A Path from Welfare to Self-Sufficiency

By Randy Hicks and Eric Cochling
Originally published on February 19, 2025, in Governing

Most state legislatures are in session right now. And while AI, education, housing and taxes will dominate headlines, policymakers should not overlook the importance of welfare reform. In particular, they should look for ways to help recipients move out of poverty so they can thrive on their own.

Accomplishing that would go a long way toward getting the costs of welfare under control. Social services programs, including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are a primary driver of expanding state budgets. Welfare accounts for 45 percent of states’ direct general expenditures, the largest share of direct state spending.

In addition to the costs, the U.S. safety net system has grown increasingly complex. What started as just a handful of initiatives has evolved into a system of more than 80 programs, each with different goals, eligibility requirements and rules — a maze that is incredibly difficult for a policy wonk to navigate, let alone a recipient.

Costs and complexity are one thing if the system is truly helping people. But welfare does not well serve the low-income and marginalized communities it’s intended to help. While the safety net supports individuals so they can survive on a basic level, it does not move them out of poverty so they can flourish, thrive and reach their true potential. States should consider how to design their safety net systems so that they actually help Americans become permanently self-sufficient — and gain hope and dignity along the way.

Read the full article here.