Evaluation of the SB 1041 reforms to California's CalWORKS Welfare-to-Work Program : findings regarding the initial policy implementation and outcomes / RAND authors, Lois M. Davis [et al.] ; AIR authors, Gabriele Fain [et al.].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Davis, Lois M., author.

Fain, Gabriele, author.

Contributor:

Rand Corporation, issuing body.

American Institutes for Research.

Series:

Research report (Rand Corporation)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Aid to families with dependent children programs--California.

Welfare recipients--Services for--California.

Child care services--California.

Aid to families with dependent children programs.

Child care services.

Welfare recipients--Services for.

California.

California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (Program).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxxiv, 317 pages) : illustrations (some color).

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, Calif. : RAND Corporation ; AIR, American Institutes for Research, 2016.

Summary:

"The California Budget Act of 2012, through trailer Senate Bill (SB) 1041, contained significant reforms to the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. CalWORKs is California's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, a central component of the safety net that provides cash aid for low-income families with children. The SB 1041 reforms to CalWORKs aim to engage participants in more-intensive work activities as early as possible, while also providing more flexibility in work activity options and increased incentives for work as participants move toward self-sufficiency. The California legislature included a provision in the bill for an independent evaluation to determine if SB 1041 is achieving its objectives and if there are any unintended consequences. Following the background and study design report, this first evaluation report provides initial findings from the process study based on the first wave of an online All-County Survey (ACS) and qualitative data from state-level interviews and interviews and focus groups conducted in six focal counties. Findings from the status and tracking studies are based on analysis of state administrative data. Initial insights on participant outcomes in terms of welfare use and employment are explored with state administrative data and nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey. Future reports will be based on further qualitative and quantitative data collection, including a second wave of the ACS, additional interviews and focus groups in the focal counties, both state- and county-level administrative data, and the first wave of the California Socioeconomic Survey."--Publisher website

Contents:

Introduction Sources of Data and Methods State-Level Perspectives on Initial Implementation of SB 1041 Initial Implementation of SB 1041 at the County Level: Results from the ACSA Six-County Perspective on Initial Implementation of SB 1041 Initial Descriptive Analyses for Status and Tracking Studies Initial Descriptive Analyses for the Impact Study Conclusions and Policy Implications Appendix A: Understanding How the CalWORKs Program Functions Appendix B: Additional Documentation for Primary Data Collection Appendix C: Additional Documentation for Administrative Data Appendix D: Additional Results for Chapter Four ACS Analyses Appendix E: Additional Documentation for Chapter Six Status and Tracking Studies Analyses Appendix F: Additional Documentation for Chapter Seven Impact Study Analyses

Notes:

"The reforms ... included changes to work requirements and the exemption for having a young child ... enhanced supports to address barriers to work, offer more flexibility in work activity options, and increase incentives to work ... contract [awarded] to the Rand Corporation in partnership with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) "--Page iii

"Prepared for the Califormia Department of Social Services."