Public benefit programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and refundable tax credits like the Child Tax Credit provide critical supports to help people meet their basic needs, but too often, individuals and families are…
This brief, part of the TANF 101 series, describes the work participation rate which services as the only measure of performance states under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
The U.S. core benefit programs are operated with substantial federal funding and oversight, but with extensive variation at the local level. As a result, there is a significant difference in the experience of a low-income person seeking assistance depending on where they live.
As federal policymakers develop legislation under the American Jobs Plan, they must build a subsidized jobs program grounded in equity so it can fully support workers, employers, and families who confront the steepest barriers to employment and economic opportunity.
Any discussion about strengthening Medicaid should build on this current successful foundation rather than threatening states' financial stability—and patients' health and well-being—with drastic changes to the program's financing and structure.