View Research by Author - Heather L. Koball

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This report was prepared in response to a mandate from the California State Legislature to analyze how much of the $14.4 billion in child support arrears owed statewide in March 2000 was realistically collectible. Child support arrears had grown dramatically in California during the prior decade and state legislators were concerned about their collectibility. The Urban Institute estimated that $3.8 billion, or 26% of the $14.4 billion, would be collected over 10 years. The reason that so little arrears are likely to be collected is that most of the arrears are owed by individuals who owe more than $20,000 in arrears and have relatively low incomes.

The authors find that, in the short term, there is no evidence that minor teen mothers were harmed or helped much by residency and activity requirements in TANF or even by welfare reform policies in general. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1997 cohort, they find few significant differences in minor teen birth rates, living arrangements, and school enrollment between 1997 and 2000. While not significant, the trends are consistent with the goal of welfare reform to reduce teen childbearing. Although their receipt of cash assistance has dropped significantly, about 80 percent of minor teen moms receive some form of public assistance.

This study shows that a large, computerized survey instrument (the National Survey of America's Families) can serve as an excellent vehicle for identifying a target sample for further research (very poor families with children not currently working or receiving cash government assistance) and that qualitative information can be obtained effectively through telephone interviews. The interviews reveal that 56 percent of the families interviewed currently fit all study income criteria; 13 percent had a change in status since their NSAF interview; and 31 percent provided different information during the qualitative interview than they provided during the NSAF interview. The rate of survey discrepancies is actually lower than that found in previous studies that have attempted to verify income data in government surveys. The interviews suggest ways to improve the collection of income data in quantitative survey instruments.

Interviews with about 100 families with children living without earnings or government cash assistance illuminate how very poor health, limited skills, and the lack of jobs, transportation and child care raise serious barriers to employment. They also illustrate how sanctions, time limits, and other administrative hassles can prevent welfare participation for many families without work. Interviewed families, all with incomes below 50 percent of poverty, coped by combining in-kind government support, child support, help from family or friends, "side jobs," and charity. Food stamps provided a base of support for about half of the families, but half of those not receiving food stamps had their benefits terminated for administrative reasons. The interviews demonstrate what families need in order to work and what they need when work cannot be achieved.

Children who have child support orders and receive child support payments have more frequent contact with their nonresident fathers. Children living in poverty were less likely to have seen their fathers in the previous year than were children whose family earnings exceeded the poverty line. African-American children born to unmarried parents were more likely to see their fathers than are white or Hispanic children. Children born out of wedlock, regardless of income, were more likely to visit their fathers after PRWORA was enacted. There was no increase in nonresident father visitation among children born in wedlock, regardless of income.

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