Reports and Analyses: Temporary Assistance
- Apr 30, 2013 | Lavanya Mohan CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - April 2013 The Work Supports Newsletter is a monthly update that summarizes CLASP's work on safety net programs that include cash assistance (TANF), nutrition supports (SNAP), refundable tax credits, health insurance, child support enforcement and child care subsidies. Read Online
- Mar 29, 2013 | Lavanya Mohan CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - March 2013 The Work Supports Newsletter is a monthly update that summarizes CLASP's work on safety net programs that include cash assistance (TANF), nutrition supports (SNAP), refundable tax credits, health insurance, child support enforcement and child care subsidies. Read Online
- Mar 19, 2013 | Chris Warland and Melissa Young, National Transitional Jobs Network and Elizabeth Lower-Basch, CLASP Innovative City and State Funding Approaches to Supporting Subsidized Employment and Transitional Jobs A new paper from the National Transitional Jobs Network and CLASP provides strategies and makes recommendations on leveraging and blending multiple sources of funding to support subsidized employment programs. In addition to highlighting the opportunities to use block grant funding, from both TANF and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), the paper identifies efforts to fund these jobs by averting future expenses associated with prisons and other corrections measures and by leveraging public contracting and bidding opportunities. The webinar is also available. Read Online | Download PDF | Additional PDF
- Mar 15, 2013 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch and Neil Ridley Navigating Federal Programs to Build Sustainable Career Pathways in the Health Professions: A Guide for HPOG Programs Healthcare is one of the fastest growing sectors in our economy, and there are many jobs in this sector that require fewer than 4 years of college education, have high demand, and offer good pay. However, low-income workers often face barriers to accessing the education and training they need to enter these jobs, including lack of information, poor basic skills, confusing and poorly aligned training programs, cost of training, and need for supportive services, such as child care and transportation. The Heath Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG), authorized by section 5507 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA; Public Law 111-148), address this issue by supporting models for providing education, training, and support services to enable recipients of cash assistance under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other low-income individuals to obtain well-paying jobs in high-demand healthcare occupations. The HPOG program is one of several provisions of ACA aimed at supporting training for the healthcare workforce of the future. Download PDF
- Mar 04, 2013 | Lavanya Mohan CLASP Work Supports Newsletter - February 2013 CLASP is inaugurating this Work Supports e-newsletter to highlight the efforts of CLASP and our colleague organizations to help ensure low-income families get the support they need to stay employed and provide for their families. Read Online
- Feb 06, 2013 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Goals for TANF Reauthorization This updated Policy Brief argues that poverty alleviation and prevention of material hardship and creation of effective pathways to economic opportunity should be the goals of TANF reauthorization and recommends program changes that would more effectively promote these goals. Download PDF
- Oct 01, 2012 | Elizabeth Kenefick and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Helping TANF Recipients Overcome Addiction This brief aims to provide updated information on the range of state policies and highlights some of the promising approaches that states are using to address substance abuse by TANF recipients. It is based primarily on a recent CLASP-commissioned survey conducted by students at George Washington's School of Public Policy, as well as interviews they conducted with state TANF program administrators. Download PDF
- Oct 01, 2012 | Matt Lewis, Elizabeth Kenefick, and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Random Drug Testing of TANF Recipients is Costly, Ineffective and Hurts Families Updated October 2012. Legislators in a number of states have proposed to test all TANF recipients for drug use. This updated brief explains that random drug testing may be unconstitutional, and is a costly and ineffective way to identify individuals in need of substance abuse treatment. Screening, targeted testing programs, and enhanced treatment options are a better approach to helping TANF families affected by substance abuse. Download PDF
- Nov 08, 2011 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Big Ideas for Job Creation: Rethinking Work Opportunity - From Tax Credits to Subsidized Job Placements This paper is part of the Big Ideas for Job Creation in a Jobless Recovery project, which includes proposals from more than a dozen leading experts on practical, scalable proposals to create more jobs for the U.S. economy. CLASP Senior Policy Analyst Elizabeth Lower-Basch recommends that deeper, more targeted subsidies administered at the state level are an effective way to encourage employers to hire disadvantaged workers and create jobs. There are federal subsidies such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) currently in place to encourage hiring of disadvantaged workers, but in contrast, they often provide large windfalls to employers in low-wage, high-turnover industries without creating any net new jobs or changing who they hire. Download PDF
- Mar 01, 2011 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Guide to Use of TANF and MOE Funds This brief summaries the federal rules regarding use of federal TANF funds and state funds claimed towards the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement. Download PDF
