Benefit Alert was designed to help the low-income aged of Philadelphia take advantage of material benefits they were entitled to under existing state and federal legislation. An implicit goal of the project was to test a governmental agency's ability to be an advocate for the poor. (Author)

Examined the economic well-being of adult refugees who arrived in the United States as children. Examined five refugee groups (Southeast Asians, Soviets/East Europeans, Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans) using data from the 1990 Census of Population and Housing. Findings indicate the economic status of childhood refugee arrivals differed by…

This article describes the results of an empirical study of the relationship of eligibility criteria and noneligibility factors to the use of public assistance. Some commonly held beliefs about welfare recipients are questioned. (Author)

The argument presented is that although work is one path toward improved well-being for poor families, a successful and humane social welfare policy must recognize and respond to its limitations. This article reviews specific propositions of prowork rhetoric and concludes that former welfare participants require a broad range of supports to move…

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)