| Monday, November 30, 1998 Governor Tommy G. Thompson Secretary Linda Stewart | News Media Contact DWD News Office 608/267-4400 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784 |
W-2 participation declines again;
food stamp use up
It was the first time in the history of W-2 that mark had been passed, according to an announcement today by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. It also was the lowest caseload on record for the earlier state welfare programs it replaced
There were 34,491 families participating in W-2 or AFDC when W-2 began Sept. 1, 1997, compared to 14,755 a month ago. The mesurement counts all participants, whether or not they are receiving financial assistance.
The agency also said:
Under W-2, financial assistance is provided for up to five years to some participants directly or indirectly as they gain work experience in three types of subsidized employment.
The agency’s Secretary, Linda Stewart, said W-2 officials believe that the main reasons the W-2 participation numbers are declining "are economic-related."
"With Wisconsin’s strong economy, the help of Wisconsin’s employers and the efforts of W-2 staff and participants, many people are finding work through W-2 or on their own, or have begun tapping other resources, including food stamps," she said.
"Some are finding they don’t need -- or don’t want -- the help available to them through W-2, even after W-2 agencies have counseled with them and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.
"That may surprise some, but it doesn’t surprise us. We think more and more people are believing in themselves and benefiting from the ‘helping hands’ of W-2."
Another factor is a reduction in the number of teen mothers, which also reduces the number of those who W-2 was designed to assist.
Stewart said her agency soon will have more information to help it determine the major reasons for W-2 participation or non-participation.
She said the agency is completing a formal study of the reasons why people formerly receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) or enrolled in the W-2 program which replaced it no longer are enrolled.
The study is based on those who declined or withdrew from participation between January and March of this year. Other studies of those in the same categories in later time periods will be undertaken next, she said.
"We’ve identified a number of reasons why people have left the W-2 program, or decided not to participate even though eligible," Stewart said. "What we have not known are the potential numbers associated with each reason."
"When our study is completed in the next few weeks, we’ll have the detailed information we’ve been seeking."
Stewart said 9,741 of the 14,755 families enrolled in W-2 in October were in those programs which include direct or indirect financial support while they pick up the job skills they need.
W-2 enrollment a month earlier was 15,241 and the financial-assistance count was 10,047, both of which then were record lows.
Statewide, the number of those in unsubsidized activities declined over the month to 5,014, or down 180 from September. It was the first decline in this category in five months. Most of those in the unsubsidized category are employed, with wages averaging $6.70 an hour. About 44 per cent are earning at least $7.00 an hour.
The other three classifications -- community service jobs, trial jobs, and a special W-2 Transitions program which provides the most intensive level of services -- provide financial assistance for a limited period of time while those in the program gain the skills needed to remain employed.
The number in community service jobs, which accounts for about half of all W-2 participants each month, declined in October to 7,341 from September’s 7,703. The number in trial jobs declined from 83 to 67 in October. W-2 Transitions enrollment rose from 2,261 to 2,333 over the month.
Milwaukee County, which in October accounted for 82 per cent of W-2 participation statewide, also saw similar trends over the month.
Unsubsidized activity participation there declined, from 4,059 to 3,849 families, while community service job enrollment dropped from 7,045 to 6,652. Trial job involvement decreased from 54 to 41. W-2 Transitions participation rose from 1,600 to 1,630. W-2 enrollment overall dropped from 12,758 to 12,172.
Four of Wisconsin’s 72 counties reported no families receiving financial assistance in October, while another 39 counties reported counts in the single digits. Both measurements were at about the same level of recent months. The four counties were Florence, Iron, Lafayette and Waushara.
All counties continued to provide other services to W2 participants, including food stamps and medical assistance and, in some cases, other types of support through what W-2 officials call "case management" activities.
"Stewart said among the reasons that food stamp use increased over the month was because people were learning about them as a result of increased emphasis on their availability by W-2 agencies across the state. About 79 per cent of those in W-2 currently are eligible to receive food stamps."
"Food stamps remain an important form of support to low income families. The Department remains committed to making eligible families aware of this benefit and ensuring food stamp processing is quick and efficient.
"Even when Wisconsin was seeing a decline in the number of food stamp recipients along with many other states, our decline was less than the national average. We believe this demonstrates that Wisconsin is doing a better job than other states in letting our clients know about the availability of food stamps."
Stewart said anyone who previously decided not to enroll in W-2 or otherwise left the program and who has no or low income still may be eligible to participate. They also may be eligible for other services, including Medicaid and food stamps. Anyone interested in these services should contact a W-2 agency for more details.
