Administrative Data matching-Arizona

Tracking Recipients after They Leave Welfare

Administrative Data Matching-Arizona

Cash Assistance Exit Study - First Quarter 1998 Cohort

Date: May 5, 1999

Investigator: Arizona Department of Economic Security, Office of Research and Evaluation

Contact Person: Karen Westra

Method - Administrative data matching for all families that received benefits in at least one month during December 1997 to February 1998 and whose cases were closed for at least one month from January 1998 to March 1998. The analysis excluded two-parent and child only cases as well as cases that now come under the jurisdiction of tribal welfare programs.

Findings in Brief

Employment status at time of interview


		All Families	Sanctioned	Non-sanctioned
			Cases	Cases
Quarter prior to leaving welfare
	Percent with earnings	46.2%	29.9%	50.3%
	Median qtrly earnings	$1,043	$695	$1,084

Quarter of exit
	Percent with earnings	53.0%	36.0%	57.3%
	Median qtrly earnings	$1,768	$950	$1,864

Quarter following exit
	Percent with earnings	52.0%	40.0%	55.1%
	Median qtrly earnings	$1,951	$1,245	$2,086

Percent of working families earning		69.8%	57.8%	72.2%
over $1000 in quarter after exit

Percent of working families earning		49.0%	34.2%	52.0%
over $2000 in quarter after exit

Percent returning to TANF by		33.8%	39.1%	32.5%
end of 4th quarter 1998

Receiving Medicaid during 3rd		47.6%	55.1%	45.7%
quarter after exit

Receiving food stamps during 3rd		44.4%	52.4%	42.4%
quarter after exit

Receiving child care aid during 3rd		14.2%	10.7%	15.1%

For more information please contact Jack Tweedie at NCSL, 303-830-2200.

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