Welfare Reform in Cleveland / Presentation

Project on Devolution and Urban Change Welfare Reform in Cleveland September 2002
Author: Thomas Brock Email: thomas.brock@mdrc.org More on Project on Devolution and Urban Change Click to Begin
Contents

Welfare Reform in Cleveland Presentation Outline The Project on Devolution and Urban Change Distinctive Features Data Collected for the Study Study Captured the "Best of Times" for Welfare Reform Cuyahoga's Response to Welfare Reform Dramatic Increase in Welfare Recipients Preparing for Work Tough Enforcement of Time Limits Strong Effort to Protect Families Affected by Time Limits Conclusions on Implementation Findings on Program Effects Welfare and Food Stamp Caseload / Trends in Cuyahoga County Did Recipients Leave Welfare Faster? Were People Employed Faster? Did Long-Term Recipients Leave Welfare Faster? Conclusions on Welfare Reform's Effects in Cuyahoga Findings on the Experiences of Poor Families Employment rose dramatically while reliance on welfare declined	Over time, more women had "good jobs," but most did not Employment Barriers declined over time but remained high overall Poverty and near-poverty rates declined over time, but most women remained poor Characteristics of women who hit the 36-month time limit Circumstances of women who hit the time limit Conclusions on the Experiences of Poor Families Findings on Neighborhoods Average Pre-TANF Welfare Concentration / Cuyahoga County, 1992-1995 Post-TANF Welfare Concentration / Cuyahoga County, 1996-2000 Incidence of Violent Crime in High-Welfare Neighborhoods and the Balance of the County Before OWF (1992-1995) No evidence that conditions worsened in Cuyahoga's neighborhoods from 1992 to 2000 Neighborhood does not undermine work effort while on welfare Concusions About Neighborhoods Overall. Conclusions Overall Conculsions, continued Policy Implications