American Government Social Research Links

Sites gouvernementaux de recherche sociale aux États-Unis

Updated June 27, 2009
Page révisée le 27 juin 2009

---

[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]

Welfare Dependence in the U.S. in 2008
(Posted March 9, 2009)

Indicators of Welfare Dependence: Annual Report to Congress, 2008
December 2008
The Welfare Indicators Act of 1994 requires the Department of Health and Human Services to prepare annual reports to Congress on indicators and predictors of welfare dependence. The 2008 Indicators of Welfare Dependence, the eleventh annual report, provides welfare dependence indicators through 2005, reflecting changes that have taken place since enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in August 1996. As directed by the Welfare Indicators Act, the report focuses on benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, formerly the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program; the Food Stamp Program; and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. (...) Finally, the report has four appendices that provide additional data on major welfare programs, alternative measures of dependence and nonmarital births, as well as background information on several data and technical issues.
[Source: Executive Summary]

Complete report:
* HTML Version
* PDF Version (674K, 157 pages)

- Indicators of Dependence include : Degree of Dependence - Receipt of Means-Tested Assistance and Labor Force Attachment - Rates of Receipt of Means-Tested Assistance - Rates of Participation in Means-Tested Assistance Programs - Multiple Program Receipt - Dependence Transitions - Program Spell Duration - Welfare Spell Duration with No Labor Force Attachment - Long-Term Receipt - Events Associated with the Beginning and Ending of Program Spells

- includes longitudinal and current caseload and expenditure data for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Stamp Program and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In addition, you'll find dozens of tables and charts showing predictors and risk factors associated with welfare receipt, such as : Poverty Rates - Deep Poverty Rates - Experimental Poverty Measures - Poverty Spells - Child Support - Food Insecurity - Lack of Health Insurance - Labor Force Attachment - Employment among the Low-Skilled - Earnings of Low-Skilled Workers - Educational Attainment - High School Dropout Rates - Adult Alcohol and Substance Abuse - Adult and Child Disability - Births to Unmarried Women/Teens - much more...

Program Data
**Excellent resource for qualitative AND quantitative information!
Detailed program description and information (historical and current), recent changes, and statistics for:
* Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
* Food Stamp Program
* Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Earlier annual reports - back to 1997

Source:
Human Services Policy (HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Complementary report from HHS:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) :
Seventh Annual Report to Congress
News Release
December 2006
This report describes the characteristics and financial circumstances of TANF recipients and presents information regarding TANF caseloads and expenditures, work participation and earnings, State High Performance Bonus awards, child support collections, two-parent family formation and maintenance activities, out-of-wedlock births, child poverty, characteristics and financial circumstances of TANF recipients, Tribal TANF and specific Provisions of State Programs.

Complete report:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) :
Seventh Annual Report to Congress
December 2006 ( latest version available on the Data & Reports page )
Executive Summary (PDF file - 32K, 9 pages)
Complete report without Appendix (PDF file - 6.7MB, 220 pages)
Appendix (PDF file - 2MB, 216 pages)
- includes detailed information and tables on the following aspects of welfare for able-bodied families with children* in America :
Caseload - Expenditures and Balances - Work Participation Rates - Work and Earnings - High Performance Bonus - Child Support Collections - Formation and Maintenance of Married Two-Parent Families - Out-of-Wedlock Births - Child Poverty and TANF - Characteristics and Financial Circumstances of TANF Recipients - Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Native Employment Works - Specific Provisions of State Programs - TANF Research and Evaluation - State Profiles

Source:
Administration for Children and Families
[ Department of Health and Human Services ]

Canadian reports about welfare to Parliament:
NONE.

Under the Canada Assistance Plan ("CAP", 1966-1996), the federal Department of Health and Welfare was required by law to table, in the House of Commons, an annual report on the operation of welfare programs and social services in Canada, in the same manner as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services presents annual reports on welfare dependence to Congress. In April 1996, a block fund called the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) replaced CAP's 50-50 cost-sharing as the statutory mechanism for determining federal contributions to provincial/territorial welfare programs. [ See A History of the Health and Social Transfers] Neither the CHST nor its successor, the Canada Social Transfer (since April 2004), contains rules regarding the production of reports about welfare for tabling and discussion in the Parliament of Canada. In fact, the last national public report about welfare in Canada that was tabled and discussed in the House of Commons was the final CAP Annual Report for 1995-96. In my view, that's not much accountability for a program of this magnitude. The CST will cost the Canadian taxpayer almost $11 billion in 2009-10 in cash transfers alone, all without any debate or even discussion in the House of Commons.

Because the CST is a block fund, and because it covers post-secondary education, early learning and childcare as well as welfare and social services, it's no longer possible to calculate how much each province and territory receives annually from Ottawa specifically earmarked for welfare. That's why you won't see any Canadian equivalent to Indicators of Welfare Dependence: Annual Report to Congress in the near future. That, and the fact that there doesn't appear to be any political will by the ruling federal party to support provincial-territorial programs of last resort at this time.

