Washington2

Tracking Recipients after They Leave Welfare

Survey of Closed Cases-Washington

Washington's TANF Single Parent Families after Welfare

Date: January 1999

Investigator: Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Program Research and Evaluation

Contact Person: Jean Du (360) 413-3063

Method - Phone interviews with sample of families who received benefits at least three months between April and August 1998 but who did not receive benefits in August 1998. Initial contacts were made by mail with information for telephone contact. Interviews were conducted by telephone. 592 interviews were completed, a response rate of 52% once ineligible cases were excluded.

Survey data was then matched with administrative data bases to enable assessment of potential non-response biases and compare the characteristics of exiters to those remaining on the caseload.

Findings in Brief

Employment status at time of interview

	Employed at time of interview			71%
	Not employed since leaving welfare			13%
	Average Hours			36
	Median Hourly Wage			$7.22
	Average number of weeks worked during past 12 months			34 weeks

	Median family cash income for month			$1,204
	(including earnings and child support)

Household deprivation after leaving welfare (no during welfare measure)

Went without food for at least one day where adult & child deprived	8%
Not having own place to stay at least once		11%
Utility was cut off at least once		11%
Not able to arrange for transportation sometimes or often		12%
Child had to spend time with foster care		1%

Median time on welfare (self-reported) 34 months

Comparison of exiters with those still receiving benefits (stayers)

Stayers and exiters are families that received at least 3 months of benefits from Nov. 1997 through July 1998. Stayers received benefits in August 1998. Exiters did not receive benefits in August 1998.

	Stayers	Exiters
Non-white	36%	28%
Less than 20 years old	6%	6%
Over 40 years old	25%	15%
Average age of youngest child	5.9	6
Limited in major life activity	9.4%	4.0%
Mean years of education	9.6	11.6
Median quarters employed 95-97	4	4
Median earnings per quarter 95-97	$1,028	$1,235
Median hours worked per quarter	147	172
Median months on TANF 88-97	51	34

Analysis of non-response bias

To assess non-response bias in their survey, Washington compared administrative data for the families surveyed with the all families that left welfare. Note that all administrative data examined here is measured prior to exit.

	Respondents	All Exiters
Non-white	26%	28%
Median age	30	30
Average age of youngest child	6	6
Limited in major life activity	4.0%	4.0%
Mean years of education	12	12
Median quarters employed 95-97	5	4
Median earnings per quarter 95-97	$1,257	$1,235
Median hours worked per quarter	174	172
Median months on TANF 88-97	37	34

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

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