by John Cook, Ph.D., M.A.Ed., Research Scientist and Principal Investigator, Children’s HealthWatch; Richard Sheward, MPP, Deputy Director of Innovative Partnerships, Children’s HealthWatch; Bruno Showers, Senior Policy Analyst, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families; and Eduardo Ochoa, Jr., MD, Principal Investigator, Children’s HealthWatch.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and Children’s HealthWatch conducted a Health Impact Assessment to estimate the potential health-related impacts of creating a state-level, refundable Earned Income Tax Credit for the approximately 300,000 qualifying low-income Arkansas households. This Health Impact Assessment also identifies appropriate actions to manage those effects. Based on the findings of the Health Impact Assessment, the authors recommend a state-level, refundable EITC set at 15 percent of the federal credit in order to maximize potential health benefits to Arkansans at a reasonable cost to the state.

Download the Health Impact Assessment

Download the Executive Summary

Download the Policy Brief