Chapter Study Shows that Clients, Social Workers and Agencies are "In Jeopardy"

In an NASW study on the impact of welfare reform on the lives of clients, social workers, and nonprofit agencies, primary investigator Mimi Abramovitz, Professor, Hunter College School of Social Work, documents how "welfare reform has forced agencies across the spectrum of the City's social service system into a range of debilitating changes and compromises."

The study reveals social workers' feelings of burnout and demoralization and documents their measurably higher rates of sick leave. An increase in staff turnover is another fall-out of welfare reform.

The study reports that social workers find that because they are compelled to put so much time and energy into securing benefits or moving clients into employment, they are prevented from pursuing a host of equally important goals for their clients, namely, helping them to secure steady work that pays well, reducing domestic violence, providing substance abuse treatment, addressing parenting skills, helping them to obtain educational credentials, or attain mental health.

"By increasing the economic insecurity of clients, complicating the responsibilities of workers and altering the priorities of agencies," the study concludes that, "welfare reform has placed the entire social service system in jeopardy."

The report, entitled In Jeopardy: The Impact of Welfare Reform on Nonprofit Human Service Agencies in New York City, was sponsored by the NYC Chapter National and funded by the United Way of New York City.

Utilizing in depth interviews with 107 staff from agencies across fields of practice; the sample included organizations in the areas of health, mental health, housing, employment, education, and throughout the five boroughs. The study provides a vivid depiction of how welfare reform has reduced the economic and social security of clients and how staff have had to manage with the huge job of helping thousands of clients cope with the loss of benefits, welfare's severe penalties, and its strict work requirements.

The study shows that social workers are forced to contend with ethical dilemmas and burnout. Welfare reform has caused agencies to cut or reconfigure programs, scale back service goals, and alter core priorities.

Social workers recounted their frustration and described struggling with time consuming demands of helping clients cope with welfare reform's new procedures and mandates.

The publication of this report could not be timelier. In December, 2001, the first group of New Yorkers reached their lifetime limits for receiving cash assistance - a change in welfare policy brought about by the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, commonly known as welfare reform.

Dr. Abramovitz notes "Welfare reform replaced AFDC (Aid to Families With Dependent Children), the Federal cash assistance program that permitted single mothers to stay home to care for their children, with TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families), a state-operated cash assistance program designed to move mothers off the welfare rolls and into work. TANF placed a five-year, once-in-a-lifetime limit on families' public assistance eligibility; made work or work experience a condition for most aid; limited access to education, job training and social services - regardless of the relevance of these supports to individuals' ability to earn a living wage; and ended welfare eligibility for many non-citizens."

For the nation's poor, time is of the essence. On September 30th, 2002, Congress will consider whether to reauthorize - or change, TANF. The report emphasizes "this is clearly the moment for clients, providers, and advocates to galvanize their forces to create policies and services that offer families a genuine path to security and independence."

One hundred seventy service providers, advocates, and public officials attended a recent meeting hosted by the United Way to discuss the findings and implications of In Jeopardy. Panelists Melissa Aase, Project Home and Suzy Edelstein, United Neighborhood House, gave passionate testimony highlighting the frustrating experiences that their respective organizations have had trying to help clients cope with welfare reform. They described the harsh toll of poverty; families and seniors are going hungry and children are being asked to save their lunchtime fruit and juice to supplement their meager dinner. Numerous students who received cash benefits have had to drop out of college to go into the WEP (Work Experience Program).

Ellen Cooper, representing the NYC Human Resources Administration, provided a valuable opportunity to learn about the vision of the new HRA Commissioner, Ms. Verna Eggleston. Ms. Cooper reported that the new Commissioner is committed to making HRA a more compassionate organization that serves the public with dignity.

In her closing remarks, Lillian Barrios-Paoli, Senior Vice President, United Way, urged the packed audience to advocate for change in a productive manner. Blaming those for what they cannot control is a waste of time, said Ms. Paoli. Instead, work with the Commissioner and give her time to implement initiatives.

In Jeopardy outlines actions steps that can be engaged upon at the agency, city, state, and federal level. NASW's recommendations for welfare reform can be found on the web at www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/positions/.

To review and order a copy of In Jeopardy: The Impact of welfare Reform on Non-Profit Human Services in New York City, please go to the United Way website at www.uwnyc.org