Taryn Morrissey Professor, DPAP Chair, and Associate Dean of Research Public Administration and Policy
- Degrees
- PhD, Developmental Psychology, Cornell University, 2008
MA, Human Development and Family Studies, Cornell University, 2005
BS, Psychology and Child Development, Tufts University, 2003 - Bio
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Dr. Morrissey is Associate Dean of Research at the School of Public Affairs and Chair of the Department of Public Administration and Policy. Her work centers on examining and improving public policies for children and families. Ongoing research examines early care and education policy, paid family leave, family economic instability, and their implications for children and families. She is co-author of Cradle to Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality (2017, 2021, Russell Sage Foundation), which offers a comprehensive, evidence-based policy approach for supporting young children. She has published more than 45 articles in journals including Pediatrics, Child Development, Developmental Psychology, Review of Economics of the Household, and the Journal of Marriage and Family, and has received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the US Dept of Health and Human Services, and USDA.
In 2020 and 2021, Dr. Morrissey was a Senior Fellow at the Center for 鶹ý Progress. From 2017-2024, she served as a commissioner on the Washington, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s Healthy Youth & Schools Commission. In 2021-2022, and again since 2024, she is a Member of DC's Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force.
Dr. Morrissey's research is informed by her experiences in policy. She has served as senior advisor in multiple offices at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the Office of Head Start in 2024; the Office of Child Care in 2022; and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in 2013-2015). Prior to joining the AU faculty in 2010, Taryn Morrissey served as a health policy advisor on the staff of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, first for Senator Edward Kennedy and then for Senator Tom Harkin. Dr. Morrissey worked primarily on federal health reform. She began her career in policy as an 鶹ý Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) / Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Congressional Fellow.
- See Also
- SPA Department of Public Administration and Policy
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Partnerships & Affiliations
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Faculty Affiliate -
Faculty Fellow
Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities
Research Interests
- Social policy and child development
- Child care, parental employment, and work-family issues
- Health policy and child health
Grants and Sponsored Research
Washington Center for Equitable Growth, Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Scott Allard). “The Child Care Workforce and COVID: Community Capacity and Investments as Buffers to the Pandemic,” 2023-2024
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Colleen Heflin). “Building on Work to Advance Understanding of Instability in Parental Employment as a Barrier to Child Care,” 2021-2022
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,Principal Investigator (Co-PI: Scott Allard). “Barriers to Early Care and Education participation: Examining Geographic, Demographic, and Policy Characteristics Across the Country,” 2020-2021
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Colleen Heflin). “Employment Instability as a Barrier to Child Care,” 2020-2021
Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison (US Department of Health and Human Services funds). Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Scott Allard). 2019-2020
Peter G. Peterson Foundation and the Ford Foundation, US 2050 Grant, Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Katie Vinopal). “Neighborhood Disadvantage and Children’s Cognitive Skill Trajectories,” 2018-2019
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Interdisciplinary Research LeadersAward. (Team members: Nina Yamanis and Catalina Sol). 2017-2020
Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison (US Department of Health and Human Services funds). Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Sharon Wolf). 2017-2018
Metropolitan Policy Center, 鶹ý. "The Effects of Universal Early Childhood Education on Parental Time Use". Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Seth Gershenson). 2016-2017
University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research, National Health Interview Survey Research Program. "Using Natural Experiments to Examine the Impacts of SNAP on Adult and Child Health." Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Daniel Miller). 2015-2016
Intergovernmental Personnel Agreement (IPA), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013-2015
Maternal and Child Health Research Program, Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Principal Investigator (Co-PI: Rada Dagher). "A Longitudinal Analysis of Maternal Depression and its Associations with Child Obesity and Health Care Use" 2012-2013
Institute for Research on Poverty RIDGE Center for National Food and Nutrition Assistance Research Grant: Food Assistance and Children's Eating Patterns, Food Insecurity, and Obesity: The Influence of Local Food Prices. Principal Investigator (Co-PI: Alison Jacknowitz). 2011-2012
University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research, Research Program on Child Hunger Small Grants Program: Food Insecurity Across the First Five Years: Triggers of Onset and Exit. Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Alison Jacknowitz). 2011-2012
Child Care Bureau Research Scholar Award, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Principal Investigator: Patchworks and Sequences of Child Care: The Effects of Multiple Child Care Arrangements on Child Development; 2006-2008
Congressional Testimony
Invited witness, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Education and Labor Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, Hearing on , February 2020.https://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/solving-americas-child-care-crisis-supporting-parents-children-and-the-economy
Honors, Awards, and Fellowships
Morton Bender Prize, 鶹ý, 2020
Center for Health, Riskand Society (CHRS) Fellow Award, 鶹ý, 2019-2020
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leader Award, 2017-2020
Institute for Research on Poverty Visiting Food Assistance Scholar, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2013
Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) /鶹ý Association for the Advance of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellowship, 2008-2009
Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): Child Care Chaos and Children's Social-emotional Development and Stress. Grant # F32-HD-059795-01A1, 2008-2010 (declined)
Selected Publications
Book:
Chaudry, A., Morrissey, T., Weiland, C., & Yoshikawa, H. (2017, 2021). Cradle to Kindergarten: A new plan to combat inequality. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.https://www.russellsage.org/publications/cradle-kindergarten-2ndEdition
Selected journal articles (from 2020; see Google Scholar for full list):
*indicates former or current student.
