Patricia R. Doxsey reports in the Daily Freeman that an analysis about the universal basic monthly income program in Kingston found that participants reported improved financial health, an increased sense of self-worth, and an enhanced quality of life. The analysis was conducted by the University of Pennslyvania. There is a similar program in the city of Hudson. Former Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, who now represents the area in Congress, initiated the program. Participants received a guaranteed monthly income of $500 a month for 14 months, with the amount decreasing in each of the last three months of the program. The report said, “Findings from the pilot indicate that despite the extraordinary stressors of the global pandemic and unprecedented, nation-wide inflation, the treatment group held steady or improved in many of the primary outcomes measured, while these same outcomes declined for the control group. Although the treatment group exhibited minor declines in specific areas such as psychological distress, on average they experienced greater improvements in financial health, physical health, housing, and food security compared to the control group. Further, these stable and positive trends among GI recipients held steady even after the cash disbursements... ended.” Leah, who received $500 a month, said, “[Before the program] I wouldn’t have gone to the doctors because — I had always, you know, going back to like the things that I cut out. Like doctor’s appointments. I didn’t even think about doctor’s appointments because I just was like, whatever. You know, I don’t need to get my teeth cleaned.” The study found 50 percent of those in the program were employed full-time at the start, compared to 32 percent in the control group. At the end of the program, 59 percent of the recipients were employed full-time while only 47 percent were in the control group. Current Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, “We now have measurable data from our own county indicating that cash assistance helps reduce poverty and its associated risks and harms while enabling our residents to gain more agency and control over their lives." Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.