The Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Essay

The section of the AFDC program was one of the most questioned of the welfare prior to 1996. AFDC welfare program was originally created by congress with the intention to provide essential necessities and protection to children and their families. This program however was eliminated when the 1996 welfare reform act was enacted. The reform act was distributed by block grants which provided welfare benefits to the recipients under new sets of rules and requirements. TANF, the new block grant transforms ADFC to a pre-established funding. TANF provided states a pre-established scale of funds for income funding and work programs based on what they spent on these programs in 1994. The succeeding variations in the scale of demand for this program

Poverty has been a problem in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for years. The introduction of TANF seemed to be a hopeful new start for families in need, but what has TANF really instituted and accomplished? After years of a system of welfare “recipients” gaining cash assistance from the government, the new system was meant to inspire welfare “participants” to actively work in order to earn their cash assistance. While TANF has been implemented across the country, it’s effect on Milwaukee has yet to show any great significance. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families is simply a reformation of the welfare system with stringent work requirements, yet lacking the employment opportunities and resources necessary to accomplish its broad range of goals, ultimately to the disadvantage of those dependent on it.

SNAP is the foundation of nutrition assistance programs. This program provides over 47 million individuals in nearly 23 million low-income households. The eligibility is not restricted to certain groups of individuals, and because of this, SNAP serves a vast amount of families with children, elderly people, and individuals with disabilities. Others eligible for SNAP include families with adults who work in low-wage jobs, unemployed workers, and those with a fixed income. The SNAP Program assists about 72 percent of people who live in households with children. Nearly 25 percent of households with seniors and individuals with disabilities, are also assisted (Rosenbaum, 2013).

This paper discusses the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program that was established in 1996. It examines the development and goals of the policy as well as addresses the target population that benefits from this program. A review of the agencies associated with TANF and the benefits the program provides to its clients is also given. In addition, the funding sources of TANF are addressed. Lastly, it examines the social issue this program is meant to address.

* Welfare is considered as Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and according to Mandell & Schram (2012) welfare provides a good example of the cycles of reform (pg 43).

"The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, or the welfare reform law established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). TANF is a block grant program designed to make dramatic reforms in the nation's welfare system."(http://www.acf.dhls.gov/HyperNews/get/opre2/wtwreg.html) This grant became effective as of July 1, 1997. This grant replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. It also replaced several other programs such as Emergency Assistance or EA program. The goal of TANF is to promote family responsibility and self- sufficiency. This program will provide this by placing welfare recipients into the workforce. Under the TANF program assistance is given to individuals for a limited time. When that time period has expired, it is the State's

First, if the government were to make welfare eligibility stricter it would impede on the attempts of those below the poverty line trying to find a job. TANF ?can free up additional dollars for work related expenses and other basic needs and thus aid families? efforts to move from welfare to work? (Sard and Daskal). It is needed to help pay for those ?necessities that often accompany employment, such as additional clothing and food costs, child care, and transportation to and from work? (Sard and Daskal). The program does not just hand out money, but provides the aid needed to ?achieve self-sufficiency? through employment (Cohn). Without the additional money for clothing, food costs, child care, and transportation, an individual would not be able to maintain employment and abide by the TANF requirements. It is evident that TANF is necessary for those individuals that live in poverty and are seeking employment. If the requirements were to become stricter, the number of the employed and those living below the poverty line would increase simultaneously.

