The Safety Net that Works: Improving Federal Programs for Low Income Americans

This document is a compilation of essays, ideas, and policy recommendations authored by individuals with expertise in various federal anti-poverty programs.  The author of one of the essays, entitled Empowering Child Support Enforcement to Reduce Poverty, is Robert Doar, Resident Fellow and Morgridge Fellow in Poverty Studies, and former IV-D Director of the New York State Child Support Program.  In this article, Doar stresses the importance of the child support enforcement program, and the opportunities it offers with respect to formulation of new policies.  Companion articles focus on the Earned Income Tax Program (Bruce D. Meyer), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (Ron Haskins), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Russell Sykes), Medicaid (James C. Capretta), Housing (Edgar O. Olsen), Supplemental Security Income Disabled Children Program (Richard V. Burkhauser and Mary C. Daly), Child Welfare (Maura Corrigan) Child Care (Angela Rachidi), Women, Infants, and Children (Douglas J. Besharov and Douglas M. Call), Homelessness (Kevin C. Corinth), and Early Learning (Katharine V. Stevens).