Governors Want Treatment in Welfare-to-Work Laws March 5, 2002
News Summary
During the winter meeting of the National Governors Association, the nation's governors urged the U.S. Congress to expand the definition of "work activity" under the 1996 welfare law to include addiction treatment, the New York Times reported Feb. 25.The "Welfare-to-Work" law beefed up work requirements for welfare recipients, but governors want to allow people in addiction treatment programs to continue to be able to get welfare benefits even if they are not working.
In a draft policy statement, the NGA members said, "The focus on work should remain paramount," but that U.S. states should be able to expand the definition of "work activity" to include job training and education, as well as treatment for alcohol and other drugs.
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