How Would the Administrations Proposal Affect State Welfare Reform Efforts?
Over the past six years, states have adopted a variety of approaches to help parents find jobs. Some states utilize intensive job search programs that help parents learn how to look for work successfully and often connect parents directly to employers. Some states have placed many parents in work experience programs, while others have turned to subsidized jobs programs for parents who are unable to find unsubsidized work after exhaustive efforts. Some states have focused on identifying parents with disabilities or other barriers to employment and have tailored work activities such as substance abuse treatment, vocational rehabilitation services, or mental health counseling to ensure that parents with such barriers get the help they need so they can find and retain employment. While research studies that cover all 50 states and compare the effectiveness of various work-program approaches are not available, data from states that have adopted varying approaches strongly suggest that state
