Low-Income Families
RESEARCH AND EVALUATIONS
This section provides resources on low-income populations who are financially eligible for, but do not currently receive, TANF.
Don’t see what you are looking for? Browse our report archives for [2006] [2005] [2004]
General Topic
Leave No Family Behind: How Can We Reduce the Rising Number of American Families Living in Poverty?, September 2008
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairman and Vice Chair respectively of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), held a hearing on poverty in the United States. The JEC hearing entitled, “Leave No Family Behind: How Can We Reduce the Rising Number of American Families Living in Poverty?”, featured Mayor David N. Cicilline and poverty experts who examined whether the outdated federal poverty measurements are preventing resources from reaching families and elderly Americans and what legislation may be appropriate to drastically reduce the number of U.S. families living in poverty. Since 2000, the number of Americans living in poverty jumped by 5.7 million to 37.3 million; and the poverty rate rose to 12.5 percent in 2007.
For more information, please see: http://www.senate.gov/comm/jec/general/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.HearingsCalendar&ContentRecord_id=963f5a18-d753-62b1-c690-0ad3cae36db9
Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007, August 2008
This report was published by the U.S. Census Bureau and includes data from 2007 on income and poverty in the United States. Researchers used data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the 2008 Current Population Survey (CPS). The medial household income increased from 2006 to 2007, and the poverty rate was not statistically different. Additionally, the number of people without health insurance decreased over the past year.
For more information, please see: http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf
A Profile of the Working Poor, September 2007
In 2005, the US Census estimated that 37.0 million people, or 12.6 percent of the population, lived at or below the official poverty threshold. Additionally, 7.7 million were classified as “working poor,” who were at or below the poverty threshold and had worked 27 weeks in the past year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics authored this report on the demographics of the working poor from the 2005 Census data.
For more information, please see: http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswp2005.pdf
Children's Health Status: Examining the Associations Among Income Poverty, Material Hardship and Parental Factors, September 2007
Researchers at the Department of Human Development, California State University East Bay, conducted this study examining a model of income poverty, material hardship, parenting factors, and child health status to understand how material hardship and parental factors mediate the effects of poverty on child health. Utilizing data from the 2002 National Survey of American Families, researchers found that poverty has an independent effect on health, and its effects are partially explained by material hardship, parental depression and parental behaviors.
For more information, please see: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1978512&blobtype=pdf
Work after Welfare Reform and the Well-being of Children, September 2007
Published through the National Poverty Center, this report examines the employment of low-income mothers and the emotional well-being and academic progress of their children. It was found that when the mothers had stable job opportunities, children had fewer behavior problems. Fluctuating levels of work hours are associated with the probability that the child will repeat a grade or be placed in special education.
Framework for a New Safety Net for Low-Income Working Families, June 2007
From this Urban Institute, this paper offers a framework for conceptualizing public programs available to low-income working families to reach economic security and self-sufficiency. Often times, public programs, such as housing and child care subsidies, job training, health insurance, the earned income tax credit (EITC) and food stamps, do not coordinate with one another and operate under different rules and regulations.
For more information, please see: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411475_low_income.pdf
Children’s Time Use and Parental Involvement in Low-Income Families, January 2007
The number of children living in poverty has increased by a half million in one year. With recent work requirements for low-income parents, this study seeks to identify how much time children in low-income families spend with their parents and if the lack of time contributes to behavioral problems for these children.
For more information, please see: http://npc.umich.edu/publications/u/working_paper07-03.pdf
Employment, Social Security, and Future Retirement Outcomes for Single Mothers, December 2006
Due in large part to welfare reform, employment rates have increased among single mothers. From the Urban Institute, this article examines these trends in relation to increasing income among this population due to employment and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Such income supplements can equate to higher Social Security and retirement benefits among this population.
To view or download: http://urban.org/UploadedPDF/411396_Retirement_Single_Mothers.pdf
An Assessment of the Income and Expenses of America's Low-Income Families Using Survey Data from the National Survey of America's Families, November 2006
This paper is from the Urban Institute and provides information on expenses and income of low-income working families. Authors found that families with one full-time worker in 2001 fared well due to work effort, earnings and the earned income tax credit. However, it was found that low-income families without a full-time worker did not have enough income to cover basic needs.
To view or download: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411382_surve.pdf
Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2001 Through 2003, Who Gets Assistance?, October 2006
Since the PRWORA of 1996, States have had greater flexibility in creating public assistance programs to serve families. From the US Census Bureau, this report provides an overview of national participation in the following assistance programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), General Assistance (GA), food stamps, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and housing benefits.