NOTE: For links to more info about the Canada Assistance Plan, the CHST and the CST, see:
Canada Assistance Plan / Canada Health and Social Transfer / Canada Social Transfer Resources page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm

Related reading from Finance Canada:

Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories - updated January 2009
...everything you ever wanted to know about federal transfers.
(or what the Department of Finance wants you to know about federal transfers)

---

Obama drops $3-trillion budget
'We must add to our debt in the short run,' President says as deficit grows to $1.75-trillion
By Paul Koring
February 26, 2009
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a monster $3.55-trillion (U.S.) budget today that includes sweeping health-care proposals, slaps the rich with new taxes and plunges America even deeper into debt. The budget — still only a 140-page summary and certain to be reshaped in the months ahead — lays out Mr. Obama's long-term objectives but is also certain to spark a nasty partisan battle as conservatives label him a "tax and spend" liberal. "We must add to our debt in the short run," Mr. Obama acknowledged in brief remarks as he unveiled the budget. He declined to take questions. The Obama budget added $250-billion (U.S.) to the deficit for this fiscal year, which sends it to a record $1.75-trillion. (The fiscal year ends Sept. 30.)
Source:
Globe and Mail

---

A New Era of Responsibility: Renewing America’s Promise
U.S. Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Overview
February 26, 2009
HTML version - links to individual chapters of the document
PDF version (2MB, 146 pages) - complete report in one file
- provides a description of the Obama Administration’s fiscal policies and major budgetary initiatives; this document is an overview of the full Fiscal Year 2010 Budget expected to be released this spring.

Summary Tables (PDF - 138K, 22 pages)

[ previous U.S. budgets ]

Source:
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
[ The White House ]
HINT: you'll find many more links to budget-related resources on the OMB and White House websites.

For state budget links, see:
State Budget Links
(direct link to the website of the National Association of State Budget Officers)

---

Related links from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:

Statement by Robert Greenstein, CBPP Executive Director, on the President's Budget Proposal
The President’s budget represents a bold and courageous proposal to make progress in restoring fiscal discipline while addressing two of the central problems of our time — a broken health care system and the threat of catastrophic global warming — and other national needs.

The full statement is posted to:
http://www.cbpp.org/2-26-09bud-stmt.htm
http://www.cbpp.org/2-26-09bud-stmt.pdf (PDF - 3pp.)

---

Trillion-Dollar Deficits Greet New Administration: CBO Analyzes Current Budget Policies
By Paul N. Van de Water
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has recently issued three scenarios that offer alternative views of the current budgetary situation. Assuming continuation of the budget policies that were in effect in January 2009, CBO’s analysis shows that the federal budget deficit would average more than $1 trillion a year over the next ten years and climb higher in the latter years of the decade. This is the outlook for the deficit before taking into account any policies enacted or proposed since President Obama took office.

The complete report is posted to:
http://www.cbpp.org/2-26-09bud2.htm
http://www.cbpp.org/2-26-09bud2.pdf (PDF - 2pp.)

Source:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is one of the nation’s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals. The Center conducts research and analysis to inform public debates over proposed budget and tax policies and to help ensure that the needs of low-income families and individuals are considered in these debates. We also develop policy options to alleviate poverty.

---

In $3.6 Trillion Budget, Obama Signals Broad Shift in Priorities
Bold Agenda for Social Spending, Energy and Taxes Faces Fierce Fight
By Lori Montgomery
February 27, 2009
President Obama delivered to Congress yesterday a $3.6 trillion spending plan that would finance vast new investments in health care, energy independence and education by raising taxes on the oil and gas industry, hedge fund managers, multinational corporations and nearly 3 million of the nation's top earners.
Source:
Washington Post

---

Annual Update of the Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines (2009) - January 23
- this link takes you further down on the page you're now reading

---

Remembering Mollie Orshansky—The Developer of the [U.S.] Poverty Thresholds
by Gordon M. Fisher
December 2008
HTML version
PDF version (289K, 5 pages)
In a federal government career that lasted more than four decades, Mollie Orshansky worked for the Children's Bureau, the Department of Agriculture, the Social Security Administration, and other agencies. While working at the Social Security Administration during the 1960s, she developed the poverty thresholds that became the federal government's official statistical measure of poverty; her thresholds remain a major feature of the architecture of American social policy and are widely known internationally.
Source:
Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 68 No. 3, 2008
[ earlier issues of the Social Security Bulletin ]
[ Social security Online - The Official Website of the U.S. Social Security Administration ]

*NOTE: for more on Mollie Orshansky and her poverty measure, see:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty2.htm#orshansky

