Welfare Reform Generates An Array Of Opinions
Lorrene Hughes of Spokane has never been on public assistance. Jocelyn Silva of Pullman has.
But they agree that welfare reform should deal with low-income mothers’ need for skills and resources such as day care.
“It would be very logical,” said Hughes, “for women that need affordable day care - and a lot of these are unskilled women who make minimum wage and are not going to make any money after paying day care - to have some kind of a county-operated day-care center where they can work and earn not only free day-care time but also schooling to increase their skills.”
Silva believes a system should expect welfare parents to work more as their children age and as their abilities allow - but should encourage them to obtain more schooling as a path to self-sufficiency.
“For any welfare reform,” she said, “there should be people on assistance involved in the process in order for those making the changes to hear adequate feedback.”
Teenage mothers from abusive settings should live in group homes where they could learn parenting skills and share child-care and other household duties under supervision, says Jean Payne of Nine Mile Falls.
“You can’t just say go to work for two years and things are going to be fixed,” says the former head of a parent education program at the community college level. “Those babies have real problems unless we put (teen parents) in a situation where they learn something.”
“Let’s limit welfare to day care, food (not food stamps), clothes and medical care for the children,” said Jim Shamp of Cheney. “If the mother wants to eat and rent a house, let her get a job or support from the father. If she doesn’t do so and the kids suffer, take them from her. Do this and prepare to be shocked at how rapidly these suddenly motivated people begin to solve their own problems and live responsibly.”
“We should make partial welfare payments,” said Wayne Lythgoe of Colbert. “Pay day care for children under a certain age if the parent(s) work, pay some medical care and pay some education costs. Right now you are either on welfare or off. No partial payments are made. I would guess that it is more expensive to give all or nothing than it is to provide partial payments.”
“There should be limits on all welfare, such as six months to one year for people who can work,” said Lisa Pra of Spokane. “Make it harder for people to refuse jobs because they can make more on welfare.”
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