Overview

Over the past two decades, state and federal reforms transformed welfare programs Congress established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant which gave states broad flexibility to run their cash assistance programs and to use federal funds to help low-income families, reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies and support two-parent families. State legislatures used this flexibility to create work-focused programs-requiring parents receiving assistance to participate in work or training activities, providing supports such as child care and transportation so that they can work and enacted time limits on how long families could receive assistance. State legislatures also used these funds to create and expand a wide variety of programs to help low-income working families and children, such as early education and afterschool services, responsible fatherhood programs, teen pregnancy prevention and income supports and training to help working families stay in jobs and increase their earnings. 

NCSL provides information to state legislators and staff on key welfare topics such as financing welfare, supporting low-income working families, marriage, fatherhood and family formation and welfare reauthorization. NCSL monitors state welfare policies including time limits, sanctions, family caps, diversion programs, substance abuse, domestic violence, physical and mental disabilities, residency requirements and caseloads. The human services federal affairs staff represents state legislatures on federal welfare issues in Washington, D.C.

NCSL staff in D.C. and Denver can provide comprehensive, thorough, and timely information on critical welfare policy issues. We provide services to legislators and staff working to improve state policies affecting children and their families. The Denver-based welfare reform project staff focuses on state policy, tracking legislation and providing research and policy analysis, consultation, and technical assistance specifically geared to the legislative audience. NCSL staff in Washington, D.C. track and analyze federal legislation and policy and represent state legislatures on welfare reform issues before Congress and the Administration.