CALIFORNIA, L.A. COUNTY SNAPSHOTS : The who, what and where of WELFARE

The sweeping overhaul of welfare will affect millions of Californians who now receive benefits from a complex patchwork of programs. Here is a profile of who receives government assistance, where they live and how the programs may be affected.

Source: California Department of Social Services, combined with U.S. Census 1990 data

Researched by SHEILA DANIEL, PETER HONG, PAUL JACOBS, JANET LUNDBLAD, RICHARD O’REILLY and JEFF RABIN / Los Angeles Times

WHERE CALIFORNIA CASES ARE

In California, 2.7 million individuals receive grants under Aid to Families with Dependent Children--the largest of the welfare programs. Most of these are children, 1.8 million. Under new welfare law, most adults would have to go to work after two years to enable their families to keep benefits. Here are the counties with the greatest number of recipients:

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Percent of County Recipients Statewide total Los Angeles 881,000 32.8% San Diego 195,000 7.3% San Bernardino 193,000 7.2% Sacramento 145,000 5.4% Fresno 121,000 4.5% Orange 118,000 4.4%

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Source: California Department of Social Services (as of July 1, 1995)

THE WELFARE MOTHERS

Age of mother

18 or less: 2.0%

19-24: 24.2%

25-29: 22.0%

30-34: 21.0%

35-39: 12.4%

40-44: 11.8%

45+: 6.5%

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Marital status of mother

Never married: 41.4%

Married: 21.5%

Separated: 15.4%

Divorced: 12.3%

Common law marriage: 1.7%

Widowed: 0.6%

Unknown: 7.0%

RECIPIENTS BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to noncitizens

Region:

Unknown

Other

South America

Europe

North America

Asia

Source: California Department of Social Services (as of January, 1995)

AID TO LEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to noncitizens

Aged: 58.1%

Disabled: 40.6%

Blind: 1.3%

Source: California Department of Social Services (as of January, 1995)

Source: California Department of Social Services, Characteristics Survey (conducted October, 1994 or, for ethnicity data, April 1995)

L.A. COUNTY: WHERE THE CHECKS GO

Shaded areas are the 100 ZIP codes with the highest numbers of welfare recipients in Los Angeles County, excluding SSI recipients.

Percent of L.A. County population receiving welfare; by ZIP code

Not reported

13%-20%

21%-30%

31%-40%

41%-54%

WHO GETS AID IN L.A. COUNTY

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One parent absent, Intact family deceased or adults AFDC Recipients incapacitated unemployed Sex 97% female, 50% female, 3% male 50% male Total 682,890 193,110 Average age 31 33 of applicant

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DEMOGRAPHICS

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One parent absent, Intact family deceased or adults incapacitated unemployed Hispanic 53% 60% Anglo 13% 23% African American 29% Asian American 4% 13% Other 1% 1%

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THE ‘WORKING POOR’

Numbers of people who receive food stamps and Medi-Cal assistance, but do not have any other welfare support.

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Food Stamps Medi-Cal Total 169,030 616,140 Mean age 36 39

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Medi-Cal assistance by ethnic group (those who do not receive any other welfare support).

Hispanic: 66%

Anglo: 17%

Asian American: 10%

African American: 5%

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L.A. County Ethnic Breakdown, compiled from 1990 Census

White: 41%

Hispanic: 38%

Black: 11%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 10%

Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services

WHERE BENEFITS COME FROM

AFDC--Aid to Families with Dependent Children. The largest welfare program, provides cash assistance for families. There are 876,000 recipients in L.A. County

SSI--Supplemental Security Income. Helps aged, blind and disabled individuals. There are 335,000 elderly, blind, and disabled persons in L.A. County who receive SSI. Of that, about 93,000 legal immigrants in the county would lose SSI benefits, according to county officials.

General Relief--Aids indigent adults, the poorest of the poor who qualify for few other programs. There are 92,120 recipients in L.A. County; 61% are male and the average age is 38.

Medi-Cal--Health care benefits for the poor. There are more than 600,000 recipients in L.A. County.