ATHENS, Ga. -- Given the parameters of the national legislation, welfare reform has been successful in Georgia, according to the authors of a new study focusing on those still receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.
Nearly three-quarters of those still on TANF support the four-year lifetime limit on benefits and believe it should apply to them, according to the study conducted by researchers in the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia.
However, while nearly 80 percent of those interviewed believe they'll be off welfare within the next two years, health problems could prevent as many as a quarter of those still receiving TANF from obtaining full-time employment.
"I think it's safe to say that those still receiving TANF believe in the idea of work," said Larry Nackerud, an associate professor of social work and one of the authors of the study. "But, whether everybody will successfully make the move from TANF to work is still in question."
The UGA study is particularly unique in that 201 current recipients of TANF were interviewed in their homes.
"Other states have conducted telephone interviews or used data gathered in other ways, but by sitting in these people's homes and visiting with them, we feel like our data is particularly rich," said Ed Risler, who co-authored the study.
The study also is unique in exploring the impact of welfare reform based on different areas of the state.
"By looking at four different areas of Georgia -- urban, suburban, rural counties that are growing and rural counties that are declining economically -- we have developed a stratified sample that provides policymakers a rich description of those still receiving TANF," Nackerud said. "Specifically, it demonstrates that it's unlikely that a 'one size fits all' policy will be successful in helping these remaining recipients. Instead, policymakers should explore what's happening in these different areas of the state as it pertains to those receiving TANF."
In addition, the study differentiates between families that are receiving TANF and cases defined as "child only." In those cases, children are receiving TANF, but live with adults -- frequently their grandparents -- who do not.
"In child-only cases, the caregivers are not bound by the 48-month lifetime limit nor by an income cap," Nackerud said. "The children may receive TANF until they are 18 years old."
In contrast, families that are receiving TANF risk losing the cash payments for themselves and their children at the end of four years. Under Georgia's welfare reform act, the first large co- hort will meet that lifetime limit Jan. 1, 2001.
To understand what's happening with those who are still receiving TANF and the changes that are taking place in the Division of Family and Children Services, the state Department of Human Resources provided a $1.5 million grant to the School of Social Work and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The study focusing on DFCS also is complete.
Somewhat surprisingly, the UGA study showed that a third of all those interviewed currently are working, with the percentage in family cases rising to 39 percent, while dropping to 28 percent for those in child-only cases. An additional 15 percent of the adults in child-only cases are retired.
One of the most important findings of the UGA study is the role of health issues for people still receiving TANF.
"Health care is clearly one of the biggest issues facing TANF recipients, both in child-only and family cases," said Ed Risler, co-author of the report and an assistant professor of social work. "You have to be healthy to work. Those you care for have to be relatively healthy for you to work." According to the findings, 35 percent of the adults in family cases report they have health problems, and more than 50 percent of that number say their health problems either prevent them from doing any work or limits them to light work.
In addition, 35 percent of the children – both those in family cases and in child-only cases – have health problems, 7 percent of which are disabling.
Despite a fairly significant rate of debilitating health problems, very few receive benefits from one of the federal disability programs, according to the UGA study. Only 4 percent of the adults in family cases receive assistance from a federal disability program, such as Social Security Disability Income. The figure is higher in child-only cases – 16 percent – probably because many of the adults involved are grandparents and other adults who are more than a generation removed.
"Health issues are clearly a major factor," according to Risler. "Many of the current TANF recipients may be falling through a rather large crack when it comes to disability issues – they don't qualify for SSI, but they're unable to maintain full-time employment due to a chronic illness or disability."
Two areas that were predicted to be huge hurdles for those trying to get off welfare were access to transportation and day-care. However, the UGA study showed that an overwhelming majority of children – both in family and child-only cases – are in day-care at least five days a week. However, between 50 and 100 percent of the respondents said they rely on government funding to cover the cost of day care.
In terms of transportation, 38 percent reported they own a car. However, only 5 percent reported that transportation issues were a serious problem.
Other findings in the study include:
* TANF recipients feel they have adequate access to both day care and transportation.
* The average monthly income for families, including their TANF benefit, is $889; the average monthly income in child-only cases is $1,257.
* The average age of the head of the family in family cases is 29 years old; the average age of the head of the family in child-only cases is 44 years old.
* Nearly 100 percent of the families receiving TANF are headed by women. Eighty-three percent of the family cases are African American, while 71 percent of the child-only cases are African American.
* Forty-three percent of those who head families receiving TANF don't have a high school degree or a general equivalency degree. That figure rises to 52 percent in child-only cases.
* Seventy percent of those in family cases have never married. Sixteen percent are divorced and 10 percent are separated from their spouse. In child-only cases, 29 percent never married, 20 percent are divorced, 9 percent are separated and 10 percent are widowed.