Serving Teen Parents In A Welfare Reform Environment

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 presents states with new opportunities and flexibility to design programs for teen parents. This report summarizes how welfare reform has changed the environment for teen parents dependent on welfare. The report presents research findings on the costs of supporting teen parents and the benefits of delaying childbirth, and summarizes the provisions of the new legislation that relate directly to teen parents and state services for this population. The report then presents the components of a comprehensive policy for teen parents based on recommendations of researchers, state program administrators, direct service providers, and policymakers who met in 1996 to discuss the impact of the new welfare legislation on teen parents. The role of state governors in developing an effective and comprehensive teen parent policy is also explored. The report's four appendices include summaries of findings from evaluations of teen parent programs, acknowledgment of state experimentation in serving teen parents, a listing of the participants in the policymaking meeting, and a listing of information resources. (JPB)