I would go about identifying eligible families for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF, benefits by using what the requirements are for Pennsylvania residents on the TANF website. According to the TANF Program (n.d.a), “you must be a United States citizen and a resident of Pennsylvania” (para. 8) to apply for TANF benefits. If you are a “non-citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residency, you may be eligible” (TANF Program, n.d.a, para. 8) for TANF benefits. “You also must provide you and your family’s Social Security numbers” (TANF Program, n.d.a, para. 8). Another requirement is that you are to be “looking for a job or participating in an employment training program” (TANF Program, n.d.a, para. 8). Potential TANF beneficiaries “are required to help the caseworker complete an Agreement of Mutual Responsibility, which is a plan for what you will do so you no longer need cash assistance” (TANF Program, n.d.a, para. 8). If you need cash assistance for children, your children must be under age 18 or be 18 and a fulltime student (TANF Program, n.d.a). To be a recipient of TANF benefits, you must have “your children living with you and you must care for the children” (TANF Program, n.d.a, para. 8). You also must have “your resources have a value of $1,000 or less” (TANF Program, n.d.a, para. 8). You also “must report all income from employment or from other sources including, but not limited to, child support, unemployment compensation, interest, Social

I believe that people who are in need should get the proper assistance they deserve. In high school, I volunteered at a soup kitchen and saw how children struggled to obtain their basic needs and in some essence, loss a piece of their childhood. I support TANF especially since it helps families, which includes aiding children who do not have the ability to support themselves. It is hard for me to see the children suffer especially since it is no fault of their own.

This act has been amended four times since being signed into law in 1987, in 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994. The amendments in 1988 were relatively minor, and added a few additional places where funds from this act could be distributed (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006). In 1990, the amendments changed far more of the act than with previous amendments, and many new programs were created, including Shelter Plus Care program (providing assistance to those with disabilities and addictions), and the Community Mental Health Services was amended and given a new name, Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006). The amendments in 1992 both expanded and modified Title IV, which included several programs that were overseen by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to include the creation of “safe havens”, which are very low-cost shelters available to people who do not wish to utilize other services, and the Rural Homeless Housing Assistance grant program (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2006). The most recent amendments to the McKinney-Vento Act took place in 1994, and these amendments focused on Education of the Homeless Children and Youth program, and the

United States Government Welfare began in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt thought of this system as an aid for low-income families whose men were off to war, or injured while at war. The welfare system proved to be beneficial early on by giving families temporary aid, just enough to help them accommodate their family’s needs. Fast forward almost 90 years, and it has become apparent that this one once helpful system, has become flawed. Welfare itself and the ideologies it stands on, contains decent fundamentals; furthermore, this system of aid needs only to be reformed to better meet the needs of today’s society.

The next section we will be looking at is TANf’s forms of benefit. While working on our policy framework analysis we decided to specifically look at cash assistance and in-kind benefits. Within this section I also want to focus on the services that are funded by TANF. The first thing that I will focus on is the cash assistance part of TANF. In the policy that preceded TANF, Aid to Families with Dependent Children this system mostly operated on a direct cash benefit system. Recipients would receive cash directly to pay for everyday necessities. TANF has operated by giving block grants to states. Since TANF does this there is no direct money going directly to those in need. The block grants operate under TANF’s four main objectives: Provide assistance to needy families, Reduce the dependency by promoting work, job preparation, and marriage, reduce and prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancy’s, and to encourage two-parent families. If they can justify a program under these objectives they are eligible to receive funds form the grants. The way that most recipients on TANF get money they put the stipends on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). The EBT can be used as a debit bank card and be used to pay for: rent, day care, and other necessities. There are many forms of benefits that are available to participants that are on TANF. Some of these include: couples therapy, workshops for employment skills, and child care. Some of these services are compulsory, so the participant has to be

The United States federal government spent about $16.5 billion dollars each year to support the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (“Policy” 2). This program, established in 1996, provides a block grant to the states, which use these funds to operate their own programs.

One of the many reasons why America is called “The Land of Opportunity” is because its citizens can move up in socio-economic status through hard work and dedication. However, when U.S. citizens fall on hard times, government-established programs offer financial assistance.

According to SAMSHA, studies have estimated that between 5 and 35 percent of women receiving Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) have a substance abuse problem that can impede their ability to work. SAMSHA also states, that if appropriate treatment is not received, substance abusing women are extremely limited when it comes to