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The Pros And Cons Of Federal-State Public Assistance Programs

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Most of us enjoy receiving gifts. If you get something for nothing, I am quite sure we will see a smile planted on your face. Public assistance programs were created more than eighty years ago. The basic structure of our federal-state public assistance received a major overhaul when Congress consolidated the program into a single program in 1975. (Hansan) Each state is given the choice whether or not to participate in public assistance programs. The states are required to submit a “state plan” that demonstrates to the federal government that its proposed program adheres to the minimal standards set out in the law.(Hansan) Once the states demonstrates that they are toeing the line, then the government coordinates the funding needed to keep …show more content…

The two largest government assistance programs operating in the United States are food stamps and Medicaid. (“Measuring Poverty a New Approach”) Most of the applicants for assistance are women and children followed by the elderly (Rude). The central focus of the programs is to meet some of the daily life needs so that the individual could focus on getting back on their feet. For example the use of food stamps would take away the worry and pressure of providing food for your family and allow you to work on finding a better job or better place to live. It is important to show accountability of how the money is been used. Americans are generous and have no problem helping others in need. Regular drug screenings of those on assistance needs to be a requirement to use these programs. It will help towards identifying waste and fraud. There are those who choose to take advantage of these programs creating a misuse of …show more content…

Assistance programs were not created to be a permanent or long time option. The underlying plan was to offer help and relief in one area so that the individuals can focus on improving other areas of their lives. Problems with any program are a few will abuse or misuse the assistance programs. Individuals get on an assistance program and stop working on opportunities to make a better life. They become dependent on the assistance and calculate it into the funds they can count on each month. Proponents of drug testing state they want to try and reduce some of the misuse of funds up front. A person who tests positive might need to attend drug rehabilitation before using any assistance programs. An underlying thought is to drug test all assistance users rather than singling out testing for the two biggest programs. I believe drug screening and testing should be a requirement for all assistance programs. Instead of these programs being a pathway to a better life, they can turn into a program some individuals plan to keep using for life. The programs are not set up to be temporary assistance. Everything has a cost or comes with a price. The next issue to address is will the cost of drug testing all participants outweigh the

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