Missouri's Welfare Reform Plan: Overview

The title of Missouri's welfare reform program is the Temporary Assistance (TA) program. TA includes many programs, all aimed at a comprehensive effort to build a strong family and work system by emphasizing responsibility and accountability. The program addresses what the state of Missouri has identified as the fundamental causes of welfare dependency:

• Lack of family support;
• Lack of job skills and work habits; and
• Intergenerational cycle of welfare reliance.

• Prevent Dependency programs include:
  
  
  • Pre-Kindergarten Program -- no goals specifically created as a result of welfare reform;
  • Early Childhood Care and Education -- no goals specifically created as a result of welfare reform;
  • Educare -- adult education and training program for child care workers. Aimed primarily at family and childcare providers.
  • Caring Communities - citizen-driven, school-based and school- linked services.
  • Quest -- available in some Missouri counties; a program for school aged children whose parents are on cash assistance. Emphasis on personal skills building.
  
  
  
• Reduce Dependency programs include:
  
  
  • FUTURES -- has evolved into a case management system for the truly hard to serve. Households receiving TANF grants must sign and meet requirements. State of Missouri defines compliance.
  • Parent's Fair Share -- child support enforcement program.
  • Self-Sufficiency Pacts -- a component of LINC's use of Work First and FUTURES programs. Participation in pacts is mandatory for receiving cash assistance.
  • Child Support Services/Paternity Establishment -- a requirement for receiving cash assistance.
  • Medicaid Waiver Expansion (CHIPS) - extended in Missouri to cover families earning up to 300 percent of federal poverty guidelines. For families between 225 and 300 percent, there are premiums and co-pays set to comparable premiums and co-pays of State of Missouri employees (on average).
  
  
  
• End Dependency programs in Jackson County include:
  
  
  • Wage Supplementation -- programs supplementing salaries, particularly for newly created positions for employees who leave TANF assistance.
  • 21st Century Communities program -- for Jackson County only; open to certain zip codes (percent of population in need), guarantees fully paid child care, provides for other training and materials needs (vouchers for transportation, appropriate work wardrobe, hard and soft training). Program lasts for 48 months.
  • 12-Month Wage Supplementation -- available statewide. Provides childcare based on a sliding fee scale, job training and other materials needs.
  • Direct Job Placement (Work First) -- practice of directing all able-bodied cash assistance applicants into a job search while their cash assistance application is pending approval.
  • One-Stop Service Centers -- the Full Employment Council (the Jackson County Private Industry Council), as well as a number of other PICs and some counties, have implemented the "one-stop shop" model to enable clients to address issues and receive assistance at one centralized location.

Work Participation Rates for All Families:


• FY 1997 -- 25%
• FY 1998 -- 30%
• FY 1999 -- 35%
• FY 2000 -- 40%
• FY 2001 -- 45%
• FY 2002 and beyond -- 50%


Work Participation Rates for Two-Parent Families:


• FY 1997 -- 75%
• FY 1998 -- 75%
• FY 1999 and beyond -- 90%