Pamela J. Loprest

The effect of disabilities on exits from AFDC

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 replaces AFDC, the largest means-tested cast assistance program for low-income families, with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. Unlike AFDC, assistance under TANF is limited to five years in a lifetime, and states are required to move families from the assistance rolls into jobs. But not all adult welfare recipients can easily move to work because either they themselves are disabled or they have a child with disabilities requiring special care. This article examines the extent and impact of disability among families on AFDC to gain insight into the potential impact of changes under TANF. Using data from the 1990 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), we find that in nearly 30 percent of the families on AFDC either the mother or child has a disability. Furthermore, we find that having a disability significantly lowers the probability that a woman leaves AFDC for work but not for other reasons, such as a change in living arrangements. Finally, we find little evidence that having a child with a disability affects the probability of leaving AFDC for any reason.

Early Transition Experiences of Transition-Age Child SSI Recipients New Evidence From the National Survey of Children and Families

This article describes the challenges faced by pretransition-age (14 to 17 years) young people with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and outlines potential policy options to support their transition. The article is based on a descriptive analysis of newly released data from the 2001 National Survey of SSI Children and Families and the results of interviews with key policy experts. We find that in addition to their health status, these young people face a multidimensional set of difficulties in making a successful transition, including a high prevalence of family disadvantage, problems in school, and trouble with the police. In addition, despite the potential for losing SSI benefits and public health care coverage at age 18, they have generally low levels of participation in labor market preparation activities. The article discusses a variety of possible changes to improve the system of supports for transition-age young people with disabilities.

Posttransition Experiences of Former Child SSI Recipients

This article uses newly released data from the National Survey of SSI Children and Families, a survey conducted by the Social Security Administration, to study the transition period for a cohort of child Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients following the redetermination of benefits at age 18. The work examines the differences between those who do not receive SSI benefits after age 18 as adults and those who continue to do so, focusing on the connection between pre‐age‐18 characteristics and post‐age‐18 outcomes. Comparisons show important differences in the demographic and human capital development characteristics across these two groups, indicating a possible need for transition supports for subgroups within the child SSI population. Such supports are especially needed among those who are no longer receiving benefits after age 18 and are not engaged in any schooling, employment, or training activity.