Abstract
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides cash assistance to very-low-income families with children. Application procedures to receive TANF benefits, however, often involve substantial transaction costs likely to reduce take-up. Using a randomized controlled trial design, we estimate the marginal effects of a personalized telephone-call reminder to increase TANF application completion in southwest Michigan, where applicants must visit a regional public employment office at least four times to complete their application for benefits. Compared to a generic telephone call, we find that personalizing reminder calls did not increase participation in the initial appointment at the public employment office. Additionally, reminders before remaining appointments, combined with the personalized reminder call to attend the orientation, did not increase attendance at appointments after orientation.
Highlights
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, a meanstested cash transfer program for families with children
In light of onerous PATH requirements, existing research on the SSI program suggests that nudges to attend orientation and weekly application eligibility period (AEP) interviews could increase TANF receipt in Michigan (Zhang et al, 2020)
After local PATH program managers determined that generic telephone call reminders boosted attendance at orientation, the W.E
Summary
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 established the TANF program, a meanstested cash transfer program for families with children. We estimate, through a randomized controlled trial design, the effects of a low-cost intervention to increase completion of TANF applications in a four-county region of southwest Michigan.
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