Question

What are the most effective welfare reform strategies?

Why are we asking?
MDRC began studying the effects of state welfare programs in the early 1980s, evaluating some of the early pilots that informed welfare reform in 1988 and, later, the federal 1996 welfare reform law. MDRC’s evaluations of state welfare-to-work programs have provided rigorous evidence at every stage of this evolving story, looking at the effectiveness of various programs and services, the real results of time limits and participation requirements, and the outcomes for families and children.

Working Toward a Solution

Issue Focus

What Do We Know About the Intersection of Welfare and Disability Programs?

Both Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Security Income serve low-income individuals with disabilities. Yet the programs’ differences in approach and structure pose challenges to coordinating services. The Administration for Children and Families and the Social Security Administration contracted with MDRC and its partners to conduct the TANF/SSI Disability Transition Project. Five publications from the project have just been released.

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Testimony

Testimony on Subsidized Job Programs

On July 30, 2014, MDRC’s Dan Bloom testified before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources on what research says about the effectiveness of subsidized employment programs in promoting work, reducing poverty, and improving other important outcomes.

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Full
Background Resources