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Monday, April 5, 2010

TANF Reform Needed

Honorable Senator Stabenow,

Below is a post done by Stan Rains along with a study concerning TANF that goes along with his comments. I would like to add to his comments that these studies show that assisting single mothers with federal welfare is very destructive to their ability to succeed as independent providers in the long run. The conclusion that the study comes up with that the federal welfare needs to continue along with addiction and or psychological treatment until the mother is capable of success on her own is truly misguided. If the mother is not willing to avail herself of state, federal, along with local programs to help her treat her issues within the 5 years then what makes them think that they are going to get help after 5 years? If we are to accept that the federal government needs to actually even have any welfare programs then I say that the TANF applicants need to be pre-screened for the drug/mental health issues PRIOR to receiving any checks. If they need treatment then they should be institutionalized at a private contracted facility until they are deemed able to care for themselves with their children being placed with family until they exit the program. A condition to get their children back is that they need to find employment unless there is a valid reason for them to not be able to work such as a physical disability or high unemployment. Finally TANF checks will only be sent out bi-monthly after the recipient passes their bi-monthly employment and drug tests.

Really these programs could be handled better at the state level ultimately the greatest success would be realized through community or family based programs with no government involvement except for maybe some kind of legal action showing that the mother is incapable of self care. If father involvement was actually truly championed by the state through child custody law reform then these mothers would have more of an opportunity to find employment with less stress of caring for the child but of course this is not even in the discussion is it?

Welfare destroys Women Recipients

Posted by: "Stan Rains" patriotdad2004@yahoo.com   patriotdad2004

Sun Apr 4, 2010 9:14 am (PDT)

Below is a bizarre article on the horrendous effects of welfare on women.  The data shows that welfare support of single mothers destroys women at rates in excess of 5 times that of non-welfare mothers in some categories.   
 
This article  finds at its conclusion, not that welfare should be limited even further, but that welfare needs to be expanded.   The argument is that the TANF imposed five year self-sufficiency deadline is too harsh and causing women to become drug addicts and mentally ill.
 
I believe the answer is closer to the observation that entitled individuals lose themselves, just as we have seen with so many wealthy young starlets who have little to contribute to society other than as eye candy.  The passing of their youth destroys them for they have built nothing inside of themselves.
 
Could it be that the reality of the the trap in which these women have been placed by feminist policy has rung their bell and that realization is overwhelming?
 
Below, in the article is some of the data set upon which the listed authors draw their conclusion that even more tax dollars are needed to support single mothers raising feral animal children (Review the prognosis of single mother children as drug addicts and other criminals).
 
Below the two articles I further address the stupidity of those jumping to an illogical conclusion.
 
Feminist thought propoganda has invaded even those we would hold to be more learned than the general public.   But then, the Global Warming scam shows how academia can be bought, cheaply.
 
Stan Rains
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Untreated Psychiatric And Substance Abuse Disorders Common Among Single Mothers Receiving Welfare Assistance
Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 03 Mar 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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Urban single mothers nearing the end of their welfare eligibility appear more likely to have substance use and psychiatric disorders than women in the general population, and often do not receive treatment, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

In 1996, U.S. welfare reform legislation created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, according to background information in the article. Unlike previous programs, TANF imposed a five-year limit on financial support for families with children younger than age 18. The new regulations also involved stricter requirements for employment and work-related activities. "These changes were intended to enhance self-sufficiency and reduce long-term reliance on public income support," the authors write.

Concerns about the new legislation have emerged from findings regarding the mental health vulnerabilities of low-income families headed by women. Judith A. Cook, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues surveyed 333 urban single mothers in the final 24 months of their eligibility for TANF, part of a random sample of 1,000 women selected by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Participants were all "work eligible," meaning they had not been exempted from employment requirements by factors such as pregnancy, substance use treatment or disability. Between 2003 and 2004, in-person interviews were conducted to detect psychiatric and substance use disorders and assess whether women with these conditions received treatment.

A total of 61 percent of the women had a psychiatric or substance use disorder during their lifetime and 46.8 percent had at least one disorder in the 12 months preceding the interview. Psychiatric disorders-the most common being anxiety and mood disorders-affected 53.2 percent of the women over their lifetime and 44.1 within the previous 12-months. A total of 29.1 percent had lifetime substance use disorders and 9 percent had substance use disorders within the previous 12 months.

