She specializes in public policy research related to child poverty and mental health services. As the principal investigator of multiple federally funded projects, Dr. Aratani works closely with local and state governments to evaluate policies and interventions targeting low-income families with children and identify effective policies and programs that can positively affect child development and well-being. She is one of seven scholars in the Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Network, a recently funded effort of the Office of Planning Research and Evaluation within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.