To view or download: http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p70-108.pdf
Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005, August 2006
This report is the latest data from the Census Bureau on income, poverty and health insurance coverage in the US. Results show that the real median income increased from 2004 to 2005, while the poverty rate was not statistically different.
To view or download: http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p60-231.pdf
Poverty and Income in 2005: A Look at the New Census Data and What the Numbers Mean for Children and Families, August 2006
This transcript from the Brookings Institution provides information from a Brookings briefing on the latest Census numbers on poverty and income. Experts on the panel included Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; Larry Aber, Professor of Applied Psychology and Public Policy, New York University; Ron Mincy, Professor of Social Policy and Social Work Practice, Columbia University; Gary Burtless, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; Brigid Schulte, Staff Writer, The Washington Post.
To view or download: http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/20060829.pdf
The Effects of Welfare and Child Support Policies on Maternal Health and Wellbeing, August 2006
From the National Poverty Center, this working paper outlines the impact on welfare reform policies, such as work requirements, and child support enforcement policies on maternal health and health behavior by utilizing the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing data.
To view or download: http://npc.umich.edu/publications/workingpaper06/paper28/working_paper06-28.pdf
Understanding Recent Changes in Child Poverty, August 2006
In the past ten years, the child poverty rate has experienced two distinct changes; from 1993 to 2000, the child poverty rate decreased and from 2000 to 2004 the rate increased slightly. This brief provides an overview of the factors that may have contributed to the changes in child poverty. Authors conclude that the most recent changes can be attributed to economic conditions coupled with parental education and work.
To view or download: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/311356_A71.pdf
Understanding Changes in Child Poverty Over the Past Decade, May 2006
This article, from the Urban Institute, evaluates trends in child poverty across the country in the past ten years. Child poverty rates experienced a sharp decline from 1993 to 2000, but increased from 2000 to 2004. The trends show that the state unemployment rate and real minimum wage are factors that have contributed the most to these shifting trends in child poverty.
To view or download: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411320_DP06-02.pdf
Welfare Reform and Family Expenditures: How are Single Mothers Adapting to the New Welfare and Work Regime?, May 2006
This resource reviews the material consumption patterns of single mothers after the welfare reform of 1996. Data proved that low-income families are spending more money on activities that facilitate work, such as transportation and adult clothing, but no change on money spent for activities that facilitate learning and achievement.
To view or download: http://www.npc.umich.edu/publications/workingpaper06/paper07/exp.welfare-final.pdf
Leavers
UI as a Safety Net for Former TANF Recipients, March 2008
This report was prepared by W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research for the Administration for Children and Families and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The researchers conducted a study using administrative data to determine how unemployment insurance (UI) benefits play a part in sustaining self-sufficiency for those who experience job loss after leaving TANF. The study included data from Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Texas at TANF exit and receipt of UI. They found that receipt of UI is connected with a lower rate of return to TANF, in some cases by twenty-two percent.
For more information, please: click here.
Helping Women Stay Off Welfare: The Role of Post-Exit Receipt of Work Supports, August 2007
This paper is from the Urban Institute and assesses the role of work support programs and services in helping people stay off TANF and reduce recidivism into the welfare system. Specifically looking at the role of food stamps and Medicaid, authors found that TANF leavers who use food stamps as a transitional support when they leave TANF are less likely to return to TANF and more likely to be employed for the year after exit than leavers who did not use such supports.
For more information, please see: http://urban.org/UploadedPDF/411513_women_welfare.pdf
TANF Caseload Composition and Leavers Synthesis Report, March 2007
This report is from the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation and summarizes information from TANF recipients and TANF leavers based on past research and recent data. Researchers compare caseload data from TANF and AFDC in terms of the employability of the recipients. Additionally, research is provided on TANF leavers and if families are better off now since the advent of TANF than they were under AFDC.
For more information, please see: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/welfare_employ/tanf_caseload/reports/tanf_caseload_comp/tanf_caseload_final.pdf
Never Applied
Improving Access to Benefits for Low-Income Families, August 2006
Low-income families have a variety of income supports available to help encourage stable employment and increase self sufficiency, including TANF, SCHIP, Medicaid, food stamps, and childcare subsidies. This article reviews a streamlined strategy to help families access necessary income supports. By integrating service delivery through call centers and the Internet, States can implement a comprehensive approach to better serve families.
To view or download: http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/06LOWFAM.pdf