U.S. Government Sites

USA.gov - "Government Made Easy"
- incl. links to : * Agency Index * Federal Government * State Government * Local Government * Tribal Governments
Government Information by Topic :
* Benefits and Grants * Consumer Guides * Defense and International * Environment, Energy, and Agriculture * Family, Home, and Community * Health and Nutrition * History, Arts, and Culture * Jobs and Education
* Money and Taxes * Public Safety and Law * Reference and General Government * Science and Technology * Travel and Recreation * Voting and Elections

Senior Citizens' Resources - USA.gov
- incl. links to : * Consumer Protection for Seniors * Education, Jobs, and Volunteerism for Seniors * End-of-Life Issues * Federal and State Agencies for Seniors * Health for Seniors * Housing for Seniors * Laws and Regulations Concerning Seniors * Money and Taxes for Seniors * Retirement * Travel and Recreation for Seniors

Government Benefits, Grants and Financial Aid
Official information and services from the U.S. government

GovBenefits.gov - Your Benefits Connection
"...a partnership of Federal agencies with a shared vision - to provide improved, personalized access to government assistance programs."
[A Partner is a Federal, State or Local government organization that makes benefit program information available to the public on the GovBenefits.gov website. - from About GovBenefits.gov

www.grants.gov
"Grants.gov, which is part of President Bush's E-gov initiative, serves as a one-stop comprehensive web clearinghouse for information about federal grant opportunities and grant application materials."

DisabilityInfo.gov
"DisabilityInfo.gov is a comprehensive online resource specifically designed to provide people with disabilities with the information they need to know quickly. With just a few clicks, the portal provides access to disability-related information and programs available across the government on numerous subjects, including civil rights, education, employment, housing, health, income support, technology, transportation, and community life."
- Click on the tabs near the top of the home page to access a wealth of information on the following themes: Home - Employment - Education - Housing - Transportation - Health - Income Support - Technology - Community Life - Civil Rights.
Sample content:
Income Support --- incl. links to information about : Food Stamps - General - Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - Social Security Work Incentives - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - Veterans Benefits - Welfare-To-Work

The White House

The Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives publishes transcripts of the hearings it holds on issues in its areas of responsibility.
For a complete list of these hearings, see
<http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp>.

Some of the hearings in 2007 and 2008 have focused on topics relating to (U.S.) poverty and social welfare policy, as you can see in the list below.
To see the complete list of hearings and to view any transcript, click the link above.
Selected hearings:
(4-15-2008) Hearing on the Instability of Health Coverage in America Health
(4-10-2008) Hearing on Extending Unemployment Insurance Income Security and Family Support
(2-28-2008) Hearing on Medicare Advantage Health
(1-16-2008) Hearing on Social Security Benefits for Economically Vulnerable Beneficiaries Social Security
(11-14-2007) Hearing on Impact of Gaps in Health Coverage on Income Security Income Security and Family Support
(9-19-2007) Hearing on Modernizing Unemployment Insurance to Reduce Barriers for Jobless Workers
(9-6-2007) Hearing on Fair and Equitable Tax Policy for America’s Working Families.
(8-1-2007) Hearing on Measuring Poverty in America
(4-26-2007) Hearing on Proposals for Reducing Poverty
More...[link to the list of hearings]

Source:
Committee on Ways and Means
[ U.S. House of Representatives ]

For related links, go to the Poverty Measures - International Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty2.htm

General Accounting Office
"The General Accounting Office is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of Congress. GAO exists to support the Congress in meeting its Constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the American people."

Supports for Low Income Families
States Serve a Broad Range of Families through a Complex and Changing System
Report to the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate
January 2004
Highlights (PDF file - 69K, 1 page)
Complete report (PDF file - 577K, 80 pages)
"(...) States have used TANF funds to experiment with new support programs and have recognized that supports like subsidized child care are an increasingly important support for low-income working families. Most recently, states have faced fiscal crises and tough choices about reducing their supports for low-income families. The emphasis on moving people into work, though, remains a priority. As states continue to adjust supports for low-income families in efforts to move forward with the reforms of the last decade and improve efficiency, access, and coordination, they will also continue to face the pressures of competing priorities and fiscal constraints."
[p. 39, [Concluding Observations]
Source:
General Accounting Office

Department of Health and Human Services
- incl. links to content organized under the following headings:
Diseases & Conditions - Safety & Wellness - Drug & Food Information - Disasters & Emergencies - Grants & Funding - Reference Collections - Families & Children - Aging - Specific Populations - Resource Locators - Policies & Regulations - About HHS

Office of Family Assistance (OFA)
"The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) is located in the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families and oversees the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program which was created by the Welfare Reform Law of 1996. TANF became effective July 1, 1997, and replaced what was then commonly known as welfare: Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) programs. TANF provides assistance and work opportunities to needy families by granting states the federal funds and wide flexibility to develop and implement their own welfare programs."