- Feb 17, 2011 | CLASP Two Years Later: Impacts of Select ARRA Programs for Low-Income Workers & Families This document looks at select provisions in the Recovery Act that affected low-income people and their families. In areas where there is available data, it notes the impact of the program on the number of people who benefited from ARRA provisions. While the effect of the Recovery Act will be debated and analyzed by policy experts and researchers for years to come, some of the early evidence makes it clear that the Recovery Act benefited the nation by easing some immediate effects of the recession and preventing deeper hardship. Read Online | Download PDF
- Feb 16, 2011 | LaDonna Pavetti (CBPP), Liz Schott (CBPP) and Elizabeth Lower-Basch (CLASP) Creating Subsidized Employment Opportunities for Low-Income Parents: The Legacy of the TANF Emergency Fund During 2009 and 2010, 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and eight Tribal TANF programs received approval to use $1.3 billion from the TANF Emergency Fund to create new subsidized employment programs or expand existing ones. This paper examines how states used the flexibility they were given to design and implement subsidized employment programs and what challenges they faced in getting them up and running, and draws lessons for future such programs. Download PDF
- Jan 21, 2011 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Cash Assistance since Welfare Reform This Policy Brief summarizes trends in cash assistance since welfare reform -- declining caseloads, progress in employment and poverty reduction in the early years, with setbacks since 2001, and an intense focus on meeting work participation rate requirements. Download PDF
- Jan 21, 2011 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant This Policy Brief explores the wide range of programs for low-income families supported by the TANF block grant and the declining share of the grant dedicated to cash assistance. It also highlights the degree to which the grant has been eroded by inflation and population grown. Download PDF
- Apr 21, 2010 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch TANF Emergency Fund: Creating Summer Jobs for Youth This report explains the rules and requirements for using the TANF Emergency Fund to support summer jobs for youth. Download PDF
- Jan 25, 2010 | CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2010 Our nation faces many domestic challenges, including improving access to affordable health care, improving access to education as well as education outcomes, and providing debt and foreclosure relief. CLASP's 2010 federal policy recommendations are equally essential to achieving healthy and thriving families and improving the nation's prosperity. Read Online | Download PDF
- Nov 16, 2009 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch The TANF Emergency Fund: A New Resource for Domestic Violence Programs The TANF Emergency Fund can both provide victims of domestic violence with financial and in-kind services to help address domestic violence issues and also relieve some of the funding pressures on providers. Download PDF
- Nov 02, 2009 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Questions and Answers about the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund This document explains the opportunities for states to help low-income families using the new TANF Emergency Contingency Fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This version is updated to reflect the questions and answers posted by HHS in October 2009 Download PDF
- Sep 01, 2009 | CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2009 and Beyond The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has developed an extensive federal policy agenda for President Obama and the 111th Congress directed at improving the lives of low income people. That agenda is outlined in this document. Download PDF
- Jun 15, 2009 | Matt Lewis Distance Learning Can Help Low-Income Parents Attend School: TANF Agencies Should Adopt Supportive Policies (Revised) In the wake of the interim rules implementing the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, several states have expressed concerns about distance learning programs meeting the work verification requirements established by the US Department of Health and Human Services under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. This paper identifies language from HHS-approved work verification plans that other states can adopt in order to maximize access to distance learning and raise work participation rates. It also highlights some restrictive and burdensome language that should be dropped from work verification plans. Download PDF
- Apr 03, 2009 | Allegra Baider and Elizabeth Lower-Basch Making the Employment Connection: New Opportunities to Support Transitional Jobs Programs Using the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund This paper highlights new opportunities to develop or expand Transitional Jobs programs using funding from the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund, which was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Download PDF
- Jan 12, 2009 CLASP's Workforce Education and Training Policy Recommendations to Promote Inclusive Economic Recovery This paper is a summary of recommendations CLASP has made on workforce education and training policy that promote inclusive economic recovery. The recommendations include workforce investments to assist low-income and other workers hardest hit by economic recession and help prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future. Download PDF
