Welfare Reform"The United States Congress kicked off nationwide welfare reform last October with the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, heralding a new era in which welfare recipients are required to look for work as a condition of benefits." http://www.detnews.com/1997/newsx/welfare/rules/rules.htm. Originally, the welfare system was created to help poor men, women and children in need of financial and medical assistance. Over the years, welfare has become a way of life for its beneficiaries and has created a culture of dependency. The government is currently reforming the welfare system. The goal of the welfare reform system was to get people out of the welfare system and into the job market. The hope was to move people from dependency to self-sufficiency. This new system was called workfare. There was opposition to the new welfare reform system. Some believe that “participation in a welfare-to-work program could create new problems for children by adding strains to family life or exposing children to substandard substitute care arrangements for policies that design welfare-to-work programs that pursue the dual objective of economic self-sufficiency of families and healthy development of children". http://www.cyfernet.org/welfare/roleextprog/current.html."Welfare policies aimed at improving the family situation of both children and parents must not make the mistake of focusing exclusively on parents; if the intention is to improve the immediate and long-term development of both generations within the family unit, then policies must distinguish between young people and their parents." http://www.cyfernet.org/welfare/roleextprog/four_themes.html. .. middle of paper ......d other factors that contribute to public opinion. [ONLINE] Available: http://excellent.com.utk.edu/`mmmiller/jpr525.thompson.html [1996, Fall] Giving Credit Where Credit is Due: A New Approach to Welfare Financing. [ONLINE] Available: http://www.beaconhill.org/BHIStudies/TaxCredit.htm [1995, December]Helping welfare recipients stay employed. [ONLINE] Available: http://www.nga.org/Welfare/EmploymentRetentionEmployed.htmServing welfare recipients with learning disabilities in a priority work environment. [ONLINE] Available: http://www.nga.org/Pubs/IssueBriefs/1998/9807281Learning.asp [1998, July 28] Welfare and its workforce reform [ONLINE] Available: http://www.maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/eres/docs/eres/POLSC111_SHERRILL-TIEN/PoliSci%20Web3/13/00)ject.htmWelfare Reform: Myth vs. Fact [ONLINE] Available:http:// www.urban.org/news/events/npc/myth/htm.