Fannin, W.C.*, Heflin, C.M., & Morrissey, T.W. (accepted). Earnings and employment patterns following childcare subsidy receipt. Social Service Review.
Morrissey, T. W., Castleberry, M.N.*, McHale, D., & Sol, C., Dondero, M., & Yamanis, N. (accepted). Variations in health insurance, health care use, and health outcomes among community health center clients: An analysis using longitudinal electronic health record data. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Morrissey, T. W., Castleberry, M.N.*, & Soni, A. (2024). The impacts of New York State’s paid family leave policy on parents’ sleep and exercise. Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Morrissey, T. W., & Bowman, K.* (2024). Early care and education workforce compensation, program quality, and children’s outcomes: A review of the research. Early Education & Development.
Morrissey, T.W., & Engel, K.* (2023). Parent-child time during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from the 鶹ý Time Use Survey. Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Heflin, C., & Morrissey, T. W. (2023). Patterns of earnings and employment by worker sex, race, and ethnicity: Results from a sample of workers connected to public assistance programs. Race and Social Problems, 15, 166-186.
Morrissey, T. W. (2023). The minimum wage and parent time use. Review of Economics of the Household.
Morrissey, T. W. (2023). The Earned Income Tax Credit and short-term changes in parents’ time investments in children. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 44(2), 412-433.
Morrissey, T.W., & Engel, K.* (2023). Adolescents’ time use during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from the 鶹ý Time Use Survey. Journal of Adolescent Health, 72, 295-299.
Morrissey, T. W., Heflin, C., & Fannin, W. C.* (2023). Room to grow: Examining participation and stability in child care subsidies using state administrative data. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 62, 150-162.
Morrissey, T. W., Allard, S. W., & Pelletier, E*. (2022). Access to early care and education in rural communities: Implications for children’s school readiness. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 8(3),100-123.
Soni, A., & Morrissey, T. W. (2022). Effects of Medicaid expansion on home production and childcare: Evidence from time use data. Southern Economic Journal, 88(3), 931-950.
Miller, D. P., & Morrissey, T. W. (2021). The effects of SNAP on child and adult health: An instrumental variables approach. Public Health Nutrition,24(18), 6543-6554.
Morrissey, T.W., Cha, Y.*, Wolf, S., & Khan, M.* (2020). Household economic instability: Constructs, measurement, and implications.Children and Youth Services Review, 118, 10552-10564.
Vinopal, K.*, & Morrissey, T. W. (2020). Neighborhood disadvantage and children’s cognitive skill trajectories. Children and Youth Services Revie, 116, 105231-105242.
Morrissey, T. W., & Miller, D. P. (2020). SNAP participation improves children’s healthcare use: An analysis of ARRA’s a natural experiment. Academic Pediatrics, 20(6), 863-870.
Selected Policy Reports (since 2020):
Chaudry, A., & Morrissey, T. (2022, January). Pennies to the Dollar: The investment gap for New Jersey’s earliest learners. Advocates for Children of New Jersey: Newark, NJ.
Morrissey, T. W., Heflin, C. M., & Fannin, W. C. (2021, October). The United States child care subsidy system is underused but well-positioned to promote racial equity. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotin Health Research Briefs Series. Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs: Syracuse, NY.
Morrissey, T. W., Heflin, C. M., & Fannin, W. C. (2021, October). The U.S. must invest more in the child care subsidy program. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotin Health Research Brief Series. Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs: Syracuse, NY.
Morrissey, T. W., Yamanis, N., & Sol, C. (2020, December). Local health policies and safety net programs affect resilience and health of Latinx immigrants. Research Brief, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leaders.
Novoa, C., & Morrissey, T. W. (2020, August). Adversity in early childhood: The role of policy in creating and addressing adverse childhood experiences. Center for 鶹ý Progress: Washington, DC.
Malik, R., & Morrissey, T. W. (2020, August). The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing millennial mothers out of the workforce. Center for 鶹ý Progress: Washington, DC.
