彼らはどこへ行ったのか? : 福祉改革1年後のウィスコンシン

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One year has passed since the enactment of Wisconsin Works (W-2), which is among the most aggressive of current efforts to "end welfare as we know it," namely to reduce the number of the caseloads by replacing cash assistance with a work-required welfare program. Spurred by the federal decision to terminate the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, and the start of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, state governments are exploring a wide variety of reforms. They compete with each other in accomplishing their goal; to promote economic independence of recipients through encouraging them to work (or discouraging them not to apply for the assistance). This paper examines the impact of the W-2, focusing on the reasons why so many families left welfare and why so many children withdrew from the child-care program in Wisconsin. Through research in Wisconsin, it was found that, the "abysmal" implementation of the W-2 program, not the program itself, was largely responsible for the plunge of the caseloads in the state. Premature privatization of welfare programs under the W-2 causes a variety of problems among applicants and recipients. In spite of the projected efficiency from privatization, people's distrust in caseworkers has been growing, and their impersonal attitudes are sometimes discouraging enough for people not to visit the office again. Subsidized child-care, which is a crucial support service to many working families, does not work well because of poor placement practices by agencies, leaving many working mothers with no one to take care of their children. Adding to this is a parental co-payment component for child-care under the W-2, a tough requirement for minor parents to meet. Also, there is a concern about the increase of an uninsured population who falsely believe that they are not eligible for the Medicaid because of the changes to the system. All these hassles, however, prompt many recipients to leave the rolls and find work on their own. Quite ironically, the W-2 functions well for them. Although there are many trials and errors in the initial stages of the W-2 implementation, the welfare-to-work program is widely supported by the general public as a tool to cut the "vicious cycle" of perennial welfare dependency. This paper draws attention to the changes in the welfare culture in the United States, referring to a "happy" marriage of American liberalism and new paternalism. The Wisconsin government promises to review the law and take necessary measures to rectify inconveniences. We have to wait and see before we call the W-2 a success or a failure, but the central idea of "assistance in exchange of work" will remain as basic tenet of welfare reform in Wisconsin, as well as in the other parts of the United States.
北翔大学の論文

彼らはどこへ行ったのか? : 福祉改革1年後のウィスコンシン

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