W-2 Placements | ||||
Total State | % | Milwaukee | % | |
| Unsubsidized | 5,014 | 34.0 | 3,849 | 31.6 |
| Trial Job | 67 | 0.5 | 41 | 0.3 |
| Community Service | 7,341 | 49.8 | 6,652 | 54.7 |
| W-2 Transitions | 2,333 | 15.8 | 1,630 | 13.4 |
| Total W-2 | 14,755 | 100.0 | 12,172 | 100.0 |
OCTOBER 1998 Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development | |||||
A | B | C | D | E | |
| AGENCY | W2 | W2 | W2 | FOOD | MEDICAL |
| * Column C = Column A and B | |||||
| Adams | 4 | 6 | 10 | 324 | 714 |
| Ashland | 1 | 3 | 4 | 361 | 773 |
| Barron | 5 | 5 | 10 | 674 | 1,708 |
| Bayfield | 1 | 0 | 1 | 144 | 439 |
| Brown | 19 | 13 | 32 | 1,738 | 4,576 |
| Buffalo | 12 | 3 | 15 | 183 | 424 |
| Burnett | 4 | 3 | 7 | 194 | 562 |
| Calumet | 2 | 10 | 12 | 172 | 601 |
| Chippewa | 16 | 13 | 29 | 594 | 1,729 |
| Clark | 3 | 3 | 6 | 231 | 929 |
| Columbia | 5 | 5 | 10 | 305 | 1,078 |
| Crawford | 1 | 0 | 1 | 186 | 533 |
| Dane | 295 | 146 | 441 | 3,641 | 6,480 |
| Dodge | 24 | 18 | 42 | 473 | 1,806 |
| Door | 6 | 8 | 14 | 192 | 602 |
| Douglas | 31 | 17 | 48 | 908 | 1,873 |
| Dunn | 20 | 30 | 50 | 461 | 1,091 |
| Eau Claire | 36 | 34 | 70 | 1,148 | 2,485 |
| Florence | 0 | 4 | 4 | 61 | 200 |
| Fond du Lac | 30 | 36 | 66 | 584 | 2,237 |
| Forest | 6 | 2 | 8 | 101 | 403 |
| Grant | 3 | 5 | 8 | 338 | 1,243 |
| Green | 2 | 2 | 4 | 280 | 767 |
| Green Lake | 7 | 1 | 8 | 151 | 483 |
| Iowa | 3 | 3 | 6 | 212 | 484 |
| Iron | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 267 |
| Jackson | 1 | 1 | 2 | 249 | 644 |
| Jefferson | 9 | 4 | 13 | 314 | 1,473 |
| Juneau | 20 | 18 | 38 | 263 | 739 |
| Kenosha | 128 | 184 | 312 | 1,994 | 3,931 |
| Kewaunee | 3 | 4 | 7 | 85 | 422 |
| La Crosse | 50 | 39 | 89 | 1,328 | 2,751 |
| Lafayette | 0 | 1 | 1 | 101 | 282 |
| Langlade | 7 | 11 | 18 | 358 | 763 |
| Lincoln | 8 | 0 | 8 | 268 | 882 |
| Manitowoc | 3 | 3 | 6 | 427 | 1,898 |
| Marathon | 49 | 31 | 80 | 1,012 | 2,735 |
| Marinette | 4 | 0 | 4 | 463 | 1,458 |
| Marquette | 2 | 0 | 2 | 138 | 376 |
| Milwaukee: Region 1 | 906 | 607 | 1,513 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 2 | 943 | 493 | 1,436 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 3 | 1,658 | 1,106 | 2,764 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 4 | 1,913 | 573 | 2,486 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 5 | 1,376 | 436 | 1,812 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Region 6 | 1,522 | 631 | 2,153 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: No Region | 5 | 3 | 8 | NA | NA |
| Milwaukee: Total | 8,323 | 3,849 | 12172 | 34,224 | 47,121 |
| Monroe | 18 | 34 | 52 | 442 | 1,202 |
| Oconto | 5 | 7 | 12 | 259 | 875 |
| Oneida | 12 | 5 | 17 | 428 | 1,156 |
| Outagamie | 58 | 31 | 89 | 574 | 2,113 |
| Ozaukee | 6 | 1 | 7 | 205 | 787 |
| Pepin | 1 | 0 | 1 | 63 | 249 |
| Pierce | 8 | 4 | 12 | 165 | 671 |
| Polk | 3 | 9 | 12 | 400 | 1,183 |
| Portage | 18 | 18 | 36 | 646 | 1,468 |
| Price | 6 | 10 | 16 | 310 | 732 |
| Racine | 117 | 39 | 156 | 2,289 | 4,980 |
| Richland | 2 | 5 | 7 | 223 | 474 |
| Rock | 63 | 69 | 132 | 1,748 | 3,972 |
| Rusk | 3 | 5 | 8 | 243 | 639 |
| St.Croix | 9 | 3 | 12 | 244 | 1070 |
| Sauk | 18 | 8 | 26 | 382 | 1298 |
| Sawyer | 3 | 4 | 7 | 296 | 754 |
| Shawano | 18 | 14 | 32 | 319 | 1,007 |
| Sheboygan | 8 | 14 | 22 | 556 | 2,185 |
| Taylor | 2 | 2 | 4 | 221 | 644 |
| Trempealeau | 7 | 2 | 9 | 351 | 1,064 |
| Vernon | 6 | 4 | 10 | 339 | 849 |
| Vilas | 8 | 1 | 9 | 133 | 479 |
| Walworth | 19 | 36 | 55 | 463 | 1,680 |
| Washburn | 3 | 2 | 5 | 202 | 573 |
| Washington | 13 | 24 | 37 | 438 | 1,513 |
| Waukesha | 29 | 30 | 59 | 916 | 3,674 |
| Waupaca | 15 | 3 | 18 | 306 | 1,791 |
| Waushara | 0 | 4 | 4 | 284 | 692 |
| Winnebago | 34 | 53 | 87 | 1,072 | 3,008 |
| Wood | 18 | 20 | 38 | 919 | 2,154 |
| Menominee | 24 | 13 | 37 | 109 | 328 |
| Red Cliff | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 145 |
| Stockbridge-Munsee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 51 |
| Lac du Flambeau | 25 | 20 | 45 | 112 | 198 |
| Bad River | 9 | 1 | 10 | 61 | 124 |
| Sokaogon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 54 |
| Oneida Tr. | 58 | 4 | 14 | 63 | 257 |
| TOTAL | 9,741 | 5,014 | 14,755 | 70,895 | 146,055 |
| 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, and Trial Jobs. This report is considered preliminary. Testing is ongoing. | |||||
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