A report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, shows that the poverty rate for families headed by single, working women stayed the same from 1995 to 1999, despite a booming economy. During the same period, the poverty rate for all families decreased from 13% to 10.6%. Critics argue that the welfare-to-work program is not helping families and that changes need to be made to reward people who work by providing more support services. Supporters argue that a reduction in poverty was not the goal of welfare reform, but instead it was to cut the welfare roles, which it has done.
See Jonathan Peterson, Los Angeles Times, August 15, 2001