Administration for Children and Families
"ACF is a federal agency funding state, local, and tribal organizations to provide family assistance (welfare), child support, child care, Head Start, child welfare, and other programs relating to children and families. Actual services are provided by state, county, city and tribal governments, and public and private local agencies. ACF assists these organizations through funding, policy direction, and information services."

Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
"The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on policy development, and is responsible for major activities in the areas of policy coordination, legislation development, strategic planning, policy research and evaluation, and economic analysis."

U.S. Census Bureau

Census Bureau Poverty Page
- includes links to : * Poverty Home * Overview *What's new * Publications * Definitions * Poverty Thresholds * Poverty Data Sources * Current Poverty Data * Microdata Access * Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates * History of the Poverty Measure * Poverty Measurement Studies and Alternative Measures * Related Sites * FAQ

U.S. Census Bureau: History
http://www.census.gov/history/
While the U.S. Census Bureau has only been in existence since 1903, the first population census was taken in 1790, per the requirements stated in the United States Constitution. This rather engaging website traces the history of the census through statistics, historic photographs, and other documents. On the homepage, visitors can browse through the "This Month in Census History" feature and learn some quick facts in the "Did You Know?" section. Moving along, the "Census-Then & Now" area should not be missed. Here visitors can learn about past directors of the census (such as Thomas Jefferson), read up on relevant legislation, and even look over biographies of notable census alumni. Next up is the "Geography & Mapping" section which contains an overview of how the Census maps data, coupled with a few famous maps from censuses past. One item that shouldn't be missed is the "Centers of Population" map, which shows the mean center of the population of the United States following each census. The site is rounded out by a "Through The Decades" feature, which brings visitors up to speed with the various changes made for each census.
Review by:
The Scout Report
http://scout.wisc.edu/
Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2008.

U.S. Census Bureau: Economic Indicators
Policy wonks, planners, and those with a general penchant for statistics will thoroughly enjoy the U.S. Census Bureau's Economic Indicators homepage. For starters, the homepage alone would be a reason to visit, as it includes the most recent data on manufacturing and trade inventories in the U.S., along with retail and food service sales, international trade in goods and services, and data on new home sales. It's also worth mentioning that the information can be obtained and examined in different formats, and they also offer up historic indicators dating back to the 1950s and 1960s in many instances. Visitors to the site can also learn when the next data set will be released and they may also wish to read the program overview for each data set.

Poverty Measurement Studies and Alternative Measures
- includes links to the 1976 Measure of Poverty report, the 1985 Williamsburg Conference and Technical Papers 51-58, the 1995 National Academy of Sciences report and related reports and papers, and the 2005 American Enterprise Institute seminar series

* Exploring the Use of the Views of the Public to Set
Income Poverty Thresholds and Adjust Them Over Time (PDF - 387K, 77 pages)
By Denton R. Vaughan
February 2004 (updated from June 1993)
Beginning in 1946 (more than two decades before Dutch economists began developing “subjective” poverty measures), the Gallup Poll in the U.S. repeatedly asked the following question: “What is the smallest amount of money a family of four (husband, wife, and two children) needs each week to get along in this community?” (Similar questions have been asked in Gallup Polls in Canada and Australia.) This paper by Vaughan is the most up-to-date and thorough analysis of the results of this “get-along” question. The paper uses the U.S. Gallup “get-along” responses for the period 1947-1989 plus the response to a 1989 Gallup “poverty line” question to construct a “Gallup-based” poverty line series for a four-person family for the 1947-1989 period.

* Personal Assessments of Minimum Income and Expenses:
What Do They Tell Us about ‘Minimum Living’ Thresholds and Equivalence Scales? (PDF - 1.1MB, 69 pages)
By Thesia I. Garner and Kathleen S. Short
July 2002
This and similar papers by Garner and Short are probably the most up-to-date work on “subjective” poverty measures now being done in the United States.

Poverty Thresholds (1973-2007 and selected earlier years back to 1959)

Links to Related Sites
Find other agencies or organizations which provide Poverty Measurement Research

- Poverty Measurement Working Papers
- incl. links to papers and reports organized under the following themes:
* Measuring Poverty - Background and Overview * Who are the Poor? Using Different Measures * Poverty Thresholds * Medical Care * Housing Costs * Work-related Expenses and Child Care * Taxes and Unit of Analysis * Other Approaches to Measuring Economic Well-being

History of the Poverty Measure
- links to the following papers:
* The Development of the Orshansky Thresholds and Their Subsequent History as the Official U.S. Poverty Measure, by Gordon M. Fisher (1992)
* "Changes in the Definition of Poverty", from Characteristics of the Population Below the Poverty Level: 1980
* Office of Management and Budget Statistical Policy Directive 14 (1978) - establishing the official poverty measure for federal agencies to use in their statistical work.
* The Measure of Poverty (1976) A series of technical papers about poverty measurement performed for the Poverty Studies Task Force of the Federal Interagency Committee on Education.
* Family Food Plans and Food Costs (1962)

Related Link:

