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Project Description

The Texas Families in Transition Follow-up study seeks to answer the following questions about families who have TANF or are redirected from ever applying:

1) do they still have jobs? If so, what are their earnings?
2) do they still receive Food Stamps and Medicaid?
3) what other services are they using?
4) what services do they need?

To answer these questions, the Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) at Texas A&M University conducted telephone interviews with two groups during the summer of 1998:

1) a sample of those who were redirected from TANF through Texas Works and stayed off TANF for six months (December 1997 through May 1998) and
2) a sample of those who left TANF in November 1997 and stayed off TANF for six months (December 1997 through May 1998). Questionnaires were mailed to people who could not be reached by telephone.

The administrative data analysis incorporates a wide variety of sources and tracks a year's worth of formal and informal divertees and entrants for 12-24 months. In addition, it provides retrospective data on a sample of divertees from the fourth quarter of 1999. The survey samples are taken from TANF intake offices in Austin and El Paso, and the methodology includes a short intercept survey of 400 divertees and an in-depth, in-person survey of 80 divertees at 2-3 months and 7-9 months after application.

Project duration: Dec 1997 - May 1998

Sites studied include Texas - statewide

Sample Characteristics and Sites Studied

Six-month sample:
Cohort 1: 708 people who were redirected from TANF through Texas Works and stayed off TANF for six months (December 1997 through May 1998).
Cohort 2: 688 people who left TANF in November 1997 and stayed off TANF for six months (December 1997 through May 1998).

Administrative data: formal and informal divertees and entrants for 12-24 months

Intensive interviews: Conducted between November 1998 and March 2000 with a sample of these families.

Recent Findings in Brief

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