DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20447 DATE : June 23, 1997 TO : AFDC/TANF Flash Report Subscribers FROM : Chief, Customer Service Branch Office of Family Assistance SUBJECT: AFDC/TANF Flash Report: March 1997 The attached summary is a continuation of the series of Flash Reports which have been issued by this agency for a number of years. It should be noted, however, that this report incorpor- ates data on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) from States which had already implemented the new program with data on AFDC from those States still operating under the former program. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 which created TANF and ended AFDC allows States until July 1, 1997, to convert to the new program; but it also requires that all States continue to submit caseload and expenditure data through June 1997, regardless of which program they now operate. By March 1, 1997, TANF was effective in 39 States. Delaware's TANF program was effective March 10, 1997. The following 14 States and Territories were still operating AFDC programs: Alaska Idaho Pennsylvania Arkansas Illinois Puerto Rico Colorado Minnesota Rhode Island Guam New Mexico Virgin Islands Hawaii North Dakota This report presents national estimates of AFDC/TANF program activity for the month of March 1997. Summary data are prepared prior to the completion of State final reports and are based, in part, on preliminary estimates. The report is part of a continuing effort to monitor program trends. Please be aware that the information is preliminary and subject to laterrevision by the States. It is intended for internal use only. For further information on AFDC/TANF programs, please contact the Office of Family Assistance at any of the following addresses: 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20774 Telephone 202/401-5139 FAX 202/205-5887 E-mail abarbagallo@acf.dhhs.gov /s/ Ann Barbagallo Attachment Preliminary Data - Based on State Reporting AFDC/TANF FLASH REPORT FOR MARCH 1997 Cases (Families) and Recipients > Total number of cases decreased 38,000 to 4,017,000; > Basic cases decreased 36,000 to 3,737,000; > UP cases decreased 2,000 to 280,000; > Recipients decreased 107,000 to 11,156,000 persons; > Child recipients decreased 70,000 to 7,713,000; and > Seasonally adjusted total cases decreased 69,000 to 3,974,000. Payments (excluding Emergency Assistance) > Assistance payments decreased $12 million to $1.5 billion; > Average benefit per family equaled $365.79, an increase of $0.51; and > Average benefit per recipient equaled $131.73, an increase of $0.19. Emergency Assistance > Number of families receiving EA increased 10,500 to 83,200; > EA payments totaled $64.9 million, up $6.6 million; and > Average payment per family decreased by $22.88 to $779.89. __________________________________________________ Note: All changes are from the preceding month unless otherwise noted. Administration for Children and Families Washington, DC 20447 TOTAL AFDC PAYMENTS, FAMILIES, AND RECIPIENTS, MARCH 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average Monthly ------------------------------------------------- Total Number of Number of Payment per Payments Families Recipients ------------------- (millions) (thousands) (thousands) Family Recipient ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR 1997 AND FOR SIMILAR PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS: FY97 to date (6 months: 10/96-3/97).......... $9,150.3 4,143 11,480 $368.06 $132.85 Same period in FY96 (10/95-3/96)... 10,413.4 4,640 12,916 374.08 134.38 Same period in FY95 (10/94-3/95)... 11,220.4 4,971 13,939 376.17 134.16 PERCENT CHANGE IN MEASURES: FY97 compared to same period in FY96............... -12.1% -10.7% -11.1% -1.6% -1.1% FY95 compared to same period in FY95............... -7.2% -6.7% -7.3% -0.6% 0.2% MONTHLY DATA: March 1997......................... $1,469.5 4,017 11,156 $365.79 $131.73 February 1997...................... 1,481.5 4,056 11,262 365.28 131.54 January 1997....................... 1,500.0 4,104 11,359 365.54 132.05 December 1996...................... 1,544.5 4,166 11,533 370.70 133.92 November 1996...................... 1,557.9 4,217 11,672 369.45 133.47 October 1996....................... 1,597.0 4,301 11,895 371.30 134.26 September 1996..................... 1,622.3 4,351 12,042 372.84 134.73 August 1996........................ 1,662.2 4,415 12,241 376.49 133.12 July 1996.......................... 1,635.8 4,426 12,288 369.60 133.12 June 1996.......................... 1,652.0 4,462 12,372 370.21 133.53 May 1996........................... 1,683.8 4,519 12,540 372.62 134.27 April 1996......................... 1,710.5 4,587 12,691 372.89 134.79 March 1996......................... 