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http://www.researchforum.org/project_general_444.html |
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Evaluation of Iowa's FaDSS Program
General Information
View a brief abstract of this project.
| Evaluator(s) |
Institute for Social and Economic Development |
| Investigator(s) |
John Else
(Institute for Social and Economic Development)
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| Domain |
Income Security/TANF Child/Family |
| Status | Completed (final report released) |
| Duration | Jan 1991 - Aug 2000 |
| Type |
Research and/or Program Evaluation |
| Program/Policy Description |
The Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS) Program is an early component of Iowa's "human investment" strategy to assist AFDC
recipients in becoming self-sufficient. This strategy assumes that investing in welfare recipients is more likely to result in long-term self sufficiency —and to avoid returns to welfare receipt—than are alternative strategies, such as those that focus only on moving recipients into the workforce. FaDSS links long-term welfare recipients and those at risk of long-term dependency with a broad range of resources, including a Family Development Specialist, who support and guide families in preparing and implementing plans to reach their self-sufficiency goals.
The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the impact of FaDSS by analyzing differences between the treatment and control groups. It was hypothesized that the FaDSS Program would have intermediate program impacts (i.e., positive changes in the experimental families' ability to meet basic needs, competency, self-confidence, education, employment) as well as long-term program outcomes (i.e., positive changes in the experimental families' economic self-sufficiency). |
| Last Updated | 05/14/04 |
| Type of Summary | Unreviewed |
| Contact(s) |
John Else
Institute for Social and Economic Development 1035 3rd Ave SE (T) 319-366-5100 (F) 319-338-5824 |
| Submitter(s) |
Research Forum Staff (info@researchforum.org)
National Center for Children In Poverty 215 West 125th St, 3rd Fl (T) (646)284-9600 (F) not reported |
Populations Studied
| Target Population |
Recipients/participants/clients Low-income households |
| Subgroups Analyzed |
None |
| Sample Size and Unit |
Random assignment of low income families receiving AFDC. n=899 treatment group and 799 control group families occurred from May 1989 through April 1992. Assignment to the treatment group would mean that families could receive FaDSS services in addition to services and benefits that they were already receiving from AFDC and other programs. Assignment to the control group would mean that families would not receive FaDSS services,6 but would continue to receive services and benefits from AFDC and any other programs in which they were enrolled at the time. |
Sites Studied
• Linn County• Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, Story, and Tama Counties
• Dubuque County
• Story County
IA
Program Components, Policies, and Activities Evaluated
Educational activities
Administration/Implementation
| Variation in program components across sites? | Yes |
Outcomes Assessed
Housing
Service utilization
Income security
Employment
Education
Adult outcomes
Child Outcomes
Types of Studies
| Type | Descriptive/Analytical Study |
| Type | Impact Study (Controlled Experiment) |
Data Sources
| Source | Administrative data |
| Source | Interview |
Findings Available
Final Impact FindingsFinal Descriptive/Analytical Findings
Recommendations
Existing Publications
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