title: Gender-Specific Barriers to Self-Sufficiency among Former Supplemental Security Income Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Beneficiaries: Implications for Welfare-To-Work Programs and Services.
abstract: This study examines barriers to economic self-sufficiency among a panel of 219 former Supplemental Security Income (SSI) drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A) recipients following elimination of DA&A as an eligibility category for SSI disability benefits. Study participants were comprehensively surveyed at six measurement points following the policy change. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine full-sample and gender-specific barriers to economic self-sufficiency. Results indicate that access to transportation, age, and time are the strongest predictors of achieving self-sufficiency for both men and women leaving the welfare system. Gender-specific barriers are also identified. Future research needs to assess the generalizability of these results to other public assistance recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, Fullerton, California 92834-6868,  shogan@fullerton.edu.
authors.forename: Sean R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Unick
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Speiglman
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Norris