Assignment: Social Policy
In this exercise, students will explore differences in TANF program benefits and rules across the states. Compare figures for your state with another state (of your choosing), and to the nation as a whole. Using the following links to maps and tables, please fill in the attached table with the indicated numbers.
Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: 50 State Comparisons - TANF: State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs Do Not Provide Adequate Safety Net for Poor Families- 50-state information on TANF benefits, spending, and TANF-to-Poverty ratios*.
Congressional Research Service: TANF State programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State TANF Cash Assistance Programs by Gene Falk
• Describe the differences in TANF programs between these two states and the national numbers. Make sure to explain what these numbers mean (e.g. TANF to poverty ratio is the percent of poor families that receive TANF).
• What do these figures suggest about differences in the generosity of TANF across these states?
• How do you think these differences might affect the lives of two identical poor families living in these two states?
• What values, ideologies, or perspectives (individualist vs. collectivist) do these differences between the states reflect? Please explain.
• Reflecting on what you have learned about the TANF program, what policy changes would you advocate for?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.