Census Bureau Income Page - incl. links to : * What's New * Income Main * Overview * Reports * Definitions * Guidance about the Sources * How Income Data is Collected * Micro Data Access * Related Topics * FAQ * Current and historical income data

-----------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dynamics of economic well-being : Poverty 1996-1999 (PDF file - 75K, 12 pages)
July 2003
Washington
Current population reports, n° P70-91
"This report describes patterns of poverty using measures with different time horizons and provides a dynamic view of the duration of poverty spells and the frequency of transitions into and out of poverty. It further examines how poverty dynamics vary across demographic groups. Data for this analysis were collected in the 1996 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP),the latest completed panel of the SIPP, and reflect the dynamics of poverty from January 1996 to December 1999."
Source : U.S. Census Bureau

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Population Profile of the United States: 2000
"The Population Profile of the United States: 2000 is the first Internet-only version of this US Census Bureau product. It includes data from surveys conducted in the year 2000 and earlier, as well as some limited Census 2000 data. This report attempts to provide the public with updated information in the years in which a printed version has not been issued. Chapters include population dynamics, households and housing, social characteristics, household economics, and the facets of diversity. Primary sources for this report come from the Census Bureau's Decennial Census of Population and Housing, the Current Population Survey (CPS), the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), and the American Housing Survey (AHS)."
Site Review by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2002 (February 22, 2002 Issue)

Latest US Economic Indicators - 14 indicators, including Household Income 2000 and Poverty 2000

Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS)
American FactFinder
The US Census has released the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey (C2SS) data, the "most comprehensive and detailed data on American families in 64 cities across the country today." The C2SS is the largest survey the Census Bureau has ever conducted aside from the decenniel census. The data are drawn from a monthly sample of 2,000 households, chosen on a rotating basis from 58,000 households in 1,203 counties, as well as households in 36 ACS test counties. The data are available at the American FactFinder site (first discussed in the April 2, 1999 _Scout Report_), and operational information, narrative and tabular profiles for all summary levels and rankings at the state, county, and place levels also may be found at the C2SS site.
Reviewed by The Scout Report, (Nov. 30, 2001)
Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001

Census 2000 Data Access and Use
This private company website presents US Census data and related material. Updated weekly, the Website focuses on news about Census data releases; descriptions of Census 2000 data products; linkage of Census 2000 data with data from other decennial programs, most notably the 1990 census and other federal statistical data; Census 2000 data access issues in other federal agencies; and methodological resources and information concerning Census data and use.
- Reviewed by the Scout Report for Social Sciences

The Changing Shape of the Nation's Income Distribution, 1947-98
Are the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer?
Issued June 2000
- click above for links to text, figures and tables
See, for example...
Figure 1. Change in Income Inequality for Families: 1947-1998
Complete report (PDF file - 227K, 11 pages)

Poverty in the United States: 1999
Issued September 2000
Press Release (September 26, 2000)
Press Briefing
Click on the title of the report (above) for links to the text, graphs and related information, or...
Complete report (PDF file - 6.5MB, 88 pages)

The US Social Statistics Briefing Room (Crime Statistics - Demographic Statistics [incl. population, income, poverty] - Education Statistics - Health Statistics)

An Aging World: 2001 (PDF file - 3973K, 190 pages) - U.S.
November 2001
This new 190-page release from the Census Bureau and the National Institute of Aging (NIA) presents comparative data related to aging, including population and projected population internationally, life expectancy, retirement, health information, and social support. The report was, in part, inspired by a review from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that argued for an international focus on aging as an aid to policymakers worldwide. The main body of the report is broken into eleven chapters, covering topics ranging from urban versus rural populations to marital status to income security. Appendices include detailed tables, references, an international comparison of urban versus rural definitions, and sources and limitations of the data.
Reviewed by : Scout Report
Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001
- Go to the National Institute of Aging (NIA)

Portals to the World
"Presented by the Library of Congress, Portals to the World is an electronic database containing selective links that provide information on the various nations and other areas of the world. Countries are arranged alphabetically and contain links sorted in areas such as General Resources, Government and Law, Literature and Culture, News and Current Events, Libraries, Business and Residential Directories, and much more. Although in a nascent stage, the site provides a vast amount of links for each listed country. When completed, the project intends to have all the nations of the world included on its Web page."
Reviewed by The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001.

Related Links :

Library of Congress
Large site - see the sitemap for an overview of the rich content here - hundreds of links!
Collections and Services
International Resources
Includes :
Gateways to the World - The Library's 21 reading rooms provide access to international collections.
Special International Guides - A variety of online products created by the Library of Congress.
See also:
Nations of the World - from the Law Library of Congress

U.S. Consumer Price Indexes Page
Source : Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor

Library of Congress
Large site - see the sitemap for an overview of the rich content here - hundreds of links!
Collections and Services
International Resources
Includes :

Gateways to the World - The Library's 21 reading rooms provide access to international collections.
Special International Guides - A variety of online products created by the Library of Congress.
Portals to the World - Links to electronic resources selected by Library of Congress subject experts.
See also:
Nations of the World - from the Law Library of Congress

President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security
On May 2, President Bush announced establishment of a bipartisan, 16-member Commission "to study and report … specific recommendations to preserve Social Security for seniors while building wealth for younger Americans." (...) Public hearings began on June 11. An interim report, describing the challenges facing the Social Security system, will be followed by a final report this fall with specific reform recommendations.

