Effects of Five-Year Welfare Time Limits in California

This study will examine both the implementation of time limits and their effects on those who may be subject to them.

The BPA-led research team is assessing the implementation of time limits in the State of California by addressing four broad questions: (1) How are CalWORKs participants being informed about the 60- month limits? (2) How are counties preparing recipients for the time limit? (3) How are counties preparing their administrative operations for the time limit? (4) How are counties implementing the time limit?

The outcomes portion of the study is addressing six overarching questions: (1) What do recipients understand about the time limit? (2) How are recipients preparing for the time limit? (3) What are the demographic characteristics of families reaching the time limit? (4) How does imposing the limit affect the CalWORKs caseload? (5) How are families reaching the time limit affected? (6) Does imposition of the time limit affect child welfare outcomes?

In addition to evaluating statewide administrative data, the study is conducting in-depth analyses in six focus counties (Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, and Tulare), including site visits, key informant interviews, two-wave surveys of county administrative personnel, and two waves of recipient surveys. The research design intends that the first recipient survey occur prior to the imposition of the five-year time limit, with the second survey occurring after the time limit has been imposed and the families’ cash benefits reduced.

Hans Bos, Co-Principal Investigator

President and CEO

Berkeley Policy Associates

Jane Mauldon, Co-Principal Investigator

Associate Professor and Associate Director, Survey Research Center

University of California, Berkeley