Evaluating Welfare Reform in an era of transition : panel on data and methods for measuring the effects of changes in social welfare programs Machine generated contents note: I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Panel 1 Findings 2 Key Questions of Interest 3 Evaluation Methods for the Questions of Interest 7 Data for Monitoring and Evaluating Social Welfare Programs 8 1 INTRODUCTION The Panel 14 Policy Background 16 Structure of the Report 23 2 WELFARE REFORM MONITORING AND EVALUATION: THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE Descriptive and Monitoring Studies 26 Studies of Welfare Leavers and Related Groups 28 Randomized Experiments 30 Caseload and Other Econometric Models 3I Process Implementation and Qualitative Studies 33 R Other Welfare Reform Studies 34 Studies on Topics Related to Welfare Reform 34 3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND POPULATIONS OF INTEREST Populations of Interest 37 xi Outcomes of Interest 39 Questions of Interest 41 Nationwide Versus Individual State Assessments 49 Assessment 50 4 EVALUATION METHODS AND ISSUES Overview of Evaluation Methods 55 Evaluation Methods for the Questions of Interest 63 Issues in Evaluation Methodology 73 Assessment of Current Evaluation Efforts 93 Next Steps 99 5 DATA NEEDS AND ISSUES Survey Data 104 Administrative Data 128 Data Access and Confidentiality 138 Program Description Data 141 Qualitative Data 144 Summary and Assessment of the Current Data Infrastructure 146 6 ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES FOR MAINTAINING THE DATA INFRASTRUCTURE The Current System 150 A Proposed System 154 REFERENCES APPENDICES A Major Current Welfare Related Research Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services B Summary of Current Welfare Reform Projects C The Statistical Power of National Data to Evaluate Welfare Reform John Adams and V. Joseph Hotz D Summaries of National Level Survey Data Sets Relevant to Welfare Monitoring and Evaluation BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PANEL MEMBERS AND STAFF INDEX