An Evaluation: Wisconsin Works (W-2) Program
April 2001
Department of Workforce Development, State of Wisconsin
Complete report (PDF file - 756K, 221 pages)
Press release
Last week, the Legislative Audit Bureau of Wisconsin issued a 221-page report evaluating the success of the state's high profile welfare reform program, Wisconsin Works (a.k.a. W-2). The report finds that, despite the fact the state spent more money on the program in its first three years than in previous years on the old AFDC system, only a small minority have found jobs that pay more than poverty wages. The evaluation offers comprehensive data on the program's expenditures and effectiveness, both in terms of welfare caseloads, employment, and income of participants.
Reviewed by the Scout Report for Social Sciences

Welfare Reform Resources
Links to welfare reform information from 18 different sources, from the federal and state governments to non-governmental organizations.
Source: Program in Labor Studies (George Washington University - Washington, DC)
- see also Child Care Resources

Welfare Reform Tracking Issues
"State tracking studies provide information concerning critical questions about what is happening to the large number of families leaving welfare. While these studies do not provide the basis for any general conclusions about the success of reforms, they provide us with the first set of data regarding the effects of welfare reform. They illustrate both the positive results of welfare reform-more ex-recipients are working; and the remaining questions-How do we move recipients who are not working into jobs so they can establish stable support systems for their families?"
Tracking Recipients after They Leave Welfare (August 1999 article)
Summaries of individual states studies - links to summaries for 21 states
Source : National Conference of State Legislatures

Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States, 1940-99
National Center for Health Statistics
Complete report (PDF file, 302K, 39 pages)
Press Release - October 18, 2000
On October 18, the National Center for Health Statistics released a new report tracking trends and patterns in nonmarital births. "Based on data from birth certificates reported to NCHS through the National Vital Statistics System, the report describes the level of unmarried childbearing over the past 60 years, by such characteristics as age, race, and ethnicity of the mother." In line with a plethora of social data coming out of Washington in the last year showing improvement in crime, teen pregnancy, test scores, and other longstanding social ills, the report tracks a 50-year rise in births to unmarried women that has leveled off in the last decade. Specifically, "after rising dramatically during the half century from 1940 to 1990, out-of-wedlock childbearing leveled off, or slowed its rate of increase, during the 1990's. Since 1994, the percent of births to unmarried women has remained stable at about 33 percent."
- Go to the National Center for Health Statistics NCHS website
- The NCHS is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Reviewed by the Scout Report for Social Sciences

The Effect of Work and Welfare on Living Conditions in Single Parent Households
Population Division
U. S. Bureau of the Census
August 2000
Recent changes to programs of income support for the poor have focused attention on how work requirements and incentives affect earnings and employment of welfare recipients. The predominant way of thinking of these issues, at least in broader political discourse, assumes that obtaining work or improving wages are desirable goals for welfare recipients and their families. However, recent research has begun to indicate that single parents and their families are not always better off in the labor force.
- Go to US Census Bureau website

Poverty in the United States, 1999 [.pdf, 88 pages]
US Census Bureau
Press Release
Highlights
Graphs
The report gives data on poverty rates by selected characteristics -- age, race, nativity, family composition, work experience, and geography. Findings reveal that the nation's poverty rate dropped from 12.7 percent in 1998 to 11.8 percent in 1999, the lowest rate since 1979. In addition, "real median household income reached $40,816, the highest level ever recorded by the Census Bureau." The report also announces the lowest level of child poverty since 1979 -- 16.9 percent -- and a record low for African-Americans of 23.6 percent. The report can be examined in full in .pdf format or in selected sections in HTML.
- Reviewed by the Scout Report for Social Sciences

State and County QuickFacts
US Census Bureau
This new handy reference resource from the US Census Bureau allows users to access frequently requested Census Bureau information at the national, state, and county level. The site is navigated via a pull-down menu or interactive map, both of which produce tables of facts about the people, businesses, and geography for that state compared to the country as a whole. Another pull-down menu (or map) leads to similar information on the county level (compared to the state as a whole). In addition, each page offers a link to more detailed information from the Census Bureau, such as income and poverty estimates, economic censuses, county business profiles, and government finances, among other offerings. Quick facts for the country as a whole can also be accessed from the main page. All in all, a useful resource for quick and basic census information.
Reviewed by the Scout Report for Social Sciences

