· The average caseload for FY01 was 39% below FY97, the year before welfare reform was implemented.
· In November of 2000, the caseload dropped 48% below the historic high in April of 1994.
· In FY01, the percent of Alaska's population on welfare declined to approximately 3.5%, down from 6.2% in FY94.
· Annual savings in welfare cash benefits reached $55 million in FY01. The
FY02 budget shows a $48 million state general fund savings due to welfare reform.
· In June of 2001, 35% of the adult Temporary Assistance caseload was working with an additional 30% assigned to other activities leading to work. The average wage of working recipients was $8.88/hr.
· Over $27 million is invested in FY02 to help recipients find work, receive childcare,
eliminate barriers, and stay on the job. Twenty-nine community organizations are helping the welfare-to-work effort.
· Childcare assistance has increased from $19 to $30 million in four years.
· Denali KidCare provides over 18,000 children from low-income working families with health insurance.
· Child support collections have increased from $50 million in FY93 to $91 million in FY01.
The state's TANF caseload was down 39% in FY01 compared to FY97, the year before welfare reform took effect. In November of 2000, the caseload for TANF programs in Alaska declined to 6,847 families, a 48% reduction from the historic high of 13,164 in April of 1994. These figures include the state's Temporary Assistance program and three Native TANF programs.
The percentage of Alaskans receiving cash welfare benefits has declined, from 6.4% in FY94 to 3.5% in FY01.
Spending on welfare payments continues to decline. In FY01, cash benefit expenditures dropped to $59.5 million, down 48% from the $115.2 million spent in FY97. This is attributed to recipients leaving welfare for work, fewer applicants, more recipients working, and seasonal benefit cuts to two-parent families.
Welfare reform has saved the state millions of general fund dollars. The general fund savings for FY02 alone is $48 million when compared to FY97.