Statement of Leslie Abrahamson, Westmont, Illinois

As you consider TANF reauthorization, please remember that the goal is not simply to get people off of cash assistance and then forget about them. The system needs to be able to be flexible to meet the diversity of needs in our communities. Some people need help with substance abuse, some need help with housing, some need education and training and others need help with transportation and/or child care. If we create a one-size-fits-all public policy that just pulls people from assistance and throws them into the workforce without the kind of supports they need, those people will not be able to succeed. It is more cost effective and better for everyone in the community if we provide the types of supports people need to achieve self-sufficiency. Some need more supports for longer periods of time than others. Please listen to the experts in the field who work with clients needing supports so you can develop public policies that with create meaningful, permanent differences in people's lives.