HR173 HD1

WHEREAS, in 1937, the Aid to Dependent Children program was enacted as part of the Social Security Act to keep mothers at home to care for their children; and

WHEREAS, in 1996, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program was replaced by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; and

WHEREAS, however, the new program instituted two major policy changes: recipients could receive benefits for only five years and recipients were subject to work requirements; and

WHEREAS, by 2006, the number of individuals receiving public assistance had decreased by 60 percent to 4,400,000 across the country; and

WHEREAS, at the same time, child abuse and neglect cases in Hawaii have been reported to have increased 40 percent in the three years from 2000 to 2003; and

WHEREAS, when a recipient of TANF program benefits leaves the family to satisfy the program's work requirements, additional costs are incurred for child care; and

WHEREAS, program work requirements mean mothers are absent from the family, leading to family life that is subject to disruption and possible increases in demand for child welfare services; and

WHEREAS, work requirements may even discourage continued participation in the program and force mothers to exit the program early, before they are fully prepared to assume complete economic responsibility for their families; and

WHEREAS, it is unclear whether work requirements under the TANF program generate a net benefit over the resulting social and other costs; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that the University of Hawaii (UH) School of Social Work is requested to study the effects of the work requirements of the TANF program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UH School of Social Work is requested to include in its study of work requirements under the TANF program:

(1) An examination of any increases:

(A) To the cost of:

(i) Child welfare services for recipients as well as for all clients of such services;

(ii) Health care services for recipients as well as for all clients of such services; and

(iii) Other services,

correlating with or caused by work requirements;

(B) In homelessness among those subject to work requirements; and

(2) An examination of the rate at which recipients prematurely discontinue participation in the program;

(3) A survey of program participants for their views and input into program design regarding work requirements, including any additional services deemed necessary; and

(4) Any other issues deemed relevant by the UH School of Social Work study team;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Human Services is requested to cooperate fully with and provide assistance, data, and other information to the UH School of Social Work in its study; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UH School of Social Work is requested to provide an interim report to the Legislature on the progress of the study no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2009 and a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any necessary proposed legislation, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, the President of the University of Hawaii, the Dean of the University of Hawaii School of Social Work, the Director of Human Services, and the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Report Title:

TANF Work Requirements; Effects; UH School of Social Work Study

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	173
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII