Rural Welfare Reform Project: Does Welfare Reform Work in Rural America? (Printer-Friendly Format)

	http://www.researchforum.org/project_general_137.html

Rural Welfare Reform Project: Does Welfare Reform Work in Rural America?

General Information

Evaluator(s)	Ohio University
Investigator(s)	Ann R. Tickamyer (Ohio University)

Domain	Income Security/TANF Community/Neighborhood
Status	Completed with continuing analysis
Duration	Jul 1998 - Jul 2001
Type	Research and/or Program Evaluation Policy Analysis
Program/Policy Description	This study is a three year, multi-method research project that investigates the impact of welfare reform on poor rural counties in southeastern Ohio, using existing data, surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. The purpose of this study is to learn from all the partners involved in welfare reform - program participants, assistance providers, and potential employers - their perceptions of what works and what doesn't in the effort to move welfare recipients off of public assistance and into employment. Emphasis is on the particular problems facing resource poor, rural areas.
Notes	No notes reported.

Last Updated	01/31/03
Type of Summary	Unreviewed
Contact(s)	Ann R. Tickamyer (tickamye@ohiou.edu) Ohio University CPEA/ILGARD Technology and Enterprise Bldg 143 (T) (740) 593-1381 (F) (740) 593-4398
Publications Department	ACF, DHHS Publications (website: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/research.html#pubs)
Submitter(s)	Ann R. Tickamyer (tickamye@ohiou.edu) Ohio University CPEA/ILGARD Technology and Enterprise Bldg 143 (T) (740) 593-1381 (F) (740) 593-4398

Populations Studied

Target Population	Recipients/participants/clients Former recipients ("leavers") Low-income households Rural Populations
Subgroups Analyzed	Social/Community service agencies Caseworkers/managers/administrators Employers
Sample Size and Unit	Multiple samples and units of analysis: including, focus groups, surveys, and in-depth interviews with program participants, interviews with directors of human service agencies, survey and interviews with local employers.
Execution	Not yet available.

Sites Studied

29 Appalachian Ohio Counties.
4 "showcase" counties in the 29 county region:
Athens, Meigs, Vinton, and Washington Counties, Ohio.

Program Components, Policies, and Activities Evaluated

Employment activities

Educational activities

Financial incentives

Financial disincentives/Sanctions

Program requirements

Time limits

Food stamps

Social/Support services

Post-Program activities

Administration/Implementation

Variation in program components across sites?

Outcomes Assessed

Attitudes towards work, welfare, and program

Standard of living

Income security

Employment

Education

Community Outcomes

Policy changes

Types of Studies

Type	Descriptive/Analytical Study

Data Sources

Source	Administrative data

Source	Field Research

Source	Focus Group

Source	Interview

Source	Program descriptions and documents

Source	Secondary data

Source	Survey

Findings Available

Not Yet Available

Recommendations

Existing Publications

06/21/00	Rural Welfare Reform Project: Does Welfare Reform Work in Rural America?: Where All the Counties are Above Average: Top Down versus Bottom Up Perspectives on Welfare Reform	Ohio
06/01/00	Rural Welfare Reform Project: Does Welfare Reform Work in Rural America?: Voices of Welfare Reform: Bureaucratic Rationality Versus Participant Perceptions	Ohio
07/01/00	Rural Welfare Reform Project: Does Welfare Reform Work in Rural America?: "Where the Rubber Hits the Road": County Commissioners' Devolutionary Role in Ohio's Rural Welfare Reform	Ohio
07/01/01	Rural Welfare Reform Project: Does Welfare Reform Work in Rural America?: Rural Welfare Recipients Make Ends Meet	Ohio