Tracking the Outcomes of Welfare Reform in Florida for Three Groups of People

FLORIDA

Tracking the Outcomes of Welfare Reform in Florida for Three Groups of People
Date of Report:	October 2000 (http://www.flawelfarereform.org/reports/documents/CrewTrackingFinalDHHS.pdf)
Methodology:	Administrative and survey data: Interviews were conducted with 3,548 leavers (Response Rate not available)
Study Timeframe:	Interviews were conducted May - December 1999, at least 2 years after exit
Investigator (Contact):	Robert Crew Jr., et al Florida State University (bcrew@coss.fsu.edu)
Study Objective:	Compare outcomes of leavers, diverters, and non-recipients over 21 months

Comparable State Findings:	Former Recipients
Percent employed at time of interview	57%
Mean/Median hourly wage of those employed	N/A
Percent receiving Food Stamps/Medicaid (children) in the 4^th quarter after exit	35% / 45%
Percent who are satisfied with their overall standard of living after welfare	72%
Percent ever receiving cash assistance in first year since exit	26%

Employment & Income

20% of leavers were never employed for 20 months while 31% were employed consistently.
50% of leavers surveyed worked at least 40 hours/week.
The median annual earning for employed leavers was $5,445 according to administrative data.
Leavers employed consistently earned 60% more annually than other employed leavers - average annual earnings were $6,893 compared to $11,155.
Leavers' employment rate gradually increased over time (from 39% at exit to 55% twenty-one months after exit) as did earnings ($1,700/quarter at exit to $2,700/quarter twenty-one months after exit).
English-speaking leavers were employed at a higher average rate (54% v. 45%) after exit but earned less ($6,858 v. $7,489) than non-English speaking leavers.
African-American leavers were consistently employed at a higher average rate than other leavers (38% compared to less than 29% for Hispanics, Whites and Others) but had lower average annual earnings for consistently employed leavers ($10,853 compared to more than $11,000 for all others).

Other Supports

46% of all leavers and 24% of unemployed leavers did not rely on TANF, Food Stamps or Medicaid in the 21 months after exit.
39% drove themselves to work yet 41% reported they could get a better job with better transportation and 34% missed a day of work or changed work hours because of transportation problems.
Child care problems caused leavers to change work hours (41%) and miss work (34%). 38% reported they could get a better job with better child care.
60% of leavers received EITC, 35% received child support and 27% received child care subsidies.
Leavers relied on family/friends for money (38%), help paying bills (33%) and free housing (25%).

Family Well-Being

43% of leavers to missed work due to their health and 52% missed work due to their children's health.
Leavers reported being satisfied with food (79%), personal clothing (73%), furniture (72%) and clothing for their children (77%).
59% of leavers got behind on utilities, 53% got behind on rent, 48% lost phone service, 44% could not afford food, 36% lost electricity, 26% lost water and 25% had their vehicle confiscated.
32% of leavers moved because they could not afford housing, 19% of leavers' children moved in with someone else and 17% of leavers went to a homeless shelter after exit.
54% of leavers and 51% of their children reported needing medical care but couldn't afford it.