- Nov 12, 2008 | CLASP Recover, Renew, Rebuild: Workforce Policies for a Strong and Fair Economy Education and training are major contributors to economic prosperity. They are drivers of economic mobility and opportunity. Workforce policies to help individuals who are struggling in the labor market also are a critical component of a recovery package to get America working again. This report contains CLASP workforce policy recommendations for Congress and the Administration to address the immediate economic crisis and to make a down payment on the longer-term agenda of building a stronger and more equitable economy. It includes actions they can take to: help workers and families recover from the current recession; renew the nation's commitment to good jobs and upward mobility for all and rebuild middle class jobs. Read Online | Download PDF
- Nov 07, 2008 | CLASP Beyond Stimulus: Shoring Up the Safety Net, Securing the American Dream The United States is entering into a recession which many will be longer and more severe than any we have faced in recent decades. As Congress and the new President consider what actions to take, CLASP calls for a package that goes beyond stimulus aimed at temporarily boosting consumer demand. This paper outlines actions that Congress should take immediately to strengthen safety net programs that provide critical assistance to vulnerable workers and families and to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to share in the benefits of recovery. Download PDF
- Oct 16, 2008 | Alan W. Houseman and the CLASP Staff CLASP Federal Policy Recommendations for 2009 and Beyond CLASP has developed an extensive federal policy agenda for the next President and Congress directed at improving the lives of low income people. The detailed agenda makes recommendations for changes in policy at all levels of the federal government: the White House, Federal departments and agencies, the budget and appropriations' process, and the law-making process in Congress. This publication provides an overview of our agenda organized into eleven key recommendations. Taken as a whole, the eleven recommendations call for increasing investments in effective programs and funding streams that concretely help children, youth, and families thrive; strengthening and modernizing the nation's safety net; and building supportive pathways for low-income youths and adults to good jobs that sustain families and communities. Download PDF
- Jun 09, 2008 | Neil Ridley, Elizabeth Lower-Basch, and Matt Lewis Low-Income Workers and Families Hardest Hit by Economic Decline Need Help Now American workers and families are being squeezed between a declining labor market and increasing costs for food, fuel, and other basic needs. This paper describes the economy's impact on vulnerable adults and youth, and lays out recommendations for action that can make a real difference in the lives of low-income workers and their families. Download PDF
- Apr 09, 2008 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Tax Credits and Public Benefits: Complementary Approaches to Supporting Low-Income Families Tax credits and public benefits are complementary approaches to supporting low-income families; policy makers do not need to choose between them. By understanding the advantages and disadvantages of both mechanisms, advocates and policy makers can better choose the right tool for the job at hand, rather than adopting a one-size fits all approach. Download PDF
- Mar 20, 2008 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Education and Training for TANF Recipients: Opportunities and Challenges under the Final Rule On February 5, 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published the final rules implementing changes in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This paper explains the changes in the new rules that affect recipients' access to education and training, and the actions that states will need to take in order to take advantage of these changes. Many welfare recipients lack the education needed to successfully compete in the labor market. By enabling recipients to participate in education and training activities, states can help improve their long-term employment and earnings outcomes as well as increase their participation rates. Download PDF
- May 18, 2007 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Improving Access to Education and Training for TANF Participants The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant is one of the major sources of funding for services designed to help low-income parents succeed in the workplace. The TANF law limits the degree to which states can count TANF families engaged in education and training activities toward federal work participation rate requirements--an unfortunate limitation, given the strong link between educational attainment and earnings. In this two-pager, CLASP recommends that Congress remove these arbitrary limits on education and training. Download PDF
- Jan 30, 2007 | CLASP and CBPP Implementing the TANF Changes in the DRA: "Win-Win" Solutions for Families and States, Second Edition This report from CLASP and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is intended to guide state administrators and advocates as they consider implementing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provisions of the 2006 federal budget, called the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA). This report has been updated to reflect the Interim Final Rule and guidance issued by HHS in response to states' Work Verification Plans. The report discusses the legal structure of the work participation requirements; strategies for improving and increasing engagement in programs; strategies for increasing support for working families (through increased earnings disregards, stand-alone "work supplement" programs, and child support distribution options) and helping states meet participation rates; disability laws and ways to improve the effectiveness of TANF-related programs for individuals with disabilities; and the fiscal implications of the TANF, child care, and child support provisions. To view/print specific chapters, visit http://www.cbpp.org/archiveSite/2-9-07tanf.htm Download PDF
