The Evaluation of Welfare Reform in Iowa:

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TITLE PAGE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. INTRODUCTION

   A. GOALS AND PROVISIONS OF IOWA'S WELFARE REFORM

   1. Making Work Pay
   2. Responsibility with Consequences
   3. Family Stability
   4. Indirect Effects of the Reform Provbisions

   B. CASELOAD TRENDS AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN IOWA

   C. AN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR THE WELFARE REFORM EVALUATION

   D. COMPONENTS OF THE WELFARE REFORM EVALUATION

   E. OBJECTIVES OF THIS REPORT
   
   

2. DESIGN OF THE EVALUATION

   A. DESIGN OF THE RESEARCH SAMPLES

   B. DESCRIPTION OF ONGOING AND APPLICANT FIP CASES

   C. COMPARISON OF TREATMENT AND CONTROL SAMPLES

   D. ESTIMATION OF WELFARE REFORM’S IMPACTS

   E. LIMITATIONS OF THE EVALUATION DESIGN

   1. Contamination of Control Cases
   2. Limited Exposure of Some Research Cases to Welfare System
   3. Weak Basis for Estimating Impacts of Specific Components of Welfare Reform
   4. Limited Scope of the Evaluation
   5. Assessment of the Limitations of the Evaluation Design

3. IMPACTS ON WELFARE CASES: FINDINGS BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

   A. DATA AND METHODS

   B. EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS

   C. WELFARE PARTICIPATION AND BENEFITS

   D. INCOME SOURCES AND LEVELS

   E. IMPACTS ON SUBGROUPS OF CASES

   
   

4. IMPACTS ON ADULTS AND FAMILIES: FINDINGS BASED ON CORE SURVEY DATA

   A. THE IOWA CORE SURVEY

   1. The Core Survey Sample
   2. Survey Participation Rate

   B. ESTIMATION METHODS

   C. IMPACTS ON ADULTS AND FAMILIES

   1. Education and Training
   2. Family Structure and Stability
   3. Housing, Neighborhood, and Access to Transportation
   4. Health Insurance Coverage
   5. Use of Private Support Networks
   6. Participation in Government Programs
   7. Job Characteristics and Earnings
   8. Income and Poverty
   9. Financial Accounts
   10. Future Participation in FIP

   D. IMPACTS ON SUBGROUPS OF ADULTS AND FAMILIES

   
   

5. IMPACTS ON FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: FINDINGS BASED ON CHILD IMPACT SURVEY DATA

   A. THE IOWA CHILD IMPACT SURVEY

   1. The Child Impact Survey Sample
   2. Survey Participation Rate

   B. ADMINISTRATIVE DATA ON CHILD WELFARE SERVICES

   C. ESTIMATION METHODS

   D. IMPACTS ON FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

   1. Family Well-Being
   2. Parenting Behavior and Practices
   3. Child Care Use
   4. Children’s Well-Being

   E. IMPACTS ON SUBGROUPS OF FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

   
   REFERENCES

   APPENDIX A: TRANSITIONS FROM REGULAR TO UNEMPLOYED PARENT STATUS UNDER FIP: FINDINGS BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

   APPENDIX B: IMPACTS ON SUBGROUPS OF WELFARE CASES: FINDINGS BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

   APPENDIX C: WEIGHTING OF THE IOWA CORE SURVEY DATA

   APPENDIX D: IMPACTS ON SUBGROUPS OF ADULTS AND FAMILIES: FINDINGS BASED ON CORE SURVEY DATA

   APPENDIX E: SELECTION AND CONSTRUCTION OF MEASURES USED IN THE IOWA CHILD IMPACT STUDY

   APPENDIX F: IMPACTS ON SUBGROUPS OF FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: FINDINGS BASED ON CHILD IMPACT SURVEY DATA

   APPENDIX G: FINDINGS FOR SUBGROUPS DEFINED BY PROBABILITY OF ASSIGNMENT TO THE LIMITED BENEFIT PLAN

   APPENDIX H: ESTIMATES OF IMPACTS ON ADULTS AND FAMILIES WITH A CHILD AGE 5-12 AT FOLLOW-UP

   APPENDIX I: INVESTIGATION OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF IOWA’S WELFARE REFORM

   LIST OF EXHIBITS