Figure IND 8. Percentage of AFDC/TANF, Food Stamp, and SSI Spells for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1996 SIPP Panel, by Length of Spell
Source: Unpublished data from the SIPP, 1996 Panel.
- Between the years 1996 and 1999, short spells lasting 4 months or less accounted for about 47 percent of AFDC/TANF spells, 43 percent of food stamp spells, and 34 percent of SSI spells.
- Approximately three-fourths of all AFDC/TANF and food stamp spells lasted one year or less (76 percent and 71 percent, respectively). In contrast, only 53 percent of SSI spells ended within one year.
- As shown in Table IND 8a, for TANF/AFDC spells, a smaller percentage of long spells (lasting more than 20 months) occurred among non-Hispanic whites compared to non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics.
- Spells of welfare receipt were shorter in the second half of the 1990s than in the early 1990s, as shown in Table IND 8b. For example, only 13 percent of AFDC/TANF spells for individuals entering AFDC/TANF between 1996 and 1999 lasted 20 months or longer, compared with 34 percent of AFDC spells beginning between 1992 and 1994.
- Short spells are less common among recipients in families without labor force participants, as shown previously in Figure and Table IND 7.
- Length of TANF receipt varies across states, as shown in Appendix Table TANF 17, which shows an alternative measure of length of TANF receipt, using state administrative data.
Table IND 8a. Percentage of AFDC/TANF, Food Stamp and SSI Spells for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1996 SIPP Panel, by Length of Spell, Race/Ethnicity, and Age
| Spells <=4 Months | Spells 5-12 Months | Spells 13-20 Months | Spells >20 Months | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFDC/TANF | All Recipients | 46.6 | 29.2 | 11.5 | 12.7 |
| Racial/Ethnic Categories | |||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 47.4 | 33.0 | 10.7 | 8.9 | |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 45.2 | 28.3 | 13.6 | 12.9 | |
| Hispanic | 46.3 | 25.4 | 10.5 | 17.9 | |
| Age Categories | |||||
| Ages 0-5 Years | 41.8 | 33.2 | 10.8 | 14.2 | |
| Ages 6 to 10 Years | 49.4 | 24.6 | 9.0 | 17.0 | |
| Ages 11 to 15 Years | 42.5 | 25.6 | N/A | N/A | |
| Ages 16 to 64 Years | 48.6 | 30.7 | 12.0 | 8.7 | |
| 65 Years and Older | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| FOOD STAMPS | All Recipients | 43.1 | 27.7 | 9.3 | 19.8 |
| Racial/Ethnic Categories | |||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 46.5 | 27.5 | 9.4 | 16.7 | |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 38.6 | 28.5 | 9.1 | 23.9 | |
| Hispanic | 41.7 | 28.5 | 8.1 | 21.8 | |
| Age Categories | |||||
| Ages 0 to 5 years | 36.5 | 31.4 | 8.6 | 23.5 | |
| Ages 6 to 10 years | 40.6 | 27.3 | 9.1 | 22.9 | |
| Ages 11-15 | 40.4 | 30.3 | 10.0 | 19.3 | |
| Ages 16-64 | 46.2 | 26.7 | 9.6 | 17.6 | |
| 65 Years and Older | 31.7 | 26.8 | 6.9 | 34.7 | |
| SSI | All Recipients | 34.1 | 19.2 | 9.1 | 37.6 |
| Racial/Ethnic Categories | |||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 36.8 | 18.7 | 7.8 | 36.7 | |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 34.8 | 19.7 | 9.5 | 36.0 | |
| Hispanic | 27.1 | 22.4 | 9.8 | 40.7 | |
| Age Categories | |||||
| Ages 0-10 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Ages 11-15 | 30.9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Ages 16-64 | 37.1 | 20.1 | 8.6 | 34.2 | |
| 65 Years and Older | 22.1 | 16.7 | 11.9 | 49.3 | |
Note: Spell length categories are not mutually exclusive. Spells separated by only 1 month are not considered separate spells. Due to the length of the observation period, actual spell lengths for spells that lasted more than 20 months cannot be observed. AFDC/TANF spells are defined as those starting during the 1996 SIPP Panel. For certain age categories, data are not available (N/A) because of insufficient sample size.
Persons of Hispanic ethnicity may be of any race. Due to small sample size, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians and Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders are included in the total for all persons but are not shown separately.
Source: Unpublished data from the SIPP, 1996 Panel.
Table IND 8b. Percentage of AFDC/TANF, Food Stamp and SSI Spells for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1992, 1993, and 1996 SIPP Panels
| Spells <=4 Months | Spells 5-12 Months | Spells 13-20 Months | Spells >20 Months | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 Panel | ||||
| AFDC | 30.4 | 24.7 | 10.5 | 34.4 |
| Food Stamps | 33.4 | 24.9 | 10.2 | 31.5 |
| SSI | 25.7 | 8.9 | 4.8 | 60.6 |
| 1993 Panel | ||||
| AFDC | 30.7 | 25.4 | 12.5 | 31.4 |
| Food Stamps | 33.1 | 26.8 | 10.1 | 30.0 |
| SSI | 24.0 | 7.9 | 4.7 | 63.4 |
| 1996 Panel | ||||
| AFDC/TANF | 46.6 | 29.2 | 11.5 | 12.7 |
| Food Stamps | 43.1 | 27.7 | 9.3 | 19.8 |
| SSI | 34.1 | 19.2 | 9.1 | 37.6 |
Source: Unpublished data from the SIPP, 1992, 1993, and 1996 Panels.
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