Report Expensive Children in Poor Families: The Intersection of Childhood Disabilities and Welfare By Marcia K. Meyers, Henry E. Brady, Eva Y. Seto Oct 1, 2000 Although disabilities affect children of all income groups, poor children are far more likely to suffer from them. In this study, Marcia K. Meyers, Henry E. Brady, and Eva Y. Seto provide important new estimates of the private costs and public effects of childhood disabilities among welfare recipients. Based on over 2,000 interviews with household heads in Los Angeles, Alameda, San Joaquin, and San Bernardino Counties, their estimates cover direct expenditures by families and indirect costs due to employment reductions. They also examine participation rates in public assistance programs and estimate the likelihood that families with disabled children will exit these programs to independence. They conclude that public assistance may be an essential part of an income-packaging strategy for many of these families.
Report Who Will Be Affected by Welfare Reform in California? By Thomas E. MaCurdy, Margaret O’Brien-Strain Feb 1, 1997 This volume provides a comprehensive profile of welfare use in California. The authors examine the changes imposed by the 1996 federal reform legislation, identify and describe those who receive public assistance in California and the extent to which they rely on such assistance, and explore how those who will be most seriously affected by the reforms differ from other welfare recipients and the working poor. This is the first time this type of analysis has been undertaken for California. It has two unique features. First, it uses families and family income to develop a picture that more truly reflects the economic situation of welfare recipients. Second, it considers the total income a family may be receiving from different welfare programs and in periods on and off welfare.
press release Surprising Surge In “Child-Only” Cases Slows Decline In California’s Welfare Rolls Jun 22, 2000
Report CalWORKs in Transition By Caroline Danielson Mar 20, 2012 In recent years, California policymakers have made a number of cuts to major safety net programs to help balance the state budget—even as hard economic times have meant that increasing numbers of Californians are relying on government assistance. The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program (CalWORKs) has been one of the most affected.1 Since 2009, CalWORKs has seen a number of cuts, some intended to be short-lived, and others that, arguably, are reshaping the program piece by piece. In his January 2012 budget proposal, Governor Brown advocated significant additional cuts. These recent and proposed changes raise questions about the program’s goals going forward.
blog post Video: Supporting Student Parents in Community College CalWORKs Programs By Stephanie Barton Nov 4, 2020 PPIC’s Bonnie Brooks and Shannon McConville discuss new research on how programs at California community colleges help support the economic mobility of CalWORKs student parents.