- Jan 08, 2007 | Elizabeth Lower-Basch Congress Should Take Action to Restore Flexibility Lost in 2006 Welfare Reauthorization and HHS Regulations The 2006 TANF reauthorization substantially increased effective work participation rates on states, and it limited state flexibility to individualize work requirements. HHS's interim regulations implementing this law included narrow definitions of the countable work activities, definitions that further restrict state flexibility to use a range of effective work-related activities. This paper outlines a series of changes that Congress should make to restore flexibility and encourage states to allow low-income families to participate in a range of activities that will improve their self-sufficiency. Download PDF
- Dec 01, 2006 | Natalie Branosky, Mark Greenberg, Elisa Minoff et al Staying On, Stepping Up The issue of promoting employment retention and advancement is an important topic in UK policy debates, as it is in the U.S. This report discusses research and experience that might be used to strengthen the U.K.'s efforts. In the third chapter--"Employment retention: evidence from the UK and the US"-- Elisa Minoff and Mark Greenberg from CLASP and Natalie Branosky from the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion provide a survey and discussion of the employment retention research and experience for single parents in the U.S. and U.K. This report was published by One Parent Families, a British charity which supports lone parents and their children. For more information, please go to www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk. Download PDF
- Nov 01, 2006 | Hannah Matthews and Danielle Ewen Child Care Assistance in 2005: State Cuts Continue State spending on child care assistance declined in 2005 for the second consecutive year. Twenty-two states made cuts to their child care programs, as the number of children living in low-income families that received help from these programs continued to decline. Many families turn to child care assistance programs to get help paying for the child care they need in order to work and to succeed. This policy brief provides an overview of national expenditure data for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds directed towards child care. View the associated chart showing state-by-state changes in child care expenditures and CCDBG participation from 2004 to 2005. Download PDF
- Jul 30, 2006 | Paul Legler (PSI) and Vicki Turetsky More Child Support Dollars to Kids: Using New State Flexibility in Child Support Pass-Through and Distribution Rules to Benefit Government and Families The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 provides new state flexibility to pass through more child support dollars to current and former TANF families. This policy brief describes the new DRA changes in assignment and distribution rules, and explains why they can improve child support compliance, assist families making the transition from welfare to work, help states meet work participation and child support performance rates, and reduce state costs. The policy brief is also available at www.policy-studies.com. Download PDF
- Jul 21, 2006 | CLASP and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities Analysis of New Interim Final TANF Rules This collaborative analysis provides an overview of the major regulatory provisions and the implications for state policies of rules issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on June 29, 2006. The interim final regulations implement the changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program made by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The analysis explains the new federal definitions of the countable work activities and their implications for education and training and services for individuals with barriers to employment. The analysis also examines the treatment of child-only cases, how hours of participation must be counted tracked and verified, implications for child care, and changes in the maintenance of effort requirement. Download PDF
- May 23, 2006 | Allegra Baider and Abbey Frank Transitional Jobs: Helping TANF Recipients with Barriers to Employment Succeed in the Labor Market Transitional jobs programs are a promising strategy for helping TANF recipients with barriers to employment transition into the labor market. Program participants are paid wages, gain work experience, and build skills necessary for future success in the workplace. Download PDF
- May 10, 2006 | Mark Greenberg, Danielle Ewen, and Hannah Matthews Using TANF for Early Childhood Programs In recent years, states have made significant investments in pre-kindergarten programs in order to help young children enter school ready to learn. Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds are among the sources states have tapped to support some or all of their early childhood initiatives. This brief, supported by the Foundation for Child Development, outlines when and how states can use TANF funds to support early childhood programs, and examines the impact of TANF changes included the 2006 federal budget (called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) on this use. Download PDF
- Apr 17, 2006 | Evelyn Ganzglass Strategies for Increasing Participation in TANF Education and Training Activities The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provisions in the fiscal year 2006 federal budget will require most states to substantially increase the number of TANF recipients participating in work-related activities. This paper aims to help state policymakers, program administrators, and others identify approaches to meeting federal participation rates while also improving programs' ability to help families enter and maintain sustainable employment. It summarizes existing research on how skills and credentials impact labor market success and on effective skills training and postsecondary education strategies. It also examines rates of participation in education and training, and recommends strategies to expand access to these activities within the new TANF policy context. Download PDF
