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Beginning in October 1995, evaluators randomly assigned 3,959 Delaware welfare recipient cases and new applicant cases in five welfare offices to intervention and comparison conditions. (This study focuses on cases randomly assigned in the first year of the evaluation.) A total of 2,138 families were assigned to the ABC program, and 1,821 families were assigned to the comparison condition (Aid to Families with Dependent Children [AFDC] regulations). In some analyses, the authors use client-level data, resulting in a larger population of 4,190. The client-level population differs from the case-level population because two adults are sometimes associated with one case.
The evaluation follows the program from the beginning of random assignment in October 1995 until early 1998.
The Division of Social Services in Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services commissioned the evaluation.
For cases assigned during the first year of ABC, about one-third had one child, about half had two or three children, and only 12 percent had four or more children. About two thirds of the cases had at least one child younger than 6. Fifty-three percent of ABC enrollees completed 12 years or more of education, compared with the 47 percent completing fewer than 12 years of education. Slightly more than 60 percent of cases were non-White, and 39 percent were White. During the first year of the program, 32 percent of clients were younger than 25 years old. Forty-five percent of clients were 25 to 34 years old, and 22 percent of clients were 35 and older.
Division of Social Services in Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services
This program began as a pilot in October 1995. In early 1997, Delaware implemented the program throughout the state.
The ABC program required clients to comply with three provisions; failure to meet any of these could result in sanctions. First, clients had to sign a Contract of Mutual Responsibilities that committed them to attending employment, training, or education activities and to meeting certain parental behavior expectations, such as ensuring that children met school attendance requirements. To further encourage positive behaviors, there were no grant increases for children conceived while the parent was enrolled in ABC, and parents younger than 18 were required to live with an adult guardian. Second, clients (including those with young children) were subject to work provisions, including financial sanctions if they quit their job without good cause; increased incentives to work through retaining more of their cash grants; and expanded supportive services, including assistance with transportation, child care, and expanded health coverage. Third, clients were subject to full-family time limits that allowed them to search for a job and receive cash benefits for up to two years; after two years, clients had to accept a community service job to remain eligible for assistance. Participating in ABC program employment and training activities was required, except for parents who had children younger than 13 weeks old or who were medically unable to work. Employment and training activities could include postsecondary education, job search assistance, job development, and subsidized employment.
The comparison group followed the AFDC program policies.
To receive payments and avoid sanctions, intervention group families were required to adhere to all ABC requirements, including following the terms outlined in the Contract of Mutual Responsibilities and participating in work activities.
Participants could receive program benefits for two years but could be sanctioned for failure to fulfill program responsibilities, such as participating in parenting classes, education, training, or employment. After two years, and in order to continue receiving program benefits for two additional years, participants had to obtain a community service job in which their paid ABC benefits were proportional to hours worked. Four years after program enrollment, families were prohibited from receiving the program for the subsequent eight years.
Delaware state; federal AFDC funding.
Delaware implemented the ABC program in five state welfare offices until the beginning of 1997, when the program was implemented statewide.
Knowledge of welfare reform provisions, Receipt of nongrovernmental assistance