Effects Of Drug Abuse On Welfare

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Drugs and Poverty: Drug Testing to Receive Welfare Benefits
Many people are unhappy stating that the welfare system is being abused by drug users. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was very focused on creating jobs during The Great Depression, but he also is one of the main reasons we have welfare today. He supported the idea for federal aid and by 1935 the National Welfare System was established for the first time in American history. Everyone should receive financial assistance if needed. There are around 45.7 million food stamp recipients alone. That is close to 22.7 million households that need assistance from the government to help pay for items that they need. Everyone can agree that we should help the people in need. But, the government …show more content…
Although government based welfare also has a broader definition which is to support American citizens in need and provide a safety net. This definition of welfare refers to government protections. Welfare is a privilege not a right. Welfare is also generated on income. Welfare is now more focused on helping people find jobs so they won’t have to receive assistance anymore. As was said above welfare began with Franklin D. Roosevelt during The Great Depression. But, similar forms of welfare were being used way before then. Queen Elizabeth in 1601 had a law called The Poor Laws which provided needs for the poor, children and the sick. Queen Elizabeth did not rely on churches, charities, and or professional organizations to care for those in need, The Poor Laws required government to use what they knew back then as tax dollars to start orphanages, hospitals, and free housing for the poor.Many people did not like these laws back then for the simple fact that able-bodied people were living off government aid rather than working like the rest of society. This led to a revision in 1834. Also President Lyndon B. Johnson helped to expand the welfare system in 1960, which he called the War on …show more content…
Welfare assistance is only given to those who live below the poverty line. The poverty line shifts every year and also takes family size into account. Most welfare is either Medicaid, Food Stamps, WIC, SNAP, or Temporary Assistance to Needy families also known as TANF. Medicaid provides free healthcare to poor people. The Food Stamp Program provides help with food purchases. This program was named this because government used to actually handout stamps that could be used to purchase food. Today the people that qualify for food stamps receive credit cards. WIC is a program specially for women, infants, and children who need assistance with food and nutrition. SNAP is a federal entitlement program which simply means whoever is eligible for the assistance will receive it. TANF is a program for families with dependent children which means the child must live with you for half of the year and be related to you. TANF primarily helps single mothers with cash payments. TANF allows the states to decide whether someone is eligible for assistance or they are not. TANF also is more urgent on finding welfare recipients jobs. If someone using TANF does not find a job within two years their amount of assistance is decreased. Most families are limited to only five years. These are just a few of the many welfare

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