Packaging support for low-income families: Policy variation across the United States

This paper addresses a gap in state-level comparative social policy researc h by ar analyzing policies that support low-income families with children. Variation in state policy "packages" is measured by, considering three char acteristics of I I social programs. Individual measures of policy are found to be weakly and inconsistently inter-correlated at the state level, but w hen cluster analysis is used to analyze multiple dimensions simultaneously, five clusters or regime types are identified that have distinctive policy approaches. These range from the Most minimal provisions, to conservative a pproaches emphasizing private responsibility, to integrated approaches that combine generous direct assistance I vith employment support and policies that enforce family responsibility. A comparison of a subset of programs at two points in time (1994 and 1998) suggests that states made substantial c hanges in cash assistance and taxation policies after the 1996 federal welf are reforms. The magnitude and direction of these changes remained consiste nt with the state clusters identified in 1994. (C) 2001 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.