Survey of Closed Cases-Mississippi

Tracking Recipients after They Leave Welfare

Survey of Closed Cases-Mississippi

Tracking of TANF Clients - First Report of a Longitudinal Study

Date: January 28, 1999

Investigator: Center for Applied Research, Millsaps College

Contact Person: Jesse Beeler & Bill Brister, Millsaps College

Method - Survey of closed cases from eight counties. Counties were chosen from both rural and urban areas and both high and low unemployment areas. The number of cases drawn from each of the eight counties was based on their level of TANF expenditures. Of a sample of 406 families, surveys were completed from 351 families, a response rate of 86.7%.

Findings in Brief

Employment status at time of interview
	Employed at time of interview	35%
	Not employed in last six months	53%
	Of those who reported working Worked more than 35 hours per week	67%

Reasons for not working

	Cannot find a job	39%
	Are physically/mentally ill	27%
	Cannot find child care	16%
	Do not have transportation	17%
	Want to stay home with children	12%

Types of support received

	Medicaid	44%
	Food stamps	58%
	Child support	18%
	Receive rent subsidy	34%
	Used organized child care center	10%
	Gifts of money from family or friends	28%

Household deprivation after leaving welfare

	Period without money to buy food	11%
	Children's medical needs going unattended	12%

Access to transportation

	Unable to accept job because of lack of transportation	18%
	Own vehicle	27%

Clients' perceptions of agency and TANF

	Agency treated me fairly	55 - 60%
	Thought the things they had to do to get welfare were somewhat of a hassle	70%
	Money they got from assistance was not worth the trouble	56%
	Knew they could get Medicaid, child care assistance and food stamps after leaving TANF	60%

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

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