Data Needs for Evaluating Welfare Reform

• Activity Number: 240
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section*
• Author(s): Robert Moffitt*+ and Daniel Weinberg*+ and Katherine Wallman*+ and George Falco*+
• Affiliation(s): Johns Hopkins University and U.S. Census Bureau and Office of Management and Budget and New York State Office of Temporary Assistance
• Keywords: welfare reform ; measurement ; evaluation ; Committee on National Statistics

Abstract

Panel on Data and Methods for Measuring the Effects of Changes in Social Welfare Programs was charged with identifying data needs and assessing the strengths and limitations of currently available data for measuring the effects of changes in welfare programs. The report, Evaluating Welfare Reform in an Era of Transition, reviews currently available data--both survey and administrative data at the national and state level--and presents findings and recommendations for improving the data infrastructure. The session will include an overview of the findings and conclusions of the Panel's report and will be followed by a panel discussion with reactions to the report. The discussion will focus on what data improvements are needed to evaluate welfare reform and on how these improvements can best be achieved. The report has specific recommendations for coordination between the federal government and states for improved data collection and for new structures within the federal government to improve these data. Panelists from various perspectives--data users and data producers, federal and state data systems representatives--will specifically comment on these recommendations.