CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE
104th Congress (1996)
WELFARE REFORM (9/18/96)
Legislation to reform the country's welfare system, formally
known as the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996," was recently signed into law by
President Clinton. The law does not include any alcohol or
other drug treatment provisions or requirements for
beneficiaries.
BACKGROUND:
The welfare reform law is comprehensive legislation that ends
entitlements and sets up block grant programs that give states
wide latitude in providing assistance to needy families.
States will be required to develop a plan on how they will
spend the block grant and submit that plan to the federal
government for approval. Even though substance abuse treatment was not specifically covered in the law, states will be able to include treatment requirements for benefit recipients if they chose to.
There is ample evidence that treatment plays a positive role in getting people off welfare and into jobs. The National
Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) issued a report in August that concludes "the evidence from across the country is clear: treatment for alcohol and other drug problems is a critical component of welfare reform efforts and is a successful strategy to end welfare dependency and to increase employment-related outcomes." The report Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment: Policy Choices in Welfare Reform has been sent to all state substance abuse directors and is available from NASADAD for your use as well. If you are interested in obtaining a copy for $10, please call NASADAD at 202/783-6868.
At least two states are already incorporating drug testing into their welfare plans. A county in Florida is requiring individuals to pass a drug test before given social services (apparently without offering access to treatment if needed). South Carolina appears to be the first state to require drug testing with treatment made available to those who need it. Social service benefits would continue as long as an individual remains in treatment.
The law takes affect on July 1, 1997.
If you have further questions about this legislation, please contact our Public Policy Office via e-mail: publicpolicy@ncadd.org.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1) Become involved in the process of developing your state's new welfare plan as soon as possible.
** Contact your state's alcohol and drug abuse director, welfare commissioner, governor and your state legislators. ALL of these people will be involved with developing your state's welfare plan, and it is imperative that they have the information they need to include treatment as an integral part of the plan.