Using Iowa state administrative data for the period 1993-95, this paper explores why some low-income households successfully leave public assistance while others who leave later return. The authors examine the role of employment, child support, earnings, and other support such as the Food Stamp...

In this paper, the authors examine welfare participation dynamics in Iowa from 1993 to 1996, the initial years of Iowa's welfare reform. Analyses of participation in the Family Investment Program (FIP) during its first two years show that, on average, FIP recipients stayed fewer months in the...

In 1993, the State of Iowa reformed its welfare program by creating the Family Investment Program (FIP), a program designed to help its participants achieve economic self-sufficiency. This paper examines the experiences of individuals and families who leave FIP. Specifically, the study explores...