Low-income families have a variety of income supports available to help encourage stable employment and increase self sufficiency, including TANF, SCHIP, Medicaid, food stamps, and childcare subsidies. This article reviews a streamlined strategy to help families access necessary income supports. By integrating service delivery through call centers and the Internet, States can implement a comprehensive approach to better serve families.

Contrary to expectations, recent leavers are no more disadvantaged than those at the start of welfare reform, according to this Urban Institute report. Researchers caution, however, that States have considerable work ahead if they are to help welfare families scale entrenched employment barriers and avoid hardship as Federal time limits start expiring in late 2001.

Authored by Deanna T. Schexnayder, Daniel Schroeder, Laura Lein, David Dominguez, Karen Douglas, and Freddie Richards. This research was conducted as part of the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources, The University of Texas at Austin. This report explores the characteristics of families who left or were diverted from TANF and addresses a number of measures including obtaining employment and participation in other government programs such as Medicaid and Food Stamps.

Authored by Robert G. Wood and Anu Rangarajan. Based on four rounds of annual follow-up surveys with an early group of New Jersey TANF recipients, this issue brief focuses on those who have left the welfare rolls and are not working. About one in four recipients in this group were in this status throughout much of the study's follow-up period. The researchers note that the group is diverse; some recipients have substantial alternative sources of financial support, such as Supplemental Security Income, unemployment insurance, or earnings from a spouse or partner. However, those who lack alternative supports (the "least stable" leavers -- representing about 1 in 10 of this early group) get by on very little income and are at high risk of extreme economic hardship. Although relatively few people spend extended periods in this status, a substantial number spend at least some time in it.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) Web site, the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is critical to ensuring that low-income working families and individuals maximize their incomes. Such households may not be aware of the EITC or that it can be worth as much as $3,816 to them. Because the credit is refundable, it can even help households who have no income tax obligation. Those previously receiving welfare who have recently moved into employment, immigrant workers, or workers who are or have been homeless are eligible for these funds.

Because of its role in helping working families escape poverty, the EITC has attracted widespread interest and support among administrators of other programs that serve families with children. To obtain information about EITC, go to CBPP at http://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-the-earned-income-tax-credit?fa=view&id=2505 or call 202-408-1080 (ph), 202-408-1056 (fax).

This guide is part of HHS's ongoing effort to work with States to ensure that low-income families and children have access to health benefits. In 1999, State Medicaid application and eligibility policies and procedures in all 50 States, plus the District of Columbia and the Territories were reviewed. Working closely with States, CMS (formerly HCFA) analyzed the findings for these reviews and identified practices that need improvement as well as some promising practices that will be interesting models for other States.

This is the fourth in a series of working papers designed to examine what has been learned since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 (effective through September 30, 2002). PRWORA ended Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), the Federal entitlement to assistance for eligible needy families with children, and created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant.

Michael Stegman, Walter Davis, and Roberto Quercia authors. This Brookings Institution report analyzes how the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) could potentially alleviate severe housing cost burdens for low- and moderate-income households.

This Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. issue brief was authored by Christopher Trenholm. The Santa Clara County Children's Health Initiative (CHI), launched in January 2001, seeks to extend health coverage to all uninsured children in that California county. This issue brief measures the effect of the initiative on enrollment in Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, the two major State insurance programs. The study found that CHI increased enrollment by almost 13,500 children, or 28 percent. As a result of the gains, CHI increased State and Federal spending in Santa Clara County for the two programs by an estimated $24.4 million during 2001-2002.

This article by the Urban Institute explores data on the state of low-income working families. Low-income working families continue to struggle to make ends meet. Due to low wages, low-income families face high financial vulnerability. One-fourth of children in America live with a low-income working parent. Therefore, it is important to understand the challenges that low-income working families face in order to improve the well-being of children.