Parental Incarceration and Child Health: A Long-Term View
Official title: Implications of Parental Incarceration for Child Health and Wellbeing
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11568009 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how having a parent in the criminal justice system affects a child’s health and wellbeing from birth through young adulthood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $694,262 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD107154-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11568009 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children and young adults whose parent(s) have been involved with the criminal justice system, including incarceration, and who are identified through statewide records.
✕Less likely to help
Families without parental incarceration or with unrelated health issues may not experience direct benefits from this study.
What this research studies
The study will follow a statewide birth cohort to track parental involvement with the criminal justice system and any incarceration from before the child’s birth through 18–20 years of age. It will look at health outcomes such as injuries, emergency department visits, and mental health issues during childhood, then add outcomes like timing of pregnancy and substance use in adolescence and early adulthood. By comparing children with incarcerated parents to those without, and to peers with parental criminal justice contact but no incarceration, the research aims to isolate the impact of parental incarceration while accounting for related factors. The data will come from linked administrative records to provide a comprehensive view over time. Findings could guide policies and services to support children affected by parental incarceration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could inform interventions and policies to improve health and wellbeing for children of incarcerated parents.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show associations between parental incarceration and adverse outcomes, but this project seeks a comprehensive, long-term view with richer data.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Font, Sarah — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Font, Sarah
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Center for Work, Health and Wellbeing at Harvard
A national-scale program at Harvard investigates how work environments affect people’s health and safety, with aims to make workplaces healthier for workers.
-
Longitudinal health and aging study in Kenya
A large, long-term study in Kenya will track health, well-being, economics, and aging in adults 45 and older to understand rising aging needs and risk factors for dementia.
-
Sensory aging and dementia research network to speed care and policy
A five-year program at Johns Hopkins will strengthen an international research network to better understand how senses, aging, and late-life wellbeing relate to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, with the aim of turning findings into practical care and policy improvements.
-
Promoting Indigenous Wellness Through Community-Lent Healing and Knowledge
A Native-serving research program collaborates with Indigenous communities to improve wellbeing and relieve harm from opioids and pain by using local strengths and culturally-led approaches.
-
Collaborating Center for Arthritis Care Tools and a Coordinating Center for an Arthritis Management & Wellbeing Network
A coordinated NIH program aims to improve how primary care providers refer people with arthritis to evidence-based, self-management programs and to boost participation, especially among groups facing disparities.
-
Intergenerational Native American Wellbeing Program
A small, early-phase project tests a culturally grounded health program for Elders and youth in Native American communities to improve connection and reduce despair-related health risks.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.