The government assistance program known as Welfare, does prove to help those in need, but also has its flaws . The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program was created in 1996 and was created to help families become self-sufficient. This program is a part of Welfare. TANF is a cash assistance program with a maximum of 60 months of benefits received within one's lifetime. Most recipients are required to spend a minimum of 30 hours per week in various work readiness activities, including holding a job, applying for jobs, or participating in job training. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, between 2008 and 2009 the number of recipients for the TANF aid had increased by almost 400,000. The number from March 2009 to March 2010 has increased by almost 400,000 and is continuing to rise. TANF is considered the strictest of all public assistance programs and most people who are receiving food stamps, Medicaid, or rental assistance do not qualify for cash payments through TANF.
According to a study by Altman, the largest problem associated with TANF is that its own rules are effectively holding recipients back from gaining a postsecondary education, due to the lack of time or incentive to get a better job. There is a “catch-22” of choosing between a job that could potentially lead to financial independence, and the benefits held in TANF leading to a sense of helplessness and a lack of empowerment. Many recipients would rather keep the low paying jobs and receive TANF benefits, than looking for higher paying jobs and losing the benefits. Also, many recipients cannot afford to receive higher training or education because TANF requires them to work 35 hours a week. According to Lens, the TANF program no longer helps with transportation to work, and many single parents have to find child care.
The TANF program was intended to help the recipients become self-sufficient; however it forces them to stay below the poverty line to receive benefits. We need to create a program that allows them to go to school and work and have child care so that they can improve their lives.
Works cited:
Altman, J., & Goldberg, G. (2008). Rethinking Social Work’s Role in Public Assistance. Journal of
Sociology & Social Welfare, 35(4), 71-94
Lens, V. (2002). TANF: What Went Wrong and What to Do Next. Social Work, 47(3), 279-290
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/
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