Out of Reach: Place, Poverty, and the New American Welfare State

Description

Sweeping changes in welfare programs since 1996 have transformed the way America cares for its poor. Today, for every dollar spent on cash welfare payments, some twenty dollars are spent on service programs targeted at the working poor—job training, adult education, child care, emergency assistance, mental health care, and other social services. This important book examines our current system and the crucial role that geography plays in the system’s ability to offer help.   Drawing on unique survey data from almost 1,500 faith-based and secular service organizations in three cities, Scott W. Allard examines which agencies are most accessible to poor populations and looks at the profound impact of unstable funding on assistance programs. Allard argues that the new system has become less equitable and reliable, and he concludes with practical policy recommendations that address some of the more pressing issues in improving the safety net.   Contents Preface Abbreviations Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Place, Poverty, and the New American Welfare State Chapter 3. Spatial Inequality in the Safety Net Chapter 4. The Financing and Stability of Organizations Serving the Poor Chapter 5. A Comparison of Faith-Based and Secular Nonprofit Service Providers Chapter 6. The Politics of a Fragmented Welfare State Chapter 7. Repairing Holes in the Safety Net Technical Appendix Notes References Index