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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) , heralded as welfare reform during the Clinton administration, comes up before Congress next year for reauthorization.
Whether the program, which was purportedly intended to assist the needy while gradually moving them off assistance and into the workplace, will continue as presently constructed or morph into something else remains to be seen. But for those who fear being pushed out of the program during an economic downturn without an immediate end in sight, whether there's an extension on the horizon or a change in benefits, it feels a lot like walking a tightrope over a fraying net.
Under TANF, states are given grants for assistance and allowed to determine how to disburse the money. Most states offer basic aid, such as housing assistance, health care, direct cash payments, food stamps, child care assistance and unemployment, but are free to determine how much and to whom.
