FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 1995
Contact: Michael Kharfen (202) 401-9215
HHS Gives Fast Track Approval to Florida
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today approved the "Family Transition
Program Expansion," a welfare reform demonstration for Florida.
The approval is the first to be reviewed within the "fast track"
30-day period announced by President Clinton just over a month ago.
"As Congress continues to talk
about welfare reform, the Clinton administration is taking action to
give states more opportunity to reform their welfare programs quicker
than ever," said Secretary Shalala. "This waiver will enable
Florida, under the
leadership of Governor Lawton Chiles, to expand its innovative demonstration
to move more people from welfare to work."
The "Family Transition Program
Expansion" makes six additional counties eligible for participation
in the state's current demonstration program in Escambia and Alachua
counties. The additional counties are Lee, Duval, Pinellas, St. Lucie,
Orange and
Volusia counties.
Florida's demonstration provides several
features to improve its welfare system in helping recipients become
self-sufficient. These include time-limited benefits for two years followed
by transitional employment; increased earned-income disregards and
transitional child care benefits; education, training and work for parents
owing child support; requirements for minor mothers to stay in school;
and provision of incentive payments to private employers and others
to develop jobs and training programs.
"Simplifying the process and approving
waivers within 30 days enables HHS to help more states move welfare
families more quickly toward economic self sufficiency," said Assistant
Secretary for Children and Families Mary Jo Bane. "The expansion
of this model demonstration will give more Florida families the chance
to turn a
welfare check into a pay check."
Florida's demonstration will operate
for eight years and include a rigorous evaluation.
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials
are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
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