DisabilityInfo.gov - U.S.
"DisabilityInfo.gov is a comprehensive online resource specifically designed to provide people with disabilities with the information they need to know quickly. With just a few clicks, the portal provides access to disability-related information and programs available across the government on numerous subjects, including civil rights, education, employment, housing, health, income support, technology, transportation, and community life."
- Click on the tabs near the top of the home page to access a wealth of information on the following themes: Home - Employment - Education - Housing - Transportation - Health - Income Support Technology - Community Life - Civil Rights.
Sample content:
Income Support --- incl. links to further information about : Food Stamps - General - Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - Social Security Work Incentives - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - Veterans Benefits - Welfare-To-Work

State of the Cities (National Urban Policy Report) - U.S. - various years
-  State of the Cities Data System provides the latest data on 114 selected cities released as part of  State of the Cities report
Source : U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

AgingStats.Gov (US) - Web Site of the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics
The Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics was established in the mid-1980s to encourage cooperation and collaboration among federal agencies to improve the quality and utility of data on the aging population.  The Forum, made up of nine federal agencies that produce or use statistics on aging, provides these agencies with a venue to discuss data issues and concerns that cut across agency boundaries; facilitates in development of new databases; improves mechanisms currently used to disseminate information on aging-related data; invites researchers to report on cutting-edge analyses of data; and encourages international collaboration.
Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being
This report covers 31 key indicators carefully selected by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics to portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families.  The report is divided into five subject areas:  population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health.
Press Release - August 10, 2000
PDF version (127 pages, 944K)

National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness
-  provides technical assistance, identifies and synthesizes knowledge, and disseminates information.
- links policy makers, service providers, researchers, consumers and other interested parties to findings from Federal demonstration and Knowledge Development and Application (KDA) projects and research on homelessness and mental illness.

America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Child Well-being 2000
This is the fourth report in an annual series prepared by the Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. A collaborative effort by 20 Federal agencies, the report presents a wealth of information on a number of indicators of well-being, including population and familiy characteristics, economic security, health, behaviors and social environment characteristics, education, and more.
From the above link, you can either download the report in PDF format (as one large file or two smaller ones), read the highlights of the report or go to the HTML Table of Contents with links to well over 100 tables, texts, source data and related information.

America's Children Press Release "Nation's Children Gain In Many Areas : Childhood Mortality, Teen Birth Rates Drop
July 13, 2000
Source: US Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics

USAID (US Agency for International Development)
USAID is an independent federal government agency that conducts foreign assistance and humanitarian aid to advance the political and economic interests of the United States. USAID is the principal US agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.
Gender Matters - The Gender Website of the US Agency for International Development

National Center for Education Statistics
"The primary federal entity for collecting and analysing data that are related to education in the United States and other nations"
See the NCES Site Map for an overview of this large site that is rich in content. Here's a sample...
Longitudinal Surveys :
- High School and Beyond
- National Ed Longitudinal Study, 1988
- National Longitudinal Study, HS Class of 72
- Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) Program
"The ECLS Program has both descriptive and analytic purposes.  The descriptive purposes are to provide national data on (1) children's status at birth and at various points thereafter; (2) children's transitions to nonparental care, early education programs, and school; and (3) children's experiences and growth through the fifth grade.  The analytic purpose of the program is to provide data to test hypotheses about the effects of a wide range of family, school, community, and individual variables on children's development, early learning, and early performance in school."

The Condition of Education, 2002
June 2002
"The 2002 edition of the Condition of Education report has recently been released by the US Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Produced annually, the report highlights significant educational developments and progress made within the past year. This year’s report is available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and contains 44 indicators in six main areas: enrollment trends and student characteristics; student achievement and the longer term, enduring effects of education; student effort and rates of progress among different population groups; the quality of elementary and secondary education; the context of post-secondary education; and societal support for learning. Additionally, this report also provides analysis on the environment, climate, student outcomes at private schools, and the enrollment and persistence of nontraditional undergraduates. For anyone interested in education and its future, the report can be viewed in its entirety or by individual sections."
Reviewed by The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001
Related Links:
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education

Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement
- incl. links to HHS Poverty Guidelines for 1996 to 2000
- also includes links to The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin and The Joint Center for Poverty Research of Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.

Welfare in a Society of Permanent Work (PDF file - 59 pages, 150K)
Ron Haskins
Committee on Ways and Means
US House of Representatives
December 3, 1999
Excellent paper on American welfare reforms since the mid-nineties, with detailed information on every facet of those reforms from AFDC to TANF - incl. 19 tables and figures (e.g., graph showing the AFDC/TANF Caseload, 1959-1999)
Source: Joint Center for Poverty Research
Measuring Poverty — A New Approach (Policy Briefs, Vol.1; No.6 - undated, but posted since October 1999)
Barriers to the Employment of Welfare Recipients - February 2000 (read the abstract, then download the PDF file - 37 pages, 90K)
Number of families on welfare in the United States - Move your cursor over states on the map to see Number of families on welfare in Sept. 1998 and the Percentage reduction in welfare dependency from Jan. 1993 to Sept. 1998. [Don't click on the map, though - the links to states' websites are broken]

New York State Department of Family Assistance

US Welfare Caseloads Information - from the Administration for Children and Families
- incl. State by State Welfare Caseloads from 1993 to March 1999 (recipients and families) - Percentage of the US Population on Welfare By Year Since 1960 - Recipients and Families 1936-1999 - Caseload Comparison since the signing of the Welfare Law: Aug. 1996 vs. March 1999 --- and more.

