The U.S. Census Bureau will release its 2016 statistics on poverty and health insurance coverage Tuesday, Sept. 12. The University of Michigan has experts available to discuss the latest findings.

POVERTY

David Johnson, research professor at the Institute for Social Research and deputy director of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, can discuss the measurement of poverty and inequality. He has published articles on inequality and poverty, and served for eight years as the senior executive at the U.S. Census Bureau overseeing the official poverty estimates and the development of the supplemental poverty measure.

Contact: 734-647-4076, johnsods@umich.edu

 Kristin Seefeldt, assistant professor of social work and public policy, explores how low-income individuals understand their situations, particularly around issues related to work and economic well-being. She conducts research on family financial coping strategies, and the effects of the recession and recovery policies on individuals’ well-being.

Contact: 734-​717-1239, kseef@umich.edu

 Luke Shaefer, director of U-M’s Poverty Solutions initiative and associate professor of social work and public policy, can discuss the measurement of poverty and alternative metrics for measuring hardship. He has published articles on rising extreme poverty in the U.S. and the effects of major anti-poverty programs and low-wage work. He co-authored “$2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America.”

Contact: 734-936-5065, lshaefer@umich.edu

 HEALTH INSURANCE

Richard Hirth, chair and professor of health management and policy at the School of Public Health, can discuss the general economics of health insurance. His research includes examining how health care spending policies impact patient care.

Contact: 734-936-1306, rhirth@umich.edu