Abstract
In 1996 welfare reform ushered in a new era in which cash assistance for poor parents became both temporary and conditional on activities to promote economic independence through work. Cash assistance from TANF relieves, but does not eliminate, poverty because benefit levels are far too low to lift families above the poverty threshold. These ameliorative effects are weaker in rural than urban areas. Over time, the positive impacts of TANF receipt have continued to decline. The authors assert that the necessity of re-authorizing TANF gives us an opportunity to reflect on its strengths and limitations.
Publication Date
9-20-2011
Series
Policy Brief No. 19
Publisher
Durham, N.H. : Carsey Institute, University of New Hampshire
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Jensen, Leif; Mattingly, Marybeth J.; and Bean, Jessica A., "TANF in rural America: informing re-authorization" (2011). The Carsey School of Public Policy at the Scholars' Repository. 146.
https://scholars.unh.edu/carsey/146
Rights
Copyright 2011. The Carsey Institute. These materials may be used for the purposes of research, teaching, and private study. For all other uses, contact the copyright holder.
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.34051/p/2020.146