America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being, 1999 (July 1999)
This is the third annual report to the Nation on the condition of American children. Included are six contextual measures that describe the changing population and family context in which children are living, and 23 indicators of well-being in the areas of economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education. Scroll to the bottom of the main page for links to similar reports for 1998 and 1997.

US Administration on Aging
- Site Index - all on one page...
- Internet Information Notes: Links to major US web resources on selected topics and issues in Aging.
Includes Adult Day Services - Ageism - Alcohol Abuse - Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias - Assisted Living - Caregiving for the Elderly - Disability and Aging - Consumer Protection & the Elderly - Diversity and Aging - Health and Long Term Care Costs - Health Maintenance Organizations - HIV, AIDs and Aging - Home Design - Hormone Replacement Therapy - Intergenerational Programs - International Aging Statistics - Life Expectancy - Long Term Care Insurance - Long-Term Care State Services - Mental Health and Aging - Nursing Homes - Nutrition - Prescription Drug Web Sites - Senior Centers - Senior Housing Sites and Directories - Suicide and the Elderly - Technology, Aging and Disabilities - Transportation and Mobility - Trends and Projections - Workforce & Aging

International Aging Statistics
U.S. Administration on Aging
The links to Internet sites on this page point to demographic data as well as reports addressing issues and emerging global developments created by the aging of their populations.
- includes links to over 90 recent statististical resources focusing on seniors from the following organizations : U.S. Bureau of the Census - United Nations - World Health Organization - Pan American Health Organization. Also includes web site directories of demographic resources and country demographics
See also : International Organizations and Activities

Social Security Administration Home Page - "The Official Web Site of the Social Security Administration" 

US Totalization Agreement with Canada*
Social Security Administration 
(Last revised January 2000) 
Canada-US reciprocal social security agreement 
*Includes brief descriptions of  the various types of Social Security benefits payable under the US and Canadian Social Security systems and briefly describes the eligibility requirements for each. Also includes links to more information from the US and Canada

PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCES WELFARE TO WORK PROGRAMS
New Steps To Help Fathers Support Their Children And Families
Presidential Hall, Old Executive Office Building
January 25, 1999

U.S. Census Bureau Poverty Statistics
Including:

Poverty in the United States: 1996
Poverty Measurement
Low Income Uninsured Children by State
Detailed Historical Tables from the Current Population Survey: 1959-1996
Poverty Thresholds
HHS Poverty Guidelines
Census Historical Poverty Tables: 1959-1989
Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
Poverty Statistics

U.S. Welfare Caseloads Information - from the Administration for Children and Families
- incl. State by State Welfare Caseloads from 1993 to March 1999 (recipients and families) - Percentage of the US Population on Welfare By Year Since 1960 - Recipients and Families 1936-1999 - Caseload Comparison since the signing of the Welfare Law: Aug. 1996 vs. March 1999 --- and more.

Government/Politics
Bureau of Labor Statistics - stats on poverty, incomes, employment, living conditions, etc.

U.S. Consumer Price Indexes Page

HHS Agencies on the Internet

National Press Club, Washington, DC
Preparing for Welfare Block Grants: Issues Facing California
YOUTHLINK (the SSA's child- and youth-friendly website to explain Social Security to young children, teens, parents and teachers) - well worth a visit!
U.S. Child Support Home Page
U.S. Federal Government Agencies

University of Southern Carolina Social Work
US Social Security Links
US Health & Social Services Agencies - Links

Related Canadian Social Research Links pages:

American Non-Government Social Research Links (A-J)
American Non-Government Social Research Links (M-Z)
Poverty Measures
Children and Families - International
Social Research Statistics

Search the Web Search Canadian Social Research Links Only

TIP: How to Search for a Word or Expression on a Single Web Page  Open any web page in your browser, then hold down the Control ("Ctrl") key on your keyboard and type the letter F to open a "Find" window. Type or paste in a key word or expression and hit Enter - your browser will go directly to the first occurrence of that word (or those exact words, as the case may be). To continue searching using the same keyword(s) throughout the rest of the page, keep clicking on the FIND NEXT button. Try it. It's a great time-saver!

Site created and maintained by:
Gilles Séguin(This link takes you to my personal page)

E-MAIL: gilseg@rogers.com