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Making Welfare to Work Really Work Table of Contents Preface Introduction Welfare Is Not the Problem-Poverty Is the Problem Psychology has a critical role to play in the reform of welfare "Human capital" versus "work first" Misperceptions About Welfare Recipients Myths and Facts About Welfare Myth: Poverty Results From a Lack of Responsibility Fact: Poverty Results From Low Wages Myth: A Huge Chunk of My Tax Dollars Supports Welfare Recipients Fact: Welfare Costs 1 Percent of the Federal Budget Myth: People on Welfare Become Permanently Dependent on the Support Fact: Movement off Welfare Rolls Is Frequent Myth: Most Welfare Recipients Are African American Women Fact: Most Welfare Recipients Are Children-Most Women on Welfare Are White Myth: Welfare Encourages Out-of-Wedlock Births and Large Families Fact: The Average Welfare Family Is No Bigger Than the Average Nonwelfare Family Myth: Welfare Families Use Their Benefits to Fund Extravagance Fact: Welfare Families Live Far Below the Poverty Line Recommendations Domestic Violence Poor Women Are Often Battered Women Violence Is an Obstacle to Work Recommendations Education and Training The Double Message About Education Access to Postsecondary Education Changes Lives Special programs can greatly help women on public assistance succeed in postsecondary programs Empowering poor women through higher education not only improves their income and job prospects, but also positively affects their children Low educational goals and low academic achievement are also positively associated with early initiation of sexual activity at a younger age, among both African American and White adolescents Job Training Recommendations Work Structure and Benefits Recommendations Child Care Recommendations Health Care Mental and Physical Health of Poor Women Recommendations Alcohol and Substance Abuse Recommendations Health Insurance Is Critical As one might expect, women and children without medical insurance are less likely to receive medical care Managed care brings risks as well as benefits to poor women Recommendations Program Intervention and Delivery Successful Programs Are Mission Driven Yet Flexible Successful Programs Are Also Community Focused and Involve Collaboration Successful Programs View Their Clients as Individuals Who Are Part of a Larger Social Context Successful Programs Allow Their Staffs to Establish Trusting, Personal Relationships With Clients and Maintain Appropriate Boundaries Successful Programs Are Well Managed and Funded Welfare Reform Can Succeed-Final Thoughts References