Impacts of Welfare Reform in Utah

UTAH

Multiple Impacts of Welfare Reform in Utah: Experiences of Former Long-term Welfare Recipients
Date of Report:	June 2000 (http://www.socwk.utah.edu/sri/final2.pdf)
Methodology:	Administrative and in-person interview data: 407 interviews. (73% Response Rate)
Study Timeframe:	Study was conducted three to six months after exit. Respondents had been off of welfare for at least two months.
Investigator/ (Contact Person):	Department of Social Work, University of Utah (Mary Jane Taylor, mjtaylor@socwk.utah.edu)
Study objectives:	Reporting on families leaving welfare and comparing recipients who left welfare due to increased income, time limits and other reasons.

Comparable State Findings:		Former Recipients
Percent employed at time of interview		56%
Mean hourly wage of those employed		$7.34
Percent receiving Food Stamps/Medicaid at time of interview		67% / 76%
Percent who say life is better/worse after welfare		37% / 34%
Percent returning to cash assistance by interview		N/A

Employment & Earnings

In this survey of families who had left after being on welfare for more than three years, most adults (56%) were working and about half (47%) had incomes over the poverty threshold.
The survey found clear differences between families whose cases were closed for increased income compared to those closed for time limits and for other reasons, including sanctions. Fewer adults in time limit and other cases work (43% and 42% compared to 77% for increased income leavers); their incomes are lower (mean monthly earnings of $750 and $814 compared to $1,092); and more have incomes below the poverty line (73% and 58% compared to 32%).
Most respondents reported significant barriers to employment. Almost half (45%) were diagnosed as clinically depressed and 16% screened positively for post-traumatic stress syndrome. Over one-quarter indicated drug use problems and slightly more indicated alcohol problems. 35% had no high school diploma or GED and 31% had not worked in one job for six months during the past five years.
Time-limit families and families who left for other reasons face greater barriers than families who left for increased income-higher rates of depression (60% v. 40%), twice as many who lack a high school diploma or GED, more than twice as many who have not worked at one job for six months or more in the last five years.
72% of respondents reported having been emotionally abused since the age of 18.

Other supports

20% of all families received child care subsidies with big differences by reason for exit (increased income - 34%, time limit - 13% and other reasons - 11%).
31% of all leavers were receiving child support payments at the time of the interview.
42% of families reported using food banks.

Family Well-Being

Families who left due to time limits and other reasons faced greater hardships--53% could not pay rent at some time compared to 31% in the increased income group; 18% ran out of money to buy food compared to 13%, and 17% of other leavers had their electricity or heat turned off compared to 6% of time limit and 7% of increased income leavers.