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9. Welfare and Social Security Policy

Study

Chapter 9 examines poverty and the variety of programs that help individuals maintain their income levels, and it begins with an exploration of the variety of ways that policy analysts examine this important issue. The chapter then provides details on Social Security, one of a number of federal programs designed to help individuals maintain a minimal income level after retirement or if they are unable to continue working before they reach retirement age, with an emphasis on the potential problems the program will face in the future--especially its continued financial viability. The chapter then moves to a discussion of various welfare programs, focusing closely on the program currently administered under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWORA). This law was a major reform of the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Evaluation of welfare reform--and the problems such reform raises--is a major component of this chapter. The chapter concludes by asking how government will address larger, more persistent poverty problems given the gains made in reforming welfare programs.