Which policy changed public assistance for poor families by replacing guaranteed support with time-limited support?

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) is the policy that significantly changed public assistance for poor families by replacing guaranteed support with time-limited support. Enacted in 1996, PRWORA introduced the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which aimed to decrease dependency on government benefits by enforcing work requirements and time limits on assistance. Under TANF, families are only eligible for benefits for a limited period, typically five years, which is a departure from the previous system where support could continue indefinitely based on need.

This shift reflected a broader movement towards welfare reform that emphasized personal responsibility and employment as pathways out of poverty, rather than providing open-ended financial assistance. By doing so, the act intended to motivate individuals to enter the workforce while also setting strict conditions for receiving aid, which aligns with its goals of reducing long-term dependence on government support. The implementation of these changes had significant implications for low-income families, influencing the structure of social safety nets in the United States.