STATE OF DELAWARE
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Office of the Governor Press Release |
Date: December 6, 1999 DHSS-80-1999 |
| Gregg C. Sylvester, M.D., Secretary Cynthia Collier, Communication Director (302) 255-9037, Pager (302) 247-8523 |
Contact: Jim Smith Phone: (302) 577-8711 Pager: (302) 575-6800 Contact: Jack Holloway Phone: (302) 577-4402 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DELAWARE AWARDED $1.6 MILLION FOR SUCCESSFUL WELFARE REFORM PROGRAM
National performance awards are topic of President Clinton's Saturday morning radio broadcast
WILMINGTON - Delaware's "A Better Chance" Welfare Reform Program received $1.6 million from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for successfully moving people from welfare dependence to the workforce.
DHHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala notified Gov. Thomas R. Carper Friday that Delaware has been given a Fiscal Year 1999 "High Performance Award" in two categories worth $1,614,549. Spearheaded by Gov. Carper, Delaware's "A Better Chance" Welfare Reform Program was launched in 1995. Since then, welfare rolls have been slashed by more than 45% -- allowing as many as 3,000 people to secure full- or part-time jobs and move toward self-sufficiency. In FY '99, 807 former welfare recipients were placed in jobs.
On his Saturday morning radio show, President William J. Clinton lauded states like Delaware for helping move 1.3 million Americans from welfare to work in 1998. Delaware is one of 27 states being awarded the bonuses, totaling $200 million.
Gov. Carper said, "This award truly epitomizes Delaware's efforts of helping move thousands of our residents on public assistance from welfare to work. Delaware's A Better Chance works for all of us -- it helps Delaware's economy; it moves people toward financial Independence -- and it is a source of quality employees for Delaware companies. Delaware's landmark welfare reform plan is designed to encourage work and to ensure that people are better off working than on welfare."
This year's DHHS bonuses reward the top 10 performing states in measures related to moving welfare recipients to work and sustaining their success in the workforce. Delaware's bonus was based on achievement in "job entry rate" and "improvement in job entry rate." The bonus money will be funneled back into Delaware's "A Better Chance" Welfare Reform Program.
Delaware's "A Better Chance" Welfare Reform Program has five key principles:
- Work should pay more than welfare;
- Welfare recipients must act responsibly in exchange for benefits;
- Welfare should be a temporary measure to get a family back on their feet -- with real time limits;
- Both parents must be responsible for raising and supporting their children; and
- The establishment and maintenance of two-parent families must be encouraged -- and teenage pregnancy strongly discouraged.
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.