1,729.7 4,609 12,820 375.27 134.92 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL PAYMENTS equal cumulative State and Federal assistance payments for the period. NATIONAL AVERAGE PAYMENTS PER FAMILY AND PER RECIPIENT equal total payments per month during the period, divided by the average monthly number of families and recipients, respectively. Prepared by ACF/OPRE/DDCA 06/13/97 AFDC BASIC PAYMENTS, FAMILIES, AND RECIPIENTS, MARCH 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average Monthly ------------------------------------------------- Total Number of Number of Payment per Payments Families Recipients ------------------- (millions) (thousands) (thousands) Family Recipient ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE AND FOR SIMILAR PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS: FY97 to date (6 months: 10/96-3/97).......... $8,274.0 3,864 10,329 $356.92 $133.51 Same period in FY96 (10/95-3/96)... 9,388.6 4,332 11,649 361.20 134.32 Same period in FY95 (10/94-3/95)... 10,079.4 4,625 12,506 363.24 134.33 PERCENT CHANGE IN MEASURES: FY97 compared to same period in FY96............... -11.9% -10.8% -11.3% -1.2% -0.6% FY96 compared to same period in FY95............... -6.9% -6.3% -6.9% -0.6% -0.0% MONTHLY DATA: March 1997......................... $1,326.6 3,737 9,994 $355.01 $132.74 February 1997...................... 1,337.6 3,773 10,093 354.49 132.53 January 1997....................... 1,356.5 3,824 10,232 354.76 132.57 December 1996...................... 1,396.6 3,888 10,385 359.22 134.48 November 1996...................... 1,410.1 3,939 10,526 357.96 133.96 October 1996....................... 1,446.7 4,021 10,744 359.79 134.65 September 1996..................... 1,470.0 4,070 10,884 361.15 135.06 August 1996........................ 1,504.9 4,127 11,056 364.63 136.12 July 1996.......................... 1,479.2 4,136 11,095 357.62 133.32 June 1996.......................... 1,490.4 4,154 11,119 358.77 134.04 May 1996........................... 1,516.6 4,200 11,248 361.13 134.83 April 1996......................... 1,537.3 4,264 11,378 360.51 135.12 March 1996......................... 1,554.6 4,294 11,525 362.02 134.88 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL PAYMENTS equal cumulative State and Federal assistance payments for the period. NATIONAL AVERAGE PAYMENTS PER FAMILY AND PER RECIPIENT equal total payments per month during the period, divided by the average monthly number of families and recipients, respectively. Prepared by ACF/OPRE/DDCA 06/13/97 AFDC UNEMPLOYED PARENT PAYMENTS, FAMILIES, AND RECIPIENTS, MARCH 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average Monthly ------------------------------------------------- Total Number of Number of Payment per Payments Families Recipients ------------------- (millions) (thousands) (thousands) Family Recipient ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE AND FOR SIMILAR PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS: FY97 to date (6 months: 10/96-3/97).......... $876.3 280 1,156 $521.88 $126.38 Same period in FY96 (10/95-3/96)... 1,024.8 307 1,266 555.61 134.88 Same period in FY95 (10/94-3/95)... 1,141.0 347 1,433 548.79 132.67 PERCENT CHANGE IN MEASURES: FY97 compared to same period in FY96............... -14.5% -9.0% -8.7% -6.1% -6.3% FY96 compared to same period in FY95............... -10.2% -11.3% -11.7% 1.2% 1.7% MONTHLY DATA: March 1997......................... $142.9 280 1,161 $509.47 $123.06 February 1997...................... 143.9 283 1,170 509.26 123.02 January 1997....................... 143.5 280 1,157 512.71 124.04 December 1996...................... 147.9 279 1,148 530.91 128.83 November 1996...................... 147.8 278 1,146 532.44 128.93 October 1996....................... 150.2 280 1,151 536.76 130.54 September 1996..................... 152.4 281 1,158 542.20 131.61 August 1996........................ 157.2 288 1,186 546.66 132.63 July 1996.......................... 156.7 290 1,193 540.29 131.34 June 1996.......................... 161.6 295 1,214 548.04 133.10 May 1996........................... 167.1 302 1,240 552.74 134.77 April 1996......................... 173.3 310 1,273 558.84 136.16 March 1996......................... 175.2 315 1,295 555.85 135.28 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL PAYMENTS equal cumulative State and Federal assistance payments for the period. NATIONAL AVERAGE PAYMENTS PER FAMILY AND PER RECIPIENT equal total payment per month during the period, divided by the average number of families and recipients, respectively. Prepared by ACF/OPRE/DDCA 06/13/97 AFDC EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS AND FAMILIES, MARCH 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Average Monthly ---------------------------- Total Number of Payment Payments Families per (millions) (thousands) Family ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE AND FOR SIMILAR PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS: FY97 to date (6 months: 10/96-3/97)............... $339.7 68.4 $827.74 Same period in FY96 (10/95-3/96)........ 