- Jan 30, 2006 | Mark Greenberg The TANF Participation Rate Structure under the Budget Reconciliation Bill Pending budget legislation would change the TANF work participation rate rules in important ways. At the same time, current rules relating to many aspects of the participation rate structure would remain unchanged. This document provides a summary of the overall structure that would result, including how participation rate requirements would be calculated, which activities would count as participation, and how the "caseload reduction credit" and penalty provisions would work. Download PDF
- Jan 20, 2006 | Mark Greenberg and Sharon Parrott (CBPP) Summary of TANF Work Participation Provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill The budget reconciliation bill expected to be up for a vote in the House of Representatives on February 1st includes a set of provisions related to TANF and federal child care funding, including changes to TANF work participation rules. This report, jointly issued with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), provides a brief summary followed by a more detailed explanation of each change. Download PDF
- Jan 16, 2006 | Mark Greenberg New TANF Requirements Could Result in New Large Costs and Risk of Federal Penalties for California In February 2006, the House of Representatives will vote on a federal budget bill that revises work requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and creates significant penalties for states that fail to meet these requirements. Given its size and caseload, California will incur significant costs in order to meet the new requirements, and will still be at great risk for penalties. This report uses available federal data to examine the federal bill's budgetary implications in California. Download PDF
- Jan 12, 2006 | Mark Greenberg The TANF Reconciliation Bill Provisions This PowerPoint presentation examines the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reauthorization provisions in the House and Senate budget reconciliation bills, debated in January 2006. It includes information on the changes to the structure of the program and key concerns for policymakers and advocates. Mark Greenberg gave this presentation to a Welfare Advocates Meeting at the Coalition on Human Needs on January 12, 2006. Download PDF
- Jan 06, 2006 | Mark Greenberg Conference TANF Agreement Requires States to Increase Work Participation by 69 Percent, but New Funding Meets Only a Fraction of New Costs The budget conference agreement includes a mandate that states meet a 50 percent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation rate in order to avoid federal penalties. The bill forces states to make an unpalatable choice: increase work participation rates by an estimated 69 percent or cut the number of families receiving assistance--or both. What's more, the bill provides states with new funds that amount to less than $70 per new participant per month. Download PDF
- Sep 16, 2005 | <a href=mailto:vturet@clasp.org>Vicki Turetsky</a> In Everybody's Best Interests: Why Reforming Child Support Distribution Makes Sense for Government and Families More than 17 million children are served by the public child support program—but many never see the funds collected on their behalf. Instead, collections are used to recoup the public costs of families' welfare cash assistance. Recent reform proposals would shift the program's emphasis from cost recovery to family support. This brief describes the regulations, and how families and government alike stand to benefit from the direct pass-through of child support payments to children. Download PDF
- Jul 07, 2005 | Lacinda Hummel and Jodie Levin-Epstein A Needed Transition: Lessons from Illinois about Teen Parent TANF Rules TANF legislation includes two rules specific to minor parents (parents under age 18). One rule requires that minor parents live in an approved arrangement, usually with their parents. The other rule requires that minor parents typically participate in education leading to a high school diploma or GED. This issue brief reviews how Illinois approached eligibility under the two minor parent rules, and it explores why and how Illinois moved forward with a transitional compliance administrative rule. It also examines the effect the rule has had--notably that the process led to a better understanding of minor parents' individual circumstances and thus led to fewer inappropriate denials. Download PDF
- Mar 16, 2005 | Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes Increasing State and Local Capacity for Cross-Systems Innovation: Assessing Flexibility and Opportunities under Current Law This paper was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Hudson Institute, and CLASP. The authors analyze the flexibility, opportunities, and barriers under current federal law with respect to cross-program integration and collaboration. Download PDF
- Mar 16, 2005 | Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes Supporting Cross-Program Integration: Some Recommendations for Federal Policy and Practice This brief is based on the paper Increasing State and Local Capacity for Cross-Systems Innovation. Drawing on the papers' findings and consultation with a range of state and federal policymakers, the brief provides the authors' recommendations for federal action on cross-program state and local service integration efforts. This brief was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Hudson Institute, and CLASP. Download PDF
