논문

Reversing US welfare policy that was entitlement based and federally driven, the
US Congress's passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities
Act of 1996 abolished federal cash assistance under Aid to Families with
Dependent Children (AFDC) and replaced AFDC with Temporary Assistance to
Needy Families (TANF). The primary effect of TANF is to give states considerable
discretion in designing social welfare policy. Within the context of flexibility for
states to administer welfare programs, TANF imposes work requirements on both
welfare recipients and states. Theses profound changes have the potential to
alter the nature of the state and local administration. For the purpose of analyzing
many administrative challenges and opportunities raised by TANF, this article
review the main provisions of TANF, administrative changes under TANF, and
major policy analysts' arguments on the welfare reform. Next, problems and
possibilities at the state and local levels are discussed in order to examine the
feasibility of TANF. Finally, the article suggests considerations for administrative
reform at the state and local levels.