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TANF "Leavers", Applicants, and Caseload Studies

Welcome to the ASPE-sponsored web site on Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) leavers, applicants, caseload studies, and other state studies of welfare outcomes. This site has been developed to provide technical assistance to ASPE-funded grantees and other researchers, background on the ASPE-funded grants to states and counties, access to grantee reports, and links to other sites related to the study of welfare outcomes.

Contents of Website

Reports

Data and Methodology

Further Information
Cross State Summaries and National Reports Study Design Project Background
All Reports by State Survey Library Archive of Topics from Leavers Studies
Reports on Leavers Data Files Related Links
Reports on Applicants    
Reports on Caseload Studies    

Project Background:

In fiscal years1998 through 2001, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) awarded about $7.1 million in grants to states and counties to study the outcomes of welfare reform on individuals and families who leave the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, individuals and families entering the TANF caseload, TANF applicants and potential TANF applicants, and current TANF recipients.

The grants were funded by a Congressional appropriation in fiscal years 1998-2001 for cross-cutting research into the outcomes of the welfare reform law enacted in August 1996.  All of the ASPE-funded grantees are using a combination of linked administrative data and surveys to study welfare reform's outcomes on families leaving, entering, or applying to the TANF program, or families currently receiving TANF benefits.  The FY 1998 welfare outcomes grants have an emphasis on TANF leavers; all fourteen are studying TANF leavers, with five of the fourteen FY1998 grantees also studying issues of diversion.  The FY 1999 welfare outcomes grants have an emphasis on TANF diversion, with six of the seven FY1999 grantees focusing their study on the applicant population, and one grantee studying TANF leavers. The five states and counties receiving FY 2000 welfare outcomes grants are enhancing existing research, particularly state-specific surveys of populations affected by welfare reform, by expanding or improving data collection activities, including efforts to improve cross-state comparability. The FY 2001 welfare outcomes grants focus on the current TANF caseload.

Project descriptions are provided for each project.  As they have become available, survey instruments, interim and final reports, and data files also have been posted.  The grantees include: 

  • Alameda County in California (2000)
  • Arizona (1998 and 1999)
  • California (2001)
  • Cuyahoga County in Ohio (1998)
  • Colorado (2001)
  • District of Columbia (1998 and 2001)
  • Florida (1998)
  • Georgia (1998)
  • Illinois (1998 and 1999)
  • Iowa (1999 and 2000)
  • Los Angeles County in California (1998)
  • Maryland (2001)
  • Massachusetts (1998)
  • Missouri (1998, 2000, and 2001)
  • New York (1998 and 1999),
  • South Carolina (1998 and 2001)
  • Texas (1999)
  • Washington (1998 and 1999)
  • Wisconsin (1998 and 2000)
  • A consortium of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties in California (1998 and 2000)
  • A consortium of Contra Costa and Alameda counties in California (1999)

Disclaimer: References or links from these pages to other pages outside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do not constitute any endorsement or recommendation by the Department or any of its agencies or employees.  HHS is not responsible for the contents of any pages outside our control.  HHS does not endorse any product or service provided by any other organization.