed to finding solutions to difficult problems facing the nation, from reducing poverty to improving public education and college graduation rates. We combine our deep understanding of the systems that affect low-income populations with insights from behavioral science to design new, untried and untested interventions.
expertise in social policy
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behavioral insights
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innovative solutions
Education
Education offers an important pathway out of poverty and into better jobs. CABS partners with a wide range of educational institutions, from local community colleges to statewide education departments, to use behavioral insights to address barriers preventing student success.
Legal Systems
The impact of legal systems like criminal justice and child support can adversely affect low-income individuals and families. CABS works with stakeholders to understand common drop-off points within legally mandated processes and operations and use behavioral insights to address the barriers behind those drop-off points.
Public Benefits Programs
Public assistance programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and Housing Assistance all help low-income families meet their basic needs in different ways. Some of these programs require that individuals or families who receive the benefits also try to find or have employment to bolster economic self-sufficiency. CABS collaborates with federally funded programs to encourage eligible participants to apply for benefits and services, participate in work-preparation activities, and sustain engagement.
Parent-Child Connections
We partner with programs to understand and improve parents' decision-making and children’s well-being. CABS works with a variety of partner organizations to identify behavioral barriers preventing parents from achieving their goals and providing for their children, and to develop solutions together to eliminate those barriers.