| We've got NEWS |
|---|
| Monday, July 27, 1998 Governor Tommy G. Thompson Secretary Linda Stewart | News Media Contact Michael H. McCoy 608/267-4400 e-mail: mccoymi@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784 |
W-2 caseload levels
continue stable
Madison, Wis. -- The number of families receiving cash assistance in June under the state's welfare replacement program known as "W-2" declined slightly from a month before.
The statewide number was 11,102 in June, a drop of 159 from May's 11,261.
Officials in the State Department of Workforce Development -- the agency which administers the 10-month-old "Wisconsin Works" program -- said the relative stability in the counts was both expected and not particularly significant.
"This is very consistent with the pattern we've expected to see in the data this summer," said Linda Stewart, the agency's Secretary.
"Those in this group continue to need -- and can benefit greatly from -- the variety of help available to them through W-2. That includes work training, child care, transportation, job access loans, and financial and employment planning.
"Since we know most of these participants have not yet earned a high school degree, that continues to be a high priority need, as well.
"We continue to believe that the best way to escape poverty is to begin earning a paycheck and to take advantage of every opportunity for promotions, pay raises, training and other benefits that only come to those in a job."
The comparable count was 12,068 in April. Figures for March (13,342) and earlier months -- going back to September 1997 when W-2 was fully implemented -- also included those receiving AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children).
Milwaukee County accounted for most of the June drop in those getting cash assistance, down 121 cases over the month from 9,707 in May to 9,586.
Dane County, with 296 cases, was far behind in second place in the number of families receiving cash assistance under W-2. That compared to 319 in May, for a decline over the month of 23.
Four of Wisconsin's 72 counties recorded no families receiving cash assistance in June -- Green, Iron, Marinette, and Waushara -- while 36 other counties reported cases in only single digits.
Statewide, the number of families in unsubsidized work-related activities rose over the month to 4,864 in June from 4,718 in May. Most of those in this category were employed.
Total participation in W-2, which includes families receiving both cash and non-cash assistance, also was little changed statewide in June at 15,966 families. That was down just 13 families from the May level.
The number rose slightly over the month in Milwaukee County, from 13,413 to 13,434, but Stewart said that change also was insignificant.
Those in community service jobs declined statewide from 9,155 to 8,892, while those in a transition program called W-2T and who were receiving more intensive services rose from 2,010 to 2,129. The number of persons in trial jobs fell slightly, from 96 to 81.
JUNE 1998 | |||||
| AGENCY | A | B | C | D | E |
* Column C = Columns A and B | |||||
| STATE TOTAL | 11,102 | 4,864 | 15,966 | 72,884 | 146,672 |
| Adams | 5 | 6 | 11 | 331 | 693 |
| Ashland | 3 | 0 | 3 | 356 | 774 |
| Barron | 3 | 1 | 4 | 719 | 1,706 |
| Bayfield | 2 | 0 | 2 | 165 | 460 |
| Brown | 28 | 14 | 42 | 1,842 | 4,645 |
| Buffalo | 13 | 0 | 13 | 214 | 449 |
| Burnett | 7 | 3 | 10 | 211 | 568 |
| Calumet | 2 | 10 | 12 | 162 | 568 |
| Chippewa | 18 | 12 | 30 | 623 | 1,706 |
| Clark | 2 | 3 | 5 | 270 | 953 |
| Columbia | 3 | 4 | 7 | 318 | 1,063 |
| Crawford | 2 | 0 | 2 | 186 | 536 |
| Dane | 296 | 169 | 465 | 3,599 | 6,459 |