These rates are significantly higher than those of U.S. women in the general population, the authors note. For example, depression in the previous 12 months was more than twice as common in the study sample as in a recent national study of women in the general population (17.4 percent vs. 8.6 percent), prevalence of anxiety disorders was 60 percent higher (39 percent vs. 23.4 percent), drug abuse estimates were five times higher (5.4 percent vs. 0.7 percent) and alcohol abuse and dependence estimates were almost three times higher (5.1 percent vs. 1.8 percent). In addition, 21.3 percent of the participants on TANF had both substance use and other mental health disorders over their lifetime, including 6.3 percent in the previous 12 months.

"These results confirm what has long been suspected on the basis of earlier research, namely, mothers of young children remaining on TANF near the end of their lifetime eligibility face significant behavioral health challenges within the context of poverty, single parenthood and low human capital in the way of formal education and job skills," the authors write.

"Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population, many remain untreated," they continue. Only 21.7 percent of those with psychiatric disorders in the previous 12 months received treatment, whereas 41.4 percent of those with 12-month substance abuse disorders received treatment. "The consequences of terminating welfare assistance are worthy of further investigation, given the potential for adverse effects on both mothers and their young children."

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66[3]:249-258.
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/66/3/249 
 

Prevalence of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders Among Single Mothers Nearing Lifetime Welfare Eligibility Limits
Judith A. Cook, PhD ; Lynne O. Mock, PhD ; Jessica A. Jonikas, MA ; Jane K. Burke-Miller, PhD ; Tina M. Carter, BA ; Amanda Taylor, MA ; Carol A. Petersen, MEd ; Dennis D. Grey, BA ; David Gruenenfelder, MA

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(3):249-258.
Context  In the 1990s, US welfare reform legislation imposed a 5-year lifetime limit on financial support for low-income families with young children (younger than 18 years). With increasing numbers of single mothers and their children reaching the end of their welfare eligibility, there is concern about potentially high rates of untreated psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population.
Objective  To determine the prevalence, correlates, and likelihood of treatment for mental and substance use disorders in a population of urban single mothers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Design  In-person diagnostic assessments were conducted from November 1, 2003, to October 31, 2004.
Setting  Cook County, Illinois.
Participants  Female TANF recipients and residents of Cook County (N = 333) who were randomly sampled during the final 24 months of their eligibility for TANF.
Main Outcome Measure  Prevalence rates of DSM-IV mental and substance use disorders using the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
Results  Lifetime prevalence of Composite International Diagnostic Interview disorders was 61.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.7%-66.3%); 12-month prevalence was 46.8% (41.5%-52.2%). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders was 53.2% (95% CI, 47.8%-58.5%); 12-month prevalence was 44.1% (38.8%-49.5%). Lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders was 29.1% (95% CI, 23.9%-33.8%); 12-month prevalence was 9.0% (6.8%-12.0%). Lifetime prevalence of comorbid mental/substance use disorders was 21.3% (95% CI, 16.9%-25.7%); 12-month prevalence was 6.3% (3.7%-8.9%). Only 21.7% (95% CI, 14.8%-28.5%) of participants with 12-month mental disorders received treatment for mental disorders; 41.4% (22.3%-60.4%) of participants with 12-month substance abuse disorders received treatment for substance use disorders.
Conclusions  Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in this population, many remain untreated. The consequences of terminating welfare assistance are worthy of further investigation, given the potential for adverse effects on both mothers and their young children.

Author Affiliations: Department of Psychiatry (Drs Cook and Burke-Miller, Mss Jonikas and Carter, and Mr Grey) and The Wellness Center (Ms Petersen), University of Illinois at Chicago, and Research Department, Community Mental Health Council (Dr Mock), Chicago, Illinois; Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis (Ms Taylor); and Institute for Legal and Policy Studies, University of Illinois at Springfield (Mr Gruenenfelder).
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Comment posted on the first article (Subject to the authors editing):
 
The absence of any consideration that the very act of providing an irresponsible woman (single or otherwise) with a full range of necessities is a luxury that are not only undeserving and unearned IS the creation of this plethora of problems for these women from mental illness to drug abuse.
 
An article several years back in the Laredo, Texas newspaper stated the violent drug lords are dependent on the money paid to welfare moms and the other social services that can be converted to cash or traded for drugs.
The existence and continuation of TANF and other such human destruction programs are the cause of greater human tragedy than the supposed reasons for their creations were in the first place.
 
How ignorant can such a group of supposedly intelligent individuals be as the authors of the base study show themselves.  I guess the names signing off on the original study with conclusion speaks to that very clearly.

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

 

 

Darrick Scott-Farnsworth

Executive Director www.AChildsRight.net www.daddyblogger.com 

Cell 269 209-7144 or Nextel DC ID 130*112*19287

True Conservative: Pro-Life, Liberty and Property

 

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