Examining Causal Effects of Changes in State Policies on Access to TANF Benefits and TANF Case Closures

Past research suggests that state economic factors, state political and institutional factors, and state racial and ethnic composition are associated with state generosity of public assistance benefits. This research will examine how states chose policies related to work requirements, incentives, diversion, exemptions, and sanctions. It will also examine how these policies affected the equity of access to TANF across states from 1999 to 2018.