What You Need To Know About The Welfare to Work Program

Welfare to work was one of the programs that was established in the United States, to address some of the problems affecting the welfare system. This welfare program focused on introducing individuals who rely on welfare back into the working class. The Welfare to work program is no longer operating in the United States. It ended in September of 2004 and was controversial throughout its existence.

One complication with the United States welfare program is that funds available for social security benefits are continually depleting. This is becoming a more extensive problem as the baby boomer generation continues to age. One widespread concern is that soon, the elderly population and the population of individuals with no income, will out number the working class population, and therefore, the social welfare program will not be adequate to support these individuals.

The welfare to work program was created to help limit the strain on the social welfare program in the United States. The primary goal of this program was to slowly wean single parents from their dependence on welfare programs and encouraging them to seek employments. In order to achieve this, the program sought to provide some necessities to these individuals, so that they could feasibly return to work. For example, the federal government provided states with the funds necessary to offer child care, transportation, training, and treatment for substance abuse, to individuals who rely on welfare.

The belief was that if individuals had access to these services, they would be more inclined to return to work, and therefore, through income taxes, provide the government with the finances necessary to replenish the social welfare funds.