CLASS 10 Means-tested Cash Programs

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to means-tested cash programs in the U.S. social welfare system.

Means-tested cash assistance

Financial aid provided to individuals based on their financial needs, with eligibility determined by income and assets.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

A federal assistance program that provides temporary cash benefits and promotes job preparation and work among needy families.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

A means-tested federal program that offers cash assistance to aged, blind, and disabled individuals.

General Assistance (GA)

A state-funded program providing cash assistance for low-income individuals who do not qualify for other welfare programs.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

A refundable federal tax credit designed to subsidize low-income working families.

Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP)

A federal program providing food assistance to individuals and families in need, often referred to as food stamps.

Block grant

A sum of money given by the federal government to state or local governments for general purposes, allowing them discretion on how to spend it.

Entitlement program

A government program guaranteeing certain benefits to a particular group of individuals, such as Social Security.

Work requirements

Mandatory job preparation and employment conditions that recipients of cash assistance must meet to receive benefits.

Means-tested programs

Programs that provide benefits based on an individual's financial needs as determined by income and asset tests.

Public Assistance

Financial aid provided by the government to support individuals or families who are impoverished or unable to support themselves.

Federal poverty line

The minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country, often used to determine eligibility for various federal programs.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)

A 1996 law that replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Medicaid

A state and federal program that helps cover healthcare costs for low-income individuals and families.

Work Activity

Tasks or duties that recipients of TANF are required to engage in to continue receiving benefits.

Welfare Reform

Legislative changes aimed at reducing welfare dependency by promoting work and self-sufficiency among benefit recipients.