- Mar 15, 2005 | Jodie Levin-Epstein To Have and To Hold: Congressional Vows on Marriage and Sex This paper discusses what the government has already done to promote abstinence-unless-married programs and marriage, and what it proposes to do with the reauthorization of the welfare law. The article then discusses the relationship between marriage and pregnancy prevention, including research findings on the influence of childbearing on marriage. It concludes with some welfare reauthorization recommendations for Congress on this topic. A condensed version of this paper appears in the April 1, 2005, SIECUS Report, Vol. 33, No. 1. Download PDF
- Nov 01, 2004 CLASP Audio Conference Transcript: Interview with Author Jason DeParle (September 10, 2004). Jason DeParle, an award-winning New York Times reporter, discusses his book, American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare. University of Pennsylvania sociologist Kathy Edin and CLASP Policy Director Mark Greenberg join DeParle to discuss the findings of the book. This audio conference is moderated by Jodie Levin-Epstein. Download PDF
- Oct 05, 2004 | Mark Greenberg and Jennifer L. Noyes The Opportunities for Service Integration Under Current Law This article, which appeared in the Summer 2004 issue of Focus, published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Institute for Research on Poverty, identifies barriers to social services integration. The National Governors Association, Hudson Institute, and CLASP initiated a project to examine several key areas in which states wanted to promote service integration and then identify legal issues and potential legal barriers to such integration. As part of the project, the authors developed a set of joint recommendations for federal actionlegislative, regulatory, and administrativeto support state and local service integration efforts. The entire journal issue is available at www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/focus/focus.htm. Download PDF
- May 13, 2004 | Anita Mathur, with Judy Reichle, Julie Strawn, and Chuck Wiseley From Jobs to Careers: How California Community College Credentials Pay Off for Welfare Participants This report, a joint venture of CLASP and the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office, tracks the employment rates and median annual earnings of female welfare participants who exited the California community college system in 1999-2000. The report shows that women receiving welfare in California who complete an Associate degree or certificate work more and earn substantially more in the two years after college than they did before college. In addition, while attending school, the women welfare participants were more likely to be employed than the general California welfare population. Download PDF
- Feb 12, 2004 | Mark H. Greenberg, Emil Parker, and Abbey Frank Integrating TANF and WIA Into a Single Workforce System: An Analysis of Legal Issues A number of states and localities want to promote improved coordination or integration of workforce development efforts under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This analysis identifies and analyzes legal issues presented by integrating TANF and WIA. This paper was written as part of a collaborative effort between the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, CLASP, and the Hudson Institute. Download PDF
- Dec 31, 2003 | Amy Hirsch Some Days Are Harder Than Hard: Welfare Reform and Women With Drug Convictions in Pennsylvania This report consists of interviews of 26 women with drug convictions and of staff in the criminal justice system in the state of Pennsylvania. These women are banned from ever receiving cash assistance or food stamps, no matter what they do, because they have felony drug convictions. Federal law allows states to opt-out of the ban, but requires them to pass legislation in order to do so. At least 27 states have taken the option to support women in recovery. (Originally published in 1999.) Download PDF
- Dec 19, 2003 | Jodie Levin-Epstein Lifting the Lid Off the Family Cap: States Revisit Problematic Policy for Welfare Mothers Since 1992, 24 states have implemented some type of a family cap policy, usually to discourage welfare recipients from giving birth to children while receiving cash assistance. Recently, however, a handful of states have begun to rethink the family cap. This policy brief, the first in a series on Childbearing and Reproductive Health Policy, explains what family cap policies are, reviews some of the research on their effectiveness, explains how many families are affected by them, describes challenges that have been mounted against these policies, and recommends that states with family caps consider repealing these mistaken and potentially harmful policies. Download PDF
- Dec 18, 2003 | Jodie Levin-Epstein Teen Parents and Abstinence Education: Research Findings, 2003 This compilation of summaries of new research is designed as a reference tool for practitioners, policymakers, and others interested in teen parents (and particularly their relationship to welfare programs) and abstinence education. Download PDF
- Dec 18, 2003 | Jodie Levin-Epstein and John Hutchins Teens and TANF: How Adolescents Fare Under the Nations Welfare Program This policy brief, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, offers an update on what is known about the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs effects on different populations of teens: teen parents receiving TANF benefits, youth living in TANF families, and youth participating in TANF-funded programs. The brief provides background on the welfare program, summarizes the latest research, and discusses the implications of a number of TANF policies for teens and their families. Download PDF
