Welfare Law Not Fulfilling Potential for Change, Study Says

By Deborah L. Cohen

The landmark federal welfare law enacted in 1988 has not fulfilled its potential to fundamentally redefine the mission of the welfare system, but it is prompting states to place more emphasis on meeting the educational needs of welfare clients, a study concludes.

The 10-state study, led by researchers at the Nelson A. Rockeller Institute of Government at the State University of New York at Albany and released at a Congressional hearing last week, is said to be the most comprehensive examination of the program's implementation across several states.

A critical goal of the Family Support Act's Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program, the report points out, was to shift the focus of state welfare systems to move aid recipients toward self-sufficiency and to stress the "mutual obligation'' of...