Comparing Program Participation of TANF and Non-TANF Families Before and During a Time of Recession. Household Economic Studies.

摘要

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was signed into law in 1996 and fully implemented in 1997. PRWORA, which replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), dramatically altered the welfare program in this country in several important ways. First, low-income levels no longer guarantee access to welfare benefits. Second, there is now a 60-month limit on the receipt of federal benefits. Third, most adult recipients must now engage in work-related activities to maintain their welfare eligibility. Finally, states now receive a grant of fixed size to fund their welfare programs, and federal funding levels are tied to their success in moving welfare recipients into work. This dramatic overhaul of the welfare system occurred during a time of economic prosperity and was followed by unprecedented caseload declines and increased work participation among TANF recipients.