| What is Jobs First and when
did it begin? |
Jobs First is
a statewide welfare reform initiative that began operating
in January 1996 under waivers of federal welfare rules;
it is operated by the Connecticut Department of Social
Services. The program includes many elements that were
part of the federal welfare law passed by Congress in
1996. |
|
What are the main features of Jobs
First?
|
Jobs First replaced
Connecticut’s Aid to Families with Dependent Children
(AFDC) welfare program with Temporary Family Assistance
(TFA). The key features of TFA include:
- Time limit.
Families are limited to 21 months of cash assistance
receipt unless they receive an exemption or extension.
The 21-month limit is the shortest in the nation.
- Financial work incentives.
Recipients are allowed to keep their entire welfare
check ($543 for a family of three) as long as their
earnings do not exceed the federal poverty level.
In addition, recipients who leave welfare while employed
can continue to receive Medicaid health coverage for
2 years.
- Work first employment services.
Recipients are required to participate in employment
services targeted to rapid job placement. Education
and training are deemphasized.
|
| How many families are affected
by Jobs First? |
About 60,000
families were receiving cash assistance in Connecticut
when Jobs First began (some of them were exempt from the
program’s requirements and time limit). The caseload
has since dropped to less than 30,000. |
