Are California ’s Welfare Leavers Staying Off Public Assistance?: Welfare Recidivism and Use of Non-Cash Aid Since Welfare


Charles Lieberman and David C.Mancuso
October, 2001

CalWORKs, California's welfare reform program, has dramatically reduced welfare rolls. But how do families fare after they leave aid? Do they rely on or return to any forms of public assistance? We find that welfare reform has been relatively successful in reducing welfare recidivism and in increasing the use of transitional benefits intended to help families remain off welfare. Indeed, statewide administrative data combined with surveys in the Bay Area show that families who left CalWORKs experienced substantially lower rates of welfare recidivism than families who left CalWORKs ’ predecessor, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Many families leaving CalWORKs stay off welfare because their economic circumstances have improved. However,a substantial number of former recipients are in poverty and eligible for aid but still do not return to welfare. The lower recidivism rate may be explained in part by a significant increase in Medi-Cal enrollment for recent “welfare leavers,” although about one in five surveyed adults reported that they were uninsured a year after they left welfare. The use of Food Stamps, on the other hand, remains low even among eligible former recipients,and one in three families report having experienced food insecurity. Thus, even with more available transitional benefits, California families who have left cash aid remain economically vulnerable. Welfare reform appears successful, but since many families remain eligible for benefits, rolls may climb quickly in an economic downturn.

This article examines welfare recidivism and the use of public assistance benefits by families leaving CalWORKs (California ’s welfare reform program).