Morrissey, T. W., & Workman, S. (2020, August). Grants and contracts: A strategy for building the supply of subsidized infant and toddler child care. Center for 鶹ý Progress: Washington, DC.
Morrissey, T. W. (2020, February). Addressing the need for affordable, high-quality early childhood care and education for all in the United States. Equitable Growth 2020. Washington, DC: Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
Media Appearances
Op-eds/Popular media publications:
Engel, K*., & Morrissey, T. (2023, May 22). GOP’s proposed expansion of SNAP work requirements targets manylow-incomepeople in their early 50s – but many of them alreadywork. The Conversation.
DeMatteis, E., & Morrissey, T. (2022, October 21). Viewpoint: It takes a viallage, and supportive employer, to care for family. Washington Business Journal.
Morrissey, T., & Zalkind, C. (2022, February 8). The future of infant-toddler care after COVID-19. NJ Spotlight News.
Weiland, C., & Morrissey, T. (2021, October 8). It’s time for a comprehensive early childhood system, not another band-aid. The Globe Post.
Morrissey, T. (2021, September 23). Congress can boost economic growth with childcare investments. Inside Sources.
Morrissey, T. (2021, May 21). Stop politicizing investments in our children. The Hill.
Morrissey, T. (2021, April 19). Biden Administration’s $39 billion child care strategy: 5 questions answered. The Conversation. Republished in The Houston Chronicle and other outlets.
Morrissey, T. (2021, April 14). It’s time to give children the education that they deserve. The Hill.
Morrissey, T. (2021, April 8). The pandemic is far from over for working moms. Gender on the Ballot.
Morrissey, T. (2021, February 24). The pandemic is hurting working mothers, but policy changes can help. Gender on the Ballot.
Morrissey, T. (2021, January 5). Fewer kids are enrolled in public kindergarten – that will have a lasting impact on schools and equity. The Conversation. Republished in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Yahoo News, the Houston Chronicle, and other outlets.
Morrissey, T. (2020, September 30). Our children deserve more from us. .
Morrissey, T. (2020, July 15). Kids’ school schedules have never matched parents’ work hours and the pandemic is making things worse. . Republished in multiple news outlets including the Houston Chronicle, The Albany Times-Union, and the San Antonio Express-News.
Media Coverage (since 2020):
2024 Interviewed for an ABC7 story on better pay for child care workers. Interviewed for a televised segment for The National Desk on child care costs. Quoted in a WJL Sinclair Media story on child care costs. Interviewed for podcost NoCo by KUNC (NPR affiliate in Colorado). Interviewed for KLTV story.
2023 Quoted in a Global News story and in a story about federal child care aid ending and the impacts on families. Included in multiple a DCTV documentary Stronger Start: Building Better Child Care. Interviewed by the about the Department of Commerce’s plan to require CHIPS grantees to make child care accessible to employees. Quoted in about New Mexico’s plan to combat the child care crisis. Quoted in magazine about the challenges of child care without community.
2022 Interviewed for on child care and early childhood spending in New Jersey.
2021 Quoted in about longer child care waitlists for child care programs. Quoted in about the lack of child care slowing women’s return to work. Interviewed and quoted by ʸ’s about the costs of child care. Quoted in the about President Biden’s 鶹ý Families Plan.
2020 Quoted about Congressional testimony at child are hearing in . Quoted in stories on the effects of coronavirus on child care in and . Quoted on Vice President Biden’s child care plan in the and separately for its implications for the economy in the . Interviewed on the mismatch between kids’ school and parents’ work schedules on public radio. Research on COVID-19 and mothers’ work covered in , , , and . Quoted on story about pandemic parenting in . Quoted on stories about Vice President and the effects on families in the Deseret News. Interviewed about child care during the pandemic for . Quoted about Vice President Biden’s caregiving plan for . Participated in a panel discussion on then President-Elect Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Education that was aired on . Quoted about President-Elect Biden’s education agenda in the .
AU Experts
Area of Expertise
Impacts of public policy on child development; the impacts of public-and employer-supported child care on work/family balance; child care stability and children's development
Additional Information
Taryn Morrissey's research focuses on the impacts of public policy on child development. She examines socioeconomic, geographic, racial, and ethnic disparities in early opportunity and how early care and education, nutrition, income, and health programs and policies promote children’s short- and long-term outcomes and family well-being. Morrissey is a co-author of Cradle to Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality (2017 and 2021). She served as senior adviser on early childhood policy in the office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services and as a health policy advisor for the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, for Sen. Edward Kennedy and Sen. Tom Harkin. Her opinion articles have appeared in The Hill, CNBC, and other media outlets, and she is frequently interviewed by NPR, The New York Times, Vox, and other media outlets.
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.