State Welfare Policies

State Welfare Policies

Moving families from welfare to work has been a primary concern of state legislatures and welfare agencies in recent years. Since the implementation of welfare reform however, TANF caseloads have been reduced by more than 50 percent nationwide. Smaller caseloads and increased program flexibility provided by the 1996 federal welfare law have allowed states to develop innovative programs and policies to help TANF recipients and other low-income families attain long-term self-sufficiency. NCSL has produced several documents that examine the evolution of welfare reform programs in the states. These publications and related resources can be accessed through the links listed below.

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Maintaining State TANF Flexibility, July 2006, PowerPoint by Jack Tweedie

TANF Rules Tough on States, March 2006 - New federal changes in welfare rules put restrictions on state flexibility, but states have options to keep programs focused on their goals.

Family Cap Policies

State Poverty Policies Newsletter, (September/October 2003)

State Poverty Policies Volume 1, No. 5, features an article on tribal TANF programs, information on spending cuts and proposed cuts to TANF and child care programs and state trends related to faith-based organizations providing social services. It also includes information on NCSL's stance on proposed changes to the earned income tax credit, summaries of recent news stories and research related to the administration of TANF programs.

Welfare Reform: Doing Well, Trying To Do Better (January 2003, State Legislatures Magazine)

Welfare reforms have been quite successful, but there's much more to do. Moving ahead in tight budget times, however, is a daunting task for lawmakers.

Time Limited TANF Recipients, (July 2002, State Policy Choices, by Andrea Wilkins).

Placing limits on how long families could receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits was a significant change brought on by the 1996 federal welfare law. It replaced the ongoing cash assistance system to one focused on moving parents into work and self-sufficiency. This policy brief reviews state time limit policies, their effect on families and the key policy issues states face.

For more information on welfare reform issues, please contact Jack Tweedie in the Denver office at 303.364.7700 or cyf-info@ncsl.org or either Sheri Steisel or Lee Posey in the D.C. office at 202.624.5400 or fedhumserv-info@ncsl.org