Current Policy Approach for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

It is generally argued that USA has less number of social welfare policies as compared to
other rich countries. However, as commented by noted liberal scholars like Irwin Garfinkel, Lee
Rainwater, and Timothy Smeeding, “Welfare state programs are quite large in the united states
of America.” For understanding the impact of the social welfare policies it is important to
understand the impact through which it is measured. Garfinkle, rainwater and Smeeding defined
social welfare program having five components: health care spending; education spending; cash
retirement benefits, and other government cash transfers such as unemployment insurance and
earned income tax credit (EITC); and non-cash aid such as food stamps and public housings.
These authors have also stated that US government health care spending is targeted mainly to
elderly and low-income persons. Thus the US government health care system is more
redistributive than the systems of other developed nations. Currently there are six major U.S
welfare programs namely Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Programs, Supplemental Security Income, Earned Income Tax Credit and
housing Assistance (Morton et al., (2018). This paper is going to address the social policy aimed
for giving temporary assistance to the needy families. Homelessness is the social problem that
this paper is going reflect.
A description of the current policy approach for addressing the social issue you selected
The social issue which is being addressed in the essay is concerned which the people who
are down-trodden, needs assistance concerning childcare, job preparation or it may be related
with work assistance. The TANF program grants aid to the states and territories to provide for
the financial assistance and related support services. In order to qualify for this act the applicants
needs to fulfill certain criteria. Either the person needs to be pregnant or must be responsible for
child who is under 19 years of age. The applicants needs to a US citizen, legal alien or he or she

can be a permeate resident. They need to have low income and must be under-employed. The
benefits that are legible for such a candidates will be decided by the states. Each state will have
specific eligibility criteria that must benefit for receiving financial assistance payments or any
other types of benefits. This program aims to provide for those who are among the low income
group it also includes who are at the verge of homelessness.
This program has systematically executed in 1996 and a lot of progress has been noticed
if compared to that period. The number of case loaders lowered in 2000, and the percentages of
persons receiving the income relief was also the lowest (less than 3%). However TANF will not
be reauthorized as it was anticipated, the current picture of TANF is very grim because the
funding has been stick for almost two decades at $ 16.5 billion. This program has grown
significantly weaker as tool to protect the families against poverty and destitution. This program
does not respond to the recession in the economy. As a result the income assistance program
could not reach every person who at need. This program is also not accountable for results and
most ineffective policy of TANF is that, it does not encourage aids to two-parent families.
A description of the current policy goals for addressing the social issue you selected
The temporary assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants a total of $16.5 billion (Ziliak,
2015). The goals of TANF is to provide assistance to needy families with children so that they
can love in their homes. They also aim to end the dependence of the needy families on
government aids by providing work, helping them to prepare for job and also marriage. They
also aim to reduce the pregnancies out-of wedlock and it also promotes formation and
maintenance of two-parent families. Thus this program can assist the needy like teenagers
suffering from early stage pregnancies, or people who are homeless.