4.2 The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
4 min read•july 31, 2024
The of 1996 marked a major shift in U.S. welfare policy. It replaced with , introducing and for recipients.
This reform aimed to reduce and promote through . It gave states more flexibility in program design, strengthened , and sought to address concerns about long-term welfare use and .
PRWORA Provisions and Goals
Key Objectives and Structure
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Stages and Types of Strategy | Principles of Management View original
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Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 fundamentally restructured U.S. welfare system
Primary goal reduced welfare dependency by promoting self-sufficiency through employment
Replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Shifted focus from long-term assistance to temporary support
Emphasized personal responsibility and strengthening families
Time Limits and Work Requirements
Introduced strict time limits on welfare benefits
Generally restricted recipients to lifetime maximum of 60 months of federal TANF assistance
Some states implemented shorter time limits (24 or 36 months)
Implemented mandatory work requirements for welfare recipients
Required engagement in work activities after receiving benefits for two years
Work activities included job search, job training, community service (varied by state)
State Flexibility and Additional Provisions
Gave states greater flexibility in designing and implementing welfare programs through
Allowed for localized approaches to poverty reduction
States could tailor programs to specific regional needs and demographics
Included provisions to strengthen child support enforcement
Established centralized state registries for child support orders