Welfare Reform: Families After Welfare

Families Leaving Welfare

Tracking Recipients After They Leave Welfare. State tracking studies provide information concerning critical questions about what is happening to the large number of families that have left welfare. While these studies do not provide the basis for any general conclusions about the success of reforms, they provide us with valuable data regarding the effects of welfare reform. They illustrate both the positive results of welfare reform - more former recipients are working; and the remaining questions - how do we move recipients who are not working into jobs so they can establish stable environments for their families? NCSL has been publishing state tracking summaries since 1999 (see http://www.ncsl.org/statefed/welfare/leavers02.htm). In addition to the tracking summaries, NCSL has produced other publications that deal with time limits, employment experiences, child care issues, and other challenges facing families after leaving welfare. These publications as well as links to other relevant resources are listed below.

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NCSL Publications

Welfare to What? (February 2004, LegisBrief, by Courtney Harrison)
Innovative state welfare programs moved millions of people off the rolls and into the workforce. Recently, state welfare agencies have studied how those who have left welfare are fairing.

Use of Non-Cash supports by Former TANF Recipients (July 2003, Families Leaving Welfare, by Andrea Wilkins)
The majority of former TANF recipients leave welfare for work. Although earnings are the primary source of support for most of these families, most employed parents do not earn enough to lift their families out of poverty. Use of non-TANF support services-such as Food Stamps, Medicaid and child care assistance-can make the difference between a family living above or below the poverty level and remaining off welfare.

Child Care Experiences of Former Welfare Recipients (May 2002, Families Leaving Welfare, by Andrea Wilkins)
Effective welfare reform requires expanded child care services. Lack of child care is one of the most commonly cited barriers to employment by former recipients. This policy brief synthesizes the results of states' leaver studies to evaluate the child care experiences of individuals who have left welfare.

Employment Experiences of Former Welfare Recipients (May 2002, Families Leaving Welfare, by Courtney Jarchow)
State and federal welfare reform policies of the 1990s encouraged families to leave welfare for work. This policy brief investigates the employment experiences of former welfare recipients, including employment trends, types of jobs available, career advancement, and earnings gains.

Tracking Welfare Reform: Designing Follow-up Studies of Recipients Who Leave Welfare
This issue brief is based on a presentation and discussions that occurred at a conference sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Governor's Association, and the American Public Welfare Association. The brief is designed to provide suggestions on how to structure follow-up studies that examine the experiences of former welfare recipients.

For more information on welfare reform issues, please contact Jack Tweedie in the Denver office at 303.364.7700 or cyf-info@ncsl.org or either Sheri Steisel or Lee Posey in the D.C. office at 202.624.5400 or fedhumserv-info@ncsl.org