Behind the Numbers: Welfare Reform from an Ecological Perspective

Welfare reform is unfinished business. Contrary to proclamations of its resounding success, an examination of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 using an ecological perspective shows unequal outcomes. Some individuals and localities are faring better than others because of different ecosystems. Over reliance on reduced rolls as an indicator of success fails to capture the experiences of individuals who are differentially impacted by the redesigned welfare program. An ecological perspective avoids this flaw and offers a way to compile evidence that includes the views of multiple stakeholders. It looks behind the numbers to see how people are being affected by the nation's work first philosophy. Most importantly, an ecological perspective provides a framework for policy makers to examine the population that is being labeled as “hard to serve” and reframes the dialogue from personal pathology to a holistic approach that places equal weight on a person‐in‐environment fit in moving an individual from welfare to work. It introduces a new bottom line for effective public policy.