HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

RESOLUTION CALLING FOR INCREASED COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNORS AND MAYORS ON WELFARE REFORM

WHEREAS, the Congress passed and President signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) which dramatically altered the welfare system of this country; and

WHEREAS, PRWORA assigns governors the lead responsibility for developing and implementing the state's welfare reform plan; and

WHEREAS, successful welfare reform will depend on forging new partnerships and the development of creative community responses that promote success at work, change welfare offices to job centers, maintain critical financial investments, and reach all needy families; and

WHEREAS, the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) rules provide enormous flexibility in designing programs, foster involvement of additional parties in the delivery of services and facilitate the movement of families from welfare to work; and

WHEREAS, initial reports on implementation indicate that job access, workplace skills, child care and transportation are among the most common barriers to achieving self-sufficiency; and

WHEREAS, PRWORA gives state and local governments critical responsibility for ensuring that recipients find jobs, achieve success in the work force, and locate affordable child care and transportation; and

WHEREAS, state policies on child care, time limits, work requirements, work supports, immigrant eligibility, program financing, and devolution have significant impacts on communities and the demand for city services; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors appointed a Task Force on Welfare Reform Implementation to closely examine the barriers to successful implementation of PRWORA, and to identify where possible successful models of collaboration on PRWORA implementation; and

WHEREAS, among the models for successful collaboration between state and local governments is the Seattle/King County Coordinated Funders’ Group (CFG), whose commitment is to produce the most successful outcomes for individuals, families, and employers through the most effective use of public and private funds; and

WHEREAS, in its work the CFG has set goals to provide to its consumers access to child care, housing and transportation, meaningful job training, and efficient service delivery to consumers through a series of interventions, so as to ensure fully the long-term success of individuals and families,

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on the nation’s governors to develop a Joint Task Force on Welfare Reform Implementation to monitor the effects of welfare reform on local communities, children and families and to work on solutions to address any critical issues that arise; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls upon the nation’s governors to recognize the differential impact that welfare reform efforts may have on urban areas.