- Oct 01, 2003 | Nisha Patel, Lisa Ranghelli, and Mark Greenberg Policy Brief: A Means to an End: Integration of Welfare and Workforce Development Systems This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
- Oct 01, 2003 | Lisa Ranghelli, Nisha Patel, and Mark Greenberg Report: A Means to an End: Integration of Welfare and Workforce Development Systems During the last decade, before and after implementation of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, state welfare agencies became increasingly focused on linking low-income families with employment. At the same time, in implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), states created one-stop centers and focused on addressing the fragmentation and duplication that has often plagued state employment and training programs. The transformation of state welfare and workforce systems has prompted states to assess the relationship between the two systems. This report describes how four statesFlorida, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsinhave approached integration of TANF and WIA services; how integration has affected TANF-eligible families, other workers and job seekers, employers, and state and local governments; possible lessons learned from early experiences; and policy implications. A concluding section offers recommendations for state and federal policymakers. Download PDF
- Aug 29, 2003 | Heide Spruck Wrigley, Elise Richer, Karin Martinson, Hitomi Kubo, and Julie Strawn Report: The Language of Opportunity: Expanding Employment Prospects for Adults with Limited English Skills This report describes the demographics and economic circumstances of low-income adults with limited English proficiency (LEP) as well as the language and job training services available to them. The authors summarize lessons from scientific evaluation research on employment programs for low-skilled adults and provide recommendations for policy and practice that would increase opportunities for LEP adults to gain access to higher-paying jobs. The appendix includes profiles of several programs that are successfully training and working with LEP adults. Download PDF
- Aug 28, 2003 | Heide Spruck Wrigley, Elise Richer, Karin Martinson, Hitomi Kubo, and Julie Strawn Policy Brief: The Language of Opportunity: Expanding Employment Prospects for Adults with Limited English Skills This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
- Jul 01, 2003 | Jodie Levin-Epstein and Mark H. Greenberg, Editors Leave No Youth Behind: Opportunities for Congress to Reach Disconnected Youth Too many young people are not on the path toward successful adulthood, and the U.S. has no coherent policy to help these disconnected youth become productive members of society. Estimates of the number of youth who are disconnected or at risk of becoming disconnected range from nearly 3 million to more than 7 million. This report offers recommendations to help disconnected youth in six programs being considered by the 108th Congress for reauthorization: the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Higher Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and the Workforce Investment Act. It encourages federal policymakers to look across legislative initiatives to develop an integrated set of policies to address the needs of this population. The report concludes that the nation should commit itself to increase the proportion of young people who at age 25 (1) have a high school diploma and postsecondary degree or credential, (2) are employed in jobs with career advancement possibilities, and (3) are not engaged in adverse risk-taking behaviors. Download PDF
- May 28, 2003 | Jodie Levin-Epstein Welfare, Women, and Health: The Role of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Women comprise 90 percent of the adult caseload receiving welfare assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANFs influence on womens health and well-being is broad and is driven by multiple aspects of the program, including access to health insurance, work requirements and training options, links to health care services, and reproductive health provisions. This issue brief, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, reflects on lessons learned from recent research on the connection between welfare policies and low-income womens health. For more information on the Kaiser Family Foundations work on Womens Health Policy, please visit: www.kff.org/women. Download PDF
- Apr 22, 2003 | Karen Martinson and Julie Strawn Policy Brief: Built to Last: Why Skills Matter for Long-Run Success in Welfare Reform This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF
- Apr 22, 2003 | Karin Martinson and Julie Strawn Report: Built to Last: Why Skills Matter for Long-Run Success in Welfare Reform This report and companion policy brief argue that basic skills and educational credentials are critical for labor market success. The report and brief make the case that the current federal welfare law is too restrictive in its allowance of education and training activities and recommends that this be rectified when the welfare law is reauthorized this year. Download PDF
- Apr 08, 2003 | Nisha Patel, Mark Greenberg, and Steve Savner Side-by-Side Comparison of Work Provisions in Recent TANF Reauthorization Proposals This chart summarizes work provisions in current Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) law and recent TANF reauthorization legislation and proposals. Download PDF
- Jan 29, 2003 | Rutledge Hutson Policy Brief: A Vision for Eliminating Poverty and Family Violence: Transforming Child Welfare and TANF in El Paso County, Colorado This is the 8-page policy brief based on the report of the same name. Download PDF | Additional PDF
