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CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut's Jobs First Program: An Analysis of Welfare Leavers |
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Date of Report: |
December 2000 (www.mdrc.org/Reports2001/CT-WelfareLeavers/CT-WelfareLeavers.htm) |
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Methodology: |
Administrative and survey data. Approximately 800 recipients were surveyed about 18 months after random assignment to the Jobs First program. While most recipients surveyed left welfare within 18 months of the random assignment, some comparisons were made between these individuals and those that left welfare due to the expiration of the state's 21-month time-limit. |
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Study Timeframe: |
Report focuses on people in Manchester and New Haven who applied for or were receiving cash assistance between January 1996 and February 1997. |
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Investigator (Contact): |
Manpower Demonstration Research Corp. (Laura Melton, http://www.mdrc.org) |
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Study Objective: |
Examine the experiences of those who have left welfare. |
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Comparable State Findings: |
Former Recipients |
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Percent employed fourth quarter after exit |
50% |
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Mean hourly earnings of those employed at time of interview |
N/A |
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Percent receiving Food Stamps 4th quarter after exit/Medicaid at time of interview |
32% / 60% |
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Percent who say life is "better" after welfare |
N/A |
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Percent ever receiving cash assistance in first year since exit |
24% |
Employment & Income
- 50% of leavers were employed in the fourth quarter after exit. Average quarterly earnings among those working increased to $3,516 in the 4th quarter after exit from $3,369 at the quarter after exit.
- 48% of employed leavers had an average hourly wage between $7.50 - $11.99 per hour and 22% earned more than $12 per hour.
- 81% of employed leavers worked at least 30 hours per week. Most (71%) worked daytime shifts.
- The majority of employed leavers had jobs that offered health insurance (75%), paid sick days (64%) and paid vacation days (82%).
Other Supports (at time of interview)
- In the month prior to the interview, 25% of leavers received child support payments. The average monthly payment received was $85.
- The percentage of leavers that received Food Stamps dropped from 94% after exit to 30% in the quarter after exit.
- 33% of leavers resided in public or subsidized housing at the time of interview. 8% lived rent-free with family or friends.
- At the time of interview, 58% of employed leavers and 62% of unemployed leavers were enrolled in Medicaid.
- 38% of employed leavers were offered health insurance by their employer but did not enroll in it.
Family Well-Being
- At the time of interview, 46% of leavers owned a car.
- On average, employed leavers had $330 in a savings account at the time of interview compared to $148 for non-leavers and only $23 for unemployed leavers.
- 28% of leavers reported moving to a better place since the time of entry into the Jobs First program. Of these, 35% of employed leavers but only 13% of unemployed leavers reported moving to a better place, compared to 26% of non-leavers.
- 9% of unemployed leavers reported living in a shelter/group home or being homeless compared to only 2% of employed leavers and non-leavers.
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