Reviews the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRA) of 1996 and examines its details and implications. Discusses the philosophies and values of counseling psychology in the context of realities and misconceptions of the past welfare system. Recommends points of entry for counseling psychologists.…

Following an executive summary and introduction, the report is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 presents evidence of hunger in Texas, which is revealed to be a growing problem. Statistics on the number of persons living in poverty, unemployed persons not receiving unemployment insurance benefits, and persons seeking food assistance from both…

Reviews "Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980" by Charles Murray. Murray believes federal social welfare programs sap the moral fiber of poor Americans by eliminating a negative incentive for them to work at low paying jobs. Criticizes Murray's position, citing the importance of positive as well as negative incentives for…

Examines the political movement to alter welfare behavior through changes in welfare reform and discusses the outcomes of several welfare reform initiatives. Explores welfare-to-work; Learnfare; and Learning, Earning, and Parenting. Also discusses research in social engineering efforts involving child support enforcement and time limits.…

Research on the results of welfare-to-work programs is both encouraging and sobering. On the one hand, it provides evidence that states can effectively implement various work-oriented programs to encourage large percentages of the welfare caseload to prepare for and enter the labor market. These programs range from rather low-intensity programs…

The following two opposing models of the underclass are critically evaluated: (1) the culturally deficient model, which focuses on culture, family, or welfare; and (2) the opportunity structures in decline model, which focuses on employment, marriage, and community pattern changes. (JS)

This research review suggests that welfare reform policy should recognize the differences between rural and urban poor families. The rural poor are more likely to be employed, married, and non-Hispanic white. Rural-urban labor market differences are also likely to influence the effects of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity…

To inform policymakers as they deliberate over the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reauthorization, this guide reviews what states have done with the flexibility afforded them by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The first section examines how states have shaped their welfare reform strategies…

Despite the profession's historic commitment to poor people, little advanced social work practice is reported in work-enhancement programs. Outlines employment-related needs among poor people in the context of economic and policy change. Discusses successful work programs. (Author/JDM)

The Opportunities Program is a collaboration between the Illinois state welfare program and the City Colleges of Chicago to educate/train welfare recipients in short-term programs. A review of the research identified these effective student retention strategies: student support, high quality instruction, and remediation. A review of research on…

This report synthesizes first-phase evaluation results of the Teenage Parent Demonstration program. This program, whose cornerstone is case management, responded to three concerns: (1) rising welfare caseloads; (2) persistently high rates of teenage pregnancies and births; and (3) the high probability that teenage parents will go onto welfare and…

A survey of state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) policies toward postsecondary training or education (PSE) shows that at least 40 states allow more access to PSE than would be countable under the House-passed reauthorization bill (H.R.4737). If it were enacted, these states would likely have to change their policies to reduce…

This review attempts to clarify adult education's role in moving individuals from welfare to work. Part 1 reviews research on this role, job prospects for low-skilled workers, and literacy requirements of workplaces. Part 1 reports these findings: the likelihood of being on welfare goes up as literacy goes down; a labor force attachment approach…

The third in a series of workshops on child care for low-income families (July 24, 1995) conceptualized directions for future research. The effect of child care on children's development was discussed in terms of: (1) child care as an intervention in the lives of low-income children; (2) the importance of capturing the dynamics of children's child…

This guide is second in a series that provides basic information about programs affecting Ohio's children; it provides a summary of key data on child care in Ohio, especially with regard to recent welfare reform. Recommendations for improvement in child care services are given in the following areas: (1) "Children Learning," including…