Welfare Reform

            Welfare is a government program that provides money, medical care, .
             food, housing, and other things that people need in order to survive. People .
             who can receive help from these welfare programs are children, elders, .
             disabled, and others who cannot support their families on their current .
             income. Another name for welfare is public assistance. .
             There are many organizations that supply this public assistance. Such .
             as Salvation Army and other groups. Public assistance benefits help many .
             people who live below the poverty line, an income level is established for .
             families. If your income is below this you would be eligible to receive this .
             help. .
             Welfare in the United States .
             Federal and state governments in the Unites States serve the poor .
             people through about 60 public assistance programs. Most people receive .
             help through one of the four major programs. These programs are Medicaid, .
             Aid to families with dependant Children, Social Security, or Supplemental .
             Security, or the food stamps program. I will discuss the four programs .
             individually. .
             Medicaid provides free medical care to the poor people. Funds vary .
             from state to state. In some situations, people who may be able to pay daily .
             needs, but can't afford large medical bills may also be able to receive .
             Medicaid. Some services paid for are bills such as doctor's visits and nursing .
             home care. Most Medicaid funding comes from the federal government. .
             The rest is supplied by the state. Each state runs their own Medicaid .
             program. .
             A.F.D.C. provides cash benefits to dependent children and the parents .
             or the guardians taking care of them. Most families that qualify for A.F.D.C. .
             have just one parent in the home. About 80 percent of these families are .
             headed by a woman. A.F.D.C. also pays benefits to two-parent families if .
             both parents are unemployed. Most A.F.D.C. funding comes from the .
             federal government. The states provide the rest of the money and administer .
             the program. The sizes of families' payment vary from state to state.