562.8 79.3 1,182.19 Same period in FY95 (10/94-3/95)........ 407.0 63.7 1,064.47 PERCENT CHANGE IN MEASURES: FY97 compared to same period in FY96.................... -39.6% -13.8% -30.0% FY96 compared to same period in FY95.................... 38.3% 24.5% 11.1% MONTHLY DATA: March 1997............................. $64.9 83.2 $779.89 February 1997.......................... 58.3 72.7 $801.78 January 1997........................... 56.0 75.3 743.05 December 1996.......................... 55.6 54.7 1,017.40 November 1996.......................... 53.5 58.7 910.38 October 1996........................... 51.5 65.8 782.43 September 1996......................... 54.4 69.4 783.79 August 1996............................ 51.6 66.0 782.26 July 1996.............................. 55.9 62.8 889.12 June 1996.............................. 60.5 68.9 877.97 May 1996............................... 63.5 74.9 847.25 April 1996............................. 60.8 69.5 874.87 March 1996............................. 64.2 63.8 1,005.80 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL PAYMENTS equal cumulative State and Federal assistance payments for the period. NATIONAL AVERAGE PAYMENTS PER FAMILY equal total payments per month during the period, divided by the average monthly number of families. Prepared by ACF/OPRE/DDCA 06/13/97 AFDC CHILDREN, March 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL BASIC AFDC-UP (thousands) (thousands) (thousands) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE AND FOR SIMILAR PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS: FY97 to date (6 months: 10/96-3/97)............... 7,931 7,235 697 Same period in FY96 (10/95-3/96)........ 8,845 8,088 757 Same period in FY95 (10/94-3/95)........ 9,450 8,607 843 PERCENT CHANGE IN MEASURES: FY97 compared to same period in FY96.................... -10.3% -10.6% -7.9% FY96 compared to same period in FY95.................... -6.4% -6.0% -10.2% MONTHLY DATA: March 1997.............................. 7,713 7,012 701 February 1995........................... 7,783 7,078 705 January 1997............................ 7,868 7,170 698 December 1996........................... 7,965 7,273 693 November 1996........................... 8,057 7,366 691 October 1996............................ 8,202 7,510 692 September 1996.......................... 8,296 7,599 697 August 1996............................. 8,423 7,710 712 July 1996............................... 8,450 7,735 715 June 1996............................... 8,504 7,772 732 May 1996................................ 8,607 7,859 748 April 1996.............................. 8,701 7,935 766 March 1996.............................. 8,782 8,008 774 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AFDC CHILDREN are the number of child recipients receiving benefits under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act. Prepared by ACF/OPRE/DDCA 06/13/97 AFDC FAMILIES, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED, MARCH 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UNEMPLOYED TOTAL BASIC PARENT (thousands) (thousands) (thousands) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE AND FOR SIMILAR PERIODS IN PRIOR YEARS: FY97 to date (6 months: 10/96-3/97)............... 4,142 3,863 280 Same period in FY96 (10/95-3/96)........ 4,638 4,331 307 Same period in FY95 (10/94-3/95)........ 4,970 4,624 346 PERCENT CHANGE: FY97 compared to same period in FY96................... -10.7% -10.8% -9.0% FY96 compared to same period in FY95................... -6.7% -6.3% -11.3% MONTHLY DATA: March 1997.............................. 3,974 3,709 265 February 1997........................... 4,043 3,771 272 January 1997............................ 4,099 3,823 276 December 1996........................... 4,174 3,891 284 November 1996........................... 4,245 3,956 289 October 1996............................ 4,320 4,028 292 September 1996.......................... 4,375 4,083 292 August 1996............................. 4,434 4,139 296 July 1996............................... 4,446 4,151 295 June 1996............................... 4,458 4,163 295 May 1996................................ 4,482 4,188 294 April 1996.............................. 4,528 4,233 295 March 1996.............................. 4,566 4,266 300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The seasonal adjustment method statistically modifies the number of cases to eliminate the effect of seasonal influences. Prepared by ACF/OPRE/DDCA 06/13/97