- Jan 15, 2003 | Rutledge Q. Hutson A Vision for Eliminating Poverty and Family Violence: Transforming Child Welfare and TANF in El Paso County, Colorado When El Paso County, Colorado, considered how to bring the work of the child welfare and TANF agencies together, it decided to change its whole way of doing business. This paper examines how El Paso created seamless, family-centered services and offers a set of lessons that can be drawn from El Paso's experience. Download PDF | Additional PDF
- Dec 01, 2002 | Rachel Schumacher, Jennifer Mezey, and Mark Greenberg Analysis of Potential Barriers to Creating Coordinated Absence Policies for Collaborations Between Head Start and CCDF and TANF-Funded Programs This report, commissioned by the Southern Institute on Children and Families, analyzes the statutory and regulatory provisions relevant to child absence policies in Head Start and in child care funded under the Child Care and Development Fund and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grants. It discusses some practical considerations for states interested in adopting coordinated absence policies. An appendix provides additional detail about current law and provides examples of current absence policy practices in the Southern states. Download PDF
- Jun 03, 2002 | Nisha Patel, Mark Greenberg, Steve Savner, and Vicki Turetsky Making Ends Meet: Six Programs That Help Working Families and Employers. A Guide for Business Leaders and Policymakers This new report, originally developed for a meeting cosponsored by the Welfare to Work Partnership, provides information on six work support programs: the Earned Income Tax Credit, child care, Food Stamps, health care, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and child support. It explains how each program promotes financial security for low-income families, as well as employment retention, which benefits both working families and their employers. The guide also describes barriers to program participation for eligible workers and offers resources for business leaders and policymakers about strategies to overcome these barriers. Download PDF
- May 15, 2002 | CLASP and Community Legal Services, Inc. Every Door Closed: Barriers Facing Parents With Criminal Records Last year, approximately 400,000 mothers and fathers finished serving prison or jail sentences. As these parents struggle to make a fresh start, they will encounter many legal barriers that will make it very difficult for them to successfully care for their children, find work, get safe housing, go to school, access public benefits, or even, for immigrants, stay in the same country as their children. This groundbreaking report, a joint publication of CLASP and Community Legal Services, Inc., of Philadelphia, documents the legal challenges these families face, illustrated by compelling stories of ex-offenders who are frustrated in their attempts to rebuild their lives and families. Download PDF | Additional PDF
- May 13, 2002 | Julie Strawn and Karin Martinson Built to Last: Why Skills Matter for Long-Run Success in Welfare Reform This review of recent research on welfare-to-work strategies shows that the most successful programs have focused on employment but made substantial use of education and training. In particular, the postsecondary education and training appear to be key to obtaining higher-paying jobs. This report has important implications for the current debate over reauthorization of the federal welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The findings suggest that Congress should encourage states to include quality education and training services in welfare-to-work programs and allow sufficient time for recipients to complete both basic education and skill training. Download PDF
- May 01, 2002 | Anita Mathur, Judy Reichle, Chuck Wiseley, and Julie Strawn Credentials Count: How California's Community Colleges Help Parents Move from Welfare to Self-Sufficiency This study, conducted by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office for CLASP, finds that welfare recipients who attend California's community colleges substantially increase earnings and year-round work, with those who obtain credentials benefiting the most. Download PDF
- Dec 15, 1999 | Mark Greenberg and Lisa Plimpton TANF Policies in Nine States: Implications for Microenterprise Initiatives Describes the policies in place in nine states, focusing on key issues likely to affect microenterprise initiatives serving TANF families. The paper summarizes the relevant TANF law and compares state policies in six areas, including work and participation requirements, time limits, treatment of income and assets, and supportive servcies. Download PDF
- Nov 15, 1999 | Mark Greenberg Developing Policies to Support Microenterprise in the TANF Structure: A Guide to the Law Describes how states can exercise discretion within the TANF block grant structure to provide support for microenterprise. The paper discusses TANF law in eight areas, including use of TANF and state maintenance of effort (MOE) funds, TANF work and participation requirements, and treatment of income and assets. Published by the Aspen Institute. Download PDF
- Mar 01, 1999 | Jodie Levin-Epstein Seeking Safe Haven: How Two States Have Approached the Minor Parent Living Arrangement Rule Illinois and Vermont implemented a minor parent living arrangement policy prior to the 1996 law. Both have policies designed to protect those for whom the living arrangement rule might prove problematic due to abuse at home or other causes. This in-depth exploration is designed to assist those who work on the policy or with teen parents to gain insights into the nuances of implementation from the perspective of two states with experience. Download PDF
- Sep 01, 1996 | Steve Savner Creating a Work-Based Welfare System Under TANF Reviews the essential components of a work-based system for those who will be successful in finding unsubsidized employment at low-wages and for those who are unable to locate unsubsidized employment despite a good faith effort to do so. Read Online