Eviction at Dallas College
Housing insecurity is profound within the community college population: nationwide, 52% of students at two-year colleges reported some form of housing insecurity in 2020, such as not being able to pay rent. Housing insecurity impacts academic achievement, mental health, job retention and financial stability, and long-term economic prospects.
This analysis from CPAL and Dallas College explores how eviction affects Dallas College students and opportunities for support.
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Closing the Gap: The $25M Initiative Aiming to Improve Maternal Outcomes Across DFW
In the face of discouraging maternal health data in Texas, TCU and UT Southwestern have joined forces to launch the North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator. Since December 2024, 11 philanthropic organizations have committed nearly $25 million to address maternal morbidity, preterm birth rates, and other maternal health conditions at a crucial time for the accelerator.
- The $25 million commitment from 11 partners across the region comes at a key time for the MHA initiative, which was poised to secure $15 million in federal funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health’s (ARPA-H) Health Care Rewards to Achieve Improved Outcomes program, an outcomes-based payment model that would have released funds based on measurable impact. When the new administration cut the budget on the eve of the funding being distributed this summer, the future of the MHA was in jeopardy.
- Despite the lack of funding, MHA forged ahead with one of its goals: reducing severe obstetric complications by more than 20 percent over three years and developing economic models that reward maternal health improvements.
WIC Playbook
CPAL’s WIC playbook features prototypes designed to increase WIC benefit uptake in Dallas through human-centered design.
- The WIC program plays an important role in improving birth outcomes and containing health care costs. Every dollar spent on WIC leads to savings in health care costs from $1.77 to $3.13 within the first 60 days after birth.
- National data shows that in 2021, an average of 12.13 million moms, babies, and young children were eligible for WIC but only 51% actually participated.
Eviction less likely for Dallas County tenants who get a lawyer — but most don’t have one
CPAL's data analysis shows that eviction chances fall dramatically when tenants have legal representation.
- Law students at SMU observed nearly 1,300 eviction hearings across five of Dallas County’s ten justice of the peace courts from November 2022 to April 2023, representing about 10% of all initial eviction cases heard in those courts.
- Renters who had lawyers lost their cases just 7% of the time, whereas renters without lawyers lost their case – and, typically, their home — nearly 70% of the time.