Was Welfare Ended as We Know it? A Study of the Effectiveness of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

Authors

Kristen Edwards, Brigham Young University
Dr. Mark Showalter, Brigham Young University

Keywords

welfare, work opportunity reconciliation act, AFDC, TANF

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Economics

Abstract

In 1996 the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program, where all who met certain requirements received benefits, was changed to the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) block grant. This grant is given to states to use at their own discretion as long as they observe certain mandates including job participation by recipients and time limits on welfare. While many have noted the recent decline in both welfare caseloads and poverty, no one is sure what is responsible for the improvements because TANF was implemented concurrently with a booming economy.

Recommended Citation

Edwards, Kristen and Showalter, Dr. Mark (2014) "Was Welfare Ended as We Know it? A Study of the Effectiveness of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014: Iss. 1, Article 183.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/183