Welfare Reform Reauthorization: National and Southern Perspectives November 21-22, 2002 Atlanta, Georgia

1
Five Components of TANF
1. End Cash Entitlement 2. Block Grant
Funding 3. Work Requirements 4.
Sanctions 5. 5-Year Time Limit
2
AFDC/TANF Caseload, 1962-2006
1.83
Note 2006 is preliminary Sources Congressional
Research Service, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, http//www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/
ofa/caseload/caseloadindex.htm2005 (2002-2006),
http//aspe.hhs.gov/HSP/indicators03/apa.htmttanf
1( 1962-2001)
3
Percentage of Married, Single, and Never-Married
Mothers Working, 1985-2005
66.0
69.3
62.0
Source Gary Burtless, The Brookings Institution,
unpublished calculations using U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics data.
4
Earnings Increase, Welfare Income Falls for
Bottom Two Fifths of Female-Headed Families,
1993-2004
Source Richard Bavier with U.S. Census Bureau
data (Welfare income is cash, school lunch, food
stamps, and housing constant 2003 dollars).
5
Children in Poverty and People in Poverty,
1980-2005
17.6
12.6
Source U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and
Health Insurance Coverage in the United States,
Current Population Reports, August 2006.
6
Poverty in Female-Headed Households and
Married-Couple Households, 1974-2005
43.7
36.2
6.0
6.5
Source U.S. Census Bureau
7
Child and Youth Well-Being Index, 1975 2004
with Projections for 2005
Source Ken Land, Duke University, Child and
Youth Well-Being Index, available at
http//www.soc.duke.edu/cwi/
8
Support for Working Families Increases
Dramatically, 1984-1999

51.7
5.6
Spending in 1999 under
1999 Law
1984 Law
Source Congressional Budget Office, Policy
Changes Affecting Mandatory Spending for
Low-Income Families Not Receiving Welfare, 1998.
9
Poverty Rates for Children Living with Unmarried
Mothers Before and After Government Programs
Source Green Book, 2004. Table H-21.
10
Problems

• Poor males
• Floundering families
• Job retention and advancement

11
Welfare Reform Principles

• Personal responsibility
• Federalism
• Market compatible
• Permanent work subsidies