CSDE Administrative Data
Data Sources
|
Sample Selection
| Master Data Files |
Auxiliary Files from KIDS
| Auxiliary Files from CARES
Data Sources
Administrative data for the CSDE project have come from the State of
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Data were extracted from
four different databases:
Client Assistance for Re-employment and Economic Support (CARES)
Histories of AFDC, W-2, Food Stamp, Child Care, and Medical Assistance
eligibility, participation, and level of use, from 1995 to 2000, were
extracted from the CARES data system. Demographic information was also
collected on resident parents and their children.
Kids Information Data System (KIDS)
The histories of child support awards, payments, distributions, and receipts
were extracted from the KIDS database. Demographic information was also
collected on nonresident parents and their children who were covered under
the W-2 program. In addition, KIDS provides information on the establishment
of paternity.
Computerized Reporting Network (CRN)
AFDC and Food Stamp histories prior to 1995 were extracted from the
CRN database. (CRN was the public assistance database in use prior to
the inauguration of CARES in 1995.)
Unemployment Insurance (UI)
Employment and wage histories of both resident and nonresident parents
(1995-2000) were extracted from the quarterly wage record files of the
UI program.
A User's
Guide to the Administrative Data is available as a .pdf file. You
will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in your computer to open this file.
Note:
"Nonresident" and "noncustodial" tend to be used interchangeably in
the databases. "Noncustodial" is more strictly reserved for legal status
as a child support obligor; CSDE has in general preferred to use the term
"nonresidental" in describing the parent who does not live with the child.
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Sample Selection
IRP staff extracted records from State administrative data sources each
quarter, approximately two weeks after the end of the quarter. Selection
of families studied in the CSDE project began with the identification
of W-2 participants within the CARES database. These cases were opened
during the 10-month period September 1997 to July 1998. The case participants
were resident parents and their minor children. The minor children in
these W-2 cases were traced in the KIDS data system, and their legal noncustodial
parents, if any, were identified. Child support orders to noncustodial
parents were identified in KIDS. Child support payments made by noncustodial
parents and payments received by custodial parents were tracked through
KIDS. The use of various forms of public assistance by W-2 resident parents
was identified in CARES and CRN. Employment and wage histories were extracted
on a quarterly basis for both resident and nonresident parents from the
UI wage record database.
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CSDE Administrative Data Files for Public Use
Data available in the public use files consist of a 75% random sample
of CARES cases selected in the July 2000 extract. Public Use administrative
data are provided in 12 separate data files that can be merged using a
masked CARES case identifier. The data files are organized in the following
way:
Master data files
Variables in master data files are extracted from all four data sources
mentioned above: CARES, KIDS, CRN, and UI.
Resident-parent master file (demographic
and summary variables) This data file contains one record per W-2 participant/resident
parent. A number of demographic variables are included, as well as a number
of summary variables which describe, in aggregate, the children in the
family, the number of nonresident parents associated with the family,
and the employment and earnings history of the resident parent. The unit
of observation is the W-2 CARES case.
Nonresident parent master file (demographic
and summary variables)
This data file contains one record per nonresident/resident parent pair.
Note that more than one nonresident parent may be associated with one
resident parent. Also, if a parent is a nonresident parent in more than
one W-2 family, then this nonresident parent would appear multiple times
in this master data file. If there is no identified, legally responsible
nonresident parent in a family, then no observations in this master data
file will be associated with this W-2 case. The nonresident master file
contains information on demographic characteristics and summary employment
and wage histories of nonresident parents. The unit of observation is
the nonresident parent per CARES case.
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Auxiliary data files from KIDS
The unit of observation for all auxiliary files is month, per KIDS account,
per CARES case.
Child Support Owed
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of child support owed by the
noncustodial parent to the custodial parent.
Child Support Paid
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of child support paid by the
noncustodial parent to the custodial parent's account.
Child Support Retained
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of child support retained by
the state from the custodial parent's account.
Child Support Received
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of child support received by
the custodial parent.
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Auxilliary data files from CARES
W-2 Slot History
This file contains monthly information on the slot assignment of the W-2
participant. The slot assignment determines the kinds of services provided
to the resident parent, and whether or not the parent receives a monthly
monetary grant. Resident parents who receive a monetary grant are subject
to the partial pass-through of child support if they are a Control case.
The unit of observation is month, per CARES case.
W-2 Grant Payments
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of W-2 grant payments. The unit
of observation is month, per CARES case.
Food Stamp Benefits
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of Food Stamp benefits received
by the W-2 resident parent and children.
Child Care Benefits
This file contains monthly dollar amounts of child care benefits associated
with the W-2 case. The dollar amount given is that sent to the child care
provider, not to the W-2 participant.
Medical Assistance
This file contains the monthly Medicaid eligibility of the W-2 participant,
and the capitation rate for Medicaid recipients in that county for that
month.
BadgerCare Medical Assistance
This file contains the monthly BadgerCare eligibility of the W-2 participant
who exits W-2 and Medicaid. The dollar amount is the capitation rate for
BadgerCare recipients in that county for that month. (BadgerCare is a
Wisconsin medical assistance program that began in July 1999 for low-income
individuals who are not eligible for Medicaid.)
Note: Sample SAS programs are available to assist the user in:
reading the Master
data file on CARES case characteristics and resident parent demographics;
reading the W-2
Grants file and merging with the Master data file.
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