Department of Workforce Development

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Friday, October 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 cash aid count continues decline
to new record low

W2 Data Table for September 1998

 Madison, Wis. -- The number of families receiving cash assistance under Wisconsin Works, or W-2, in September declined again to just above 10,000. The September level of 10,047 was the lowest level on record.

That record had been set only a month earlier when the cash assistance count for W-2 was 10,580, according to a State Department of Workforce Development announcement today.

Total participation in W-2 also declined again last month, to 15,241 from 15, 664 a month earlier.

"The trends shown by these numbers appear to be favorable," said Linda Stewart, Workforce Development Secretary, "particularly since we believe that the reasons fewer people are in W-2 are mainly economic-related."

"For example, more people in W-2 are working and thus not receiving cash assistance," she said. "The number of those finding jobs or otherwise in unsubsidized activities was up last month, and that was the fourth month in a row this measurement has risen."

Other economic-related examples she cited included fewer people losing their jobs or finding new jobs more quickly because of Wisconsin’s good economy and being able to rely on other government programs such as food stamps and Medicaid or other sources of income.

A reduction in teen pregnancies also may be having an impact, she said, since that means there are fewer low-income mothers needing to be served by the program.

"For these and other reasons, fewer people are entering the program than leaving it."

W-2 is the state’s work-based welfare-replacement program. It began its second year in September.

Workforce Development Secretary Linda Stewart said participation overall in W-2 continued its gradual decline, from 16,350 in April to 15,664 in August and then to 15,241 in September.

When W-2 began a year ago Sept. 1, there were 34,491 families participating in W-2 or AFDC.

She provided these highlights of the data:

• The number of cash assistance cases has been declining gradually since all payments ended in March under the old AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) program.

  Under W-2, cash assistance is provided for up to five years to some participants as they gain work experience in three types of subsidized employment.

  The cash assistance total was 11,453 in April, then declined to 11,261 in May, 11,122 in June, 10,875 in July, and 10,580 in August.

  Four counties -- Bayfield, Florence, Iron and Lafayette -- reported no one receiving W-2 cash assistance in September, while another 38 counties reported cash assistance cases in single digits for the month.

  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.

• The number of those in unsubsidized activities, most of whom are employed, has risen each month since May’s 4,718. The September total of 5,194 compared to 5,084 in August, 5,021 in July, and 4,844 in June.

• In September, 7,703 others were in community service jobs, 2,261 were in the W-2 Transition program, and 83 were in a trial jobs program. The community service jobs total was down from 8,246 the month before, while the other two categories were little changed.

• In Milwaukee County, cash assistance cases declined from 9,176 in August to 8,699 in September, a drop over the month of 477. The number in unsubsidized activities rose from 3,955 in August to 4,059 in September.

• The number of those statewide receiving food stamps fell over the month from 71,391 in August to 70,458 in the latest month. The medical assistance caseload was down from 146,448 in August to 146,206 a month later.

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.

The key data, in summary:

 

SEPTEMBER 1998 W2 CASELOAD REPORT Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Economic Support Division
	A	B	C	D	E
AGENCY	W2 W/PAYMENT	W2 WO/PAYMENT	W2 TOTAL*	FOOD STAMPS	MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
	* Column C = Columns A and B
Adams	4	4	8	321	720
Ashland	1	1	2	348	772
Barron	4	5	9	653	1,696
Bayfield	0	0	0	157	438
Brown	21	15	36	1,758	4,589
Buffalo	8	4	12	188	432
Burnett	4	6	10	192	566
Calumet	2	9	11	161	589
Chippewa	14	13	27	596	1,724
Clark	2	2	4	242	936
Columbia	4	6	10	307	1,078
Crawford	1	0	1	182	535
Dane	272	157	429	3,571	6,490
Dodge	20	15	35	459	1,801
Door	6	10	16	192	600
Douglas	27	22	49	906	1,874
Dunn	18	30	48	472	1,090
Eau Claire	31	32	63	1,148	2,539
Florence	0	3	3	60	206
Fond du Lac	30	36	66	580	2,245
Forest	4	2	6	106	411
Grant	4	3	7	325	1,241
Green	2	2	4	280	759
Green Lake	9	1	10	151	480
Iowa	2	3	5	203	481
Iron	0	0	0	76	265
Jackson	1	1	2	258	636
Jefferson	11	3	14	317	1,478
Juneau	20	15	35	263	731
Kenosha	140	189	329	1,980	3,920
Kewaunee	6	3	9	89	421
La Crosse	45	49	94	1,332	2,772
Lafayette	0	1	1	103	296
Langlade	9	9	18	348	760
Lincoln	7	1	8	268	876
Manitowoc	3	1	4	429	1,914
Marathon	52	33	85	1,049	2,754
Marinette	2	0	2	461	1,465
Marquette	1	0	1	133	377
Milwaukee: Region 1	941	600	1,541	NA	NA
Milwaukee: Region 2	1,034	485	1,519	NA	NA
Milwaukee: Region 3	1,618	1,179	2,797	NA	NA
Milwaukee: Region 4	1,974	662	2,636	NA	NA
Milwaukee: Region 5	1,517	494	2,011	NA	NA
Milwaukee: Region 6	1,611	633	2,244	NA	NA
Milwaukee: No Region	4	6	10	NA	NA
Milwaukee: Total	8,699	4,059	12,758	33,986	47,262
Monroe	19	35	54	445	1,196
Oconto	2	4	6	257	872
Oneida	15	4	19	425	1,140
Outagamie	47	33	80	560	2,089
Ozaukee	4	3	7	204	781
Pepin	1	0	1	67	249
Pierce	8	3	11	173	668
Polk	2	10	12	395	1,177
Portage	23	12	35	645	1,487
Price	5	12	17	314	724
Racine	133	33	166	2,283	4,988
Richland	3	5	8	221	470
Rock	47	59	106	1,694	3,924
Rusk	4	2	6	233	634
St.Croix	7	2	9	244	1,071
Sauk	13	5	18	380	1,316
Sawyer	1	6	7	287	752
Shawano	17	11	28	315	996
Sheboygan	13	9	22	565	2,172
Taylor	5	2	7	218	644
Trempealeau	8	3	11	348	1,057
Vernon	7	2	9	344	859
Vilas	7	3	10	126	477
Walworth	19	32	51	465	1,651
Washburn	3	3	6	200	574
Washington	11	24	35	433	1,510
Waukesha	28	29	57	913	3,656
Waupaca	12	2	14	301	1,785
Waushara	1	2	3	284	702
Winnebago	22	46	68	1,066	3,030
Wood	21	19	40	925	2,170
Menominee	25	12	37	106	330
Red Cliff	0	0	0	90	150
Stockbridge-Munsee	0	0	0	25	50
Lac du Flambeau	9	14	23	97	199
Bad River	9	2	11	65	127
Sokaogon	0	0	0	30	53
Oneida Tr.	10	6	16	65	257
TOTAL	10,047	5,194	15,241	70,458	146,206
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.

For an e-mail version of this news release, send your e-mail request and address to: news@dwd.state.wi.us