Achieving Independence for Montanans (AIM) : final report of the Governor's Welfare Reform Advisory Council

76 Pages·1994·2.7 MB·English

by  Montana. Welfare Reform Advisory Council, author

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Montana State Library
3 0864 1006 9047 1
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MONTANA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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Final Report of the Governor's Welfare
Reform Advisory Council
ACHIEVING INDEPENDENCE
FOR MONTANANS (AIM)
January 1994

DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND REHABILITATION SERVICES
MARC RACICOT PETER S. BLOUKE, PhD
GOVERNOR DIRECTOR
STATE OF MONTANA
P.O. BOX 42X0
HELENA, MONTANA S9604-4210
January 25, 1994 [phone]
FAX [phone]
Governor Marc Racicot
Room 204, State Capitol
Helena, MT 59620
Dear Governor Racicot:
It is my pleasure to transmit herewith the final report of the
Governor's Welfare Reform Advisory Council. This Council was
created by your Executive Order No. 12-93. The Council
benefitted from presentations and comments from numerous
groups and individuals.
Consistent with your mandate, the Council has reviewed the
current federal welfare system and found it to be overly
bureaucratic and confusing. In place of the current array of
complex policies that implement federal requirements, the
Council proposes a series of sweeping recommendations for
reform. In aggregate, these reforms would enable the state to
take charge of these programs and:
• establish a Job Supplement Program consisting of a
limited set of benefits designed to divert
Montanans at risk of becoming dependent upon
welfare;
• recreate the culture of the welfare office by (1)
changing from a "check issuance" orientation to a
system that consistently reinforces participant
self-sufficiency, and (2) simplifying policies
governing the Aid to Families with Dependent
Children (AFDC) and Food Stamps programs;
• make AFDC a transitional program by creating a two-
year time limit for single-parent families and an
18-month time limit for two-parent families in
addition to making those benefits contingent upon
the applicant entering into a "Family Investment
Contract" with the State; and
• require adults who are not able to become self-
sufficient within the term of the Family Investment
Contract to provide 20 hours of community service
per week in return for their grant.
"Working Together To Empower Montanans"
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Governor Marc Racicot
January 25, 1994
Page 2
We are particularly pleased to report that we anticipate that
our recommendations will be "cost-neutral". Although there
will be some start-up costs associated with implementing the
changes desired, we expect these costs to be offset by savings
to be achieved over five to seven years. Over the longer
term, we expect that our recommendations will result in a set
of policies that both cost less and better serve the people of
Montana.
We appreciate the opportunity to have been of service in
tackling the problems associated with welfare. We look
forward to the opportunity to provide such additional
assistance as may be required to help make this vision a
reality.
Sincerely,
Director
Enclosure
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ACHIEVING INDEPENDENCE FOR MONTANANS (AIM)
Montanans are proud of their traditions and values. These traditions include a love of
family, recognizing the value of self-sufficiency, and caring for people in need. At the same
time, there is widespread and growing frustration, in Montana and across the country, with
increasingly expensive governmental welfare programs that appear to be working at cross¬
purposes to these values.
In keeping with these values, Montanans have come to realize that overhaul of the
federal welfare system in Montana is long-overdue. We need to both "end welfare as we
know it" and put in its place a program that promotes participant self-sufficiency and
responsibility by strengthening supports and incentives for family stability, gainful
employment, and productive community service.
MANDATE FOR REFORM
The perspective of Montanans on the need for welfare reform is reflected in the
Executive Order creating the Governor’s Welfare Reform Advisory Council.- The
Executive Order cited, among other deficiencies, a Federal welfare system that "has become
inefficient, organizationally fragmented and bureaucratically entrenched" and "fails to foster
fundamental American values relating to work, family, individual responsibility and self
sufficiency."
In order to deal with these deficiencies, Governor Marc Racicot’s Executive Order,
mandated the Director of the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services to appoint 23
members of the Council who would serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Consistent with
this directive, the Council’s membership represents a bi-partisan cross-section of Montanans
interested in welfare reform. Council membership includes county human service directors,
county commissioners, State legislators, State officials, human resource development
1/ A copy of Executive Order No. 12-93, issued July 23, 1993, appears as Appendix A to this report.
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