| Dodge | 21 | 9 | 30 | 489 | 1,774 |
| Door | 7 | 8 | 15 | 200 | 594 |
| Douglas | 34 | 22 | 56 | 1,009 | 1,926 |
| Dunn | 17 | 18 | 35 | 499 | 1,088 |
| Eau Claire | 35 | 25 | 60 | 1,151 | 2,536 |
| Florence | 3 | 4 | 7 | 61 | 196 |
| Fond du Lac | 30 | 47 | 77 | 631 | 2,237 |
| Forest | 3 | 0 | 3 | 112 | 421 |
| Grant | 2 | 1 | 3 | 336 | 1,253 |
| Green | 0 | 3 | 3 | 266 | 759 |
| Green Lake | 5 | 3 | 8 | 159 | 480 |
| Iowa | 4 | 5 | 9 | 219 | 480 |
| Iron | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 265 |
| Jackson | 3 | 0 | 3 | 246 | 615 |
| Jefferson | 11 | 3 | 14 | 302 | 1,452 |
| Juneau | 16 | 16 | 32 | 267 | 706 |
| Kenosha | 145 | 201 | 346 | 2,018 | 3,844 |
| Kewaunee | 7 | 1 | 8 | 101 | 438 |
| La Crosse | 47 | 29 | 76 | 1,369 | 2,800 |
| Lafayette | 1 | 0 | 1 | 101 | 294 |
| Langlade | 8 | 4 | 12 | 335 | 752 |
| Lincoln | 8 | 2 | 10 | 259 | 887 |
| Manitowoc | 6 | 2 | 8 | 436 | 1,887 |
| Marathon | 58 | 39 | 97 | 1,018 | 2,762 |
| Marinette | 0 | 0 | 0 | 479 | 1,466 |
| Marquette | 1 | 0 | 1 | 162 | 382 |
| Milwaukee: Region 1 | 1,019 | 483 | 1,502 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 2 | 1,150 | 594 | 1,744 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 3 | 1,701 | 828 | 2,529 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 4 | 2,150 | 777 | 2,927 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 5 | 1,803 | 736 | 2,539 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 6 | 1,759 | 427 | 2,186 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: No Region | 4 | 3 | 7 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Total | 9,586 | 3,848 | 13,434 | 35,395 | 47,641 |
| Monroe | 11 | 22 | 33 | 426 | 1,228 |
| Oconto | 5 | 0 | 5 | 287 | 884 |
| Oneida | 10 | 6 | 16 | 435 | 1,136 |
| Outagamie | 54 | 17 | 71 | 543 | 2,060 |
| Ozaukee | 1 | 2 | 3 | 207 | 767 |
| Pepin | 1 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 254 |
| Pierce | 14 | 3 | 17 | 181 | 669 |
| Polk | 4 | 10 | 14 | 407 | 1,192 |
| Portage | 17 | 16 | 33 | 683 | 1,479 |
| Price | 2 | 13 | 15 | 319 | 731 |
| Racine | 168 | 29 | 197 | 2,313 | 5,038 |
| Richland | 4 | 6 | 10 | 220 | 475 |
| Rock | 53 | 48 | 101 | 1,689 | 3,930 |
| Rusk | 2 | 1 | 3 | 258 | 648 |
| St.Croix | 4 | 6 | 10 | 269 | 1,066 |
| Sauk | 20 | 3 | 23 | 399 | 1,321 |
| Sawyer | 9 | 7 | 16 | 292 | 764 |
| Shawano | 20 | 10 | 30 | 329 | 990 |
| Sheboygan | 15 | 11 | 26 | 505 | 2,172 |
| Taylor | 2 | 2 | 4 | 228 | 616 |
| Trempealeau | 9 | 4 | 13 | 357 | 1,053 |
| Vernon | 10 | 3 | 13 | 344 | 841 |
| Vilas | 10 | 3 | 13 | 150 | 495 |
| Walworth | 16 | 29 | 45 | 465 | 1,639 |
| Washburn | 2 | 2 | 4 | 208 | 571 |
| Washington | 17 | 19 | 36 | 446 | 1,501 |
| Waukesha | 29 | 26 | 55 | 965 | 3,687 |
| Waupaca | 8 | 3 | 11 | 299 | 1,827 |
| Waushara | 0 | 2 | 2 | 295 | 693 |
| Winnebago | 37 | 24 | 61 | 1,119 | 3,071 |
| Wood | 31 | 11 | 42 | 940 | 2,181 |
| Menominee | 40 | 6 | 46 | 121 | 338 |
| Red Cliff | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121 | 154 |
| Stockbridge-Munsee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 48 |
| Lac du Flambeau | 11 | 5 | 16 | 98 | 196 |
| Bad River | 10 | 0 | 10 | 81 | 129 |
| Sokaogon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 48 |
| Oneida Tr. | 14 | 3 | 17 | 71 | 265 |
| TOTAL | 11,102 | 4,864 | 15,966 | 72,884 | 146,672 |
| W2 caseload is determined by cases that are open and eligible during the report month. " W2 with payment" category includes Community Service Jobs, W2 Transition cases, Trial Jobs, and Case Management Caretakers who care for newborns under the age of 12 weeks and who thus receive a W2 payment. Data in this report is preliminary. | |||||