Indicators of Welfare Dependence

Annual Report to Congress
2008

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

For on-line versions of this report (and previous annual reports)
see the Office of Human Services Policy's web page on the Indicators Reports:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/indicators-rtc/index.shtml

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

Contents

Executive Summary (in PDF format - 41 KB)

Chapters

1. Introduction and Overview (in PDF format - 63 KB)
   • Organization of Report
   • Measuring Welfare Dependence
   • Measuring Economic Well-Being
   • Data Sources
2. Indicators of Dependence (in PDF format - 166 KB)
   • Indicator 1.  Degree of Dependence
   • Indicator 2.  Receipt of Means-Tested Assistance and Labor Force Attachment
   • Indicator 3.  Rates of Receipt of Means-Tested Assistance
   • Indicator 4.  Rates of Participation in Means-Tested Assistance Programs
   • Indicator 5.  Multiple Program Receipt
   • Indicator 6.  Dependence Transitions
   • Indicator 7.  Program Spell Duration
   • Indicator 8.  Welfare Spell Duration with No Labor Force Attachment
   • Indicator 9.  Long-Term Receipt
   • Indicator 10.  Events Associated with the Beginning and Ending of Program Spells
3. Predictors and Risk Factors Associated with Welfare Receipt (in PDF format - 234 KB)
   • Economic Security Risk Factors
     • ECON 1.  Poverty Rates
     • ECON 2.  Deep Poverty Rates
     • ECON 3.  Experimental Poverty Measures
     • ECON 4.  Poverty Rates with Various Means-Tested Benefits Counted as Income
     • ECON 5.  Poverty Spells
     • ECON 6.  Child Support
     • ECON 7.  Food Insecurity
     • ECON 8.  Lack of Health Insurance
   • Employment and Work-Related Risk Factors
     • WORK 1.  Labor Force Attachment
     • WORK 2.  Employment among the Low-Skilled
     • WORK 3.  Earnings of Low-Skilled Workers
     • WORK 4.  Educational Attainment
     • WORK 5.  High School Dropout Rates
     • WORK 6.  Adult Alcohol and Substance Abuse
     • WORK 7.  Adult and Child Disability
     • WORK 8.  Labor Force Participation of Women with Children under 18
   • NonMarital Birth Risk Factors
     • BIRTH 1.  Nonmarital Births
     • BIRTH 2.  Nonmarital Teen Births
     • BIRTH 3.  Nonmarital Teen Births Rates
     • BIRTH 4.  Never-Married Family Status

Appendices

1. Program Data (in PDF format - 258 KB)
   • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
   • Food Stamp Program
   • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
2. Alternative Definition of Dependence Based on Income from TANF and Food Stamps (in PDF format - 38 KB)
3. Additional Nonmarital Birth Data (in PDF format - 56 KB)
4. Technical Notes (in PDF format - 39 KB)

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

A limited number of copies of this year’s report are available from:

You may also obtain a printed copy by printing the single, large PDF file, 2008 Indicators (674 KB), or the following separate PDF files (Note: some are quite large):

• Title page and table of contents (66 KB)
• Executive Summary (41 KB)
• Chapter I (63 KB)
• Chapter II (166 KB)
• Chapter III (234 KB)
• Appendix A (258 KB)
• Appendix B (38 KB)
• Appendix C (56KB)
• Appendix D (39 KB)

Note that large PDF files are best printed by saving them to your hard disk, closing all other programs, and printing them from Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Where to?

Top of Page | Contents

Home Pages:
Human Services Policy (HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Last updated:  12/30/08