In this paper, we are going to be studying welfare reform in the state of Illinois. This will be accomplished by focusing on: relevant legislation, research questions, the hypothesis and examining the scope of the problem. Together, these different elements will offer specific insights as to the current challenges and their long term impact.
¶ … Welfare Reform
From welfare to Recovery: Unemployment & Public Policy in Illinois .
List any law, policy, legislation or court case that make have applied in Illinois
In the case of welfare to recovery in Illinois the most relevant law that has been applied is the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PWORA). This is focused on reducing the total number of people who are actively enrolled in different welfare and public assistance related programs. At the heart of these changes, are to have parents take greater responsibilities for their lives and those of family members. This means requiring recipients to show that they are actively seeking out some kind of long-term employment. The basic idea is that this will reduce the number of people who are enrolled in the program over longer periods of time. (Lewis, 2004)
To prevent these abuses, the PWORA forced everyone to show how they are seeking out some kind of long-term training to support themselves. This means that they must be looking for gainful employment and obtaining skills to become self-reliant. The way that this impacted Illinois residents is it fundamentally changed the state's welfare program. This resulted in officials requiring recipients to show that they are employed, looking for work or receiving specialized training. When this happened, there were greater amounts of personal accountability. Yet, some people were forced out of the program and are now enduring more hardships. This is because they are having trouble finding work from the sluggish economy and are underemployed. As a result, the law has changed the way unemployment and welfare policy is determined by state officials. (Lewis, 2004) (Maidenburg, 2011)
Research Question
To focus on the effectiveness of model used by the state of Illinois requires studying specific objectives. This will be accomplished by answering key research questions and supporting or refuting the hypothesis that is introduced.
What is the central question you will try to answer by conducting research on this problem?
The central question that will be answered is:
What is the long-term impact of the PWORA on stakeholders?
This will help to provide a foundation for conducting the research.
What is your hypothesis to this question?
The basic hypothesis to the research question is:
The changes to Illinois' welfare program have created more hardships among those demographics who are on the fringes of society and within the working class. At the same time, it has allowed public officials to show how they have reduced spending and improved the effectiveness of the program. This creates the belief that real changes have occurred. When in reality, the number of people living below the poverty line has increased. The only difference is they have been transferred out of the program and rely on charities / other organizations to survive. The long-term results are that lower income and working class families are suffering more from these transformations. ("Illinois Economic Outlook," 2012) (Clary, 2012)
Once this theory has been supported or refuted, is the point that actuaries can begin to show how the PWORA is impacting stakeholders. ("Illinois Economic Outlook," 2012) (Clary, 2012) ("Illinois," 2013)
Statement of the Problem
Describe the nature of the problem / policy
The state of Illinois is facing a dilemma with the stagnant economy adversely affecting the unemployed. Many have been turning to welfare and other programs for assistance. However, the changes introduced in the last 15 years are creating hardships for a number of working class families. This is resulting in an estimated 35% not receiving the help they need to deal with everyday challenges. ("Illinois Economic Outlook," 2012) (Clary, 2012) ("Illinois," 2013)
How long has this problem existed?
The problem has existed for the last six years. This is when the economy slowed and unemployment began to rise sharply starting in 2007. ("Illinois Economic Outlook," 2012) (Clary, 2012) ("Illinois," 2013)
Provide a historical overview
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