Jan. 29, 2002 – Delegate Donna Christian Christensen will serve as a vice chair of the Re-authorization of Welfare to Work Task Force of the Democratic Women's Caucus, her office announced Monday.
With the current welfare reform law slated to expire in September, "I will be working with my colleagues to craft what we believe will be the best course for welfare reform in light of the events of Sept. 11 and the current economic recession," Christensen said in a release.
The law, which took effect in 1996, will come up for re-authorization in the spring or summer, she said. Among other things, it provides federal funding for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grants, child care block grants and tax credits, child support enforcement and fatherhood initiatives, child welfare assistance, food stamps and Medicaid.
With the five-year welfare eligibility set by the law expiring for many families this year, Christensen said, she will be seeking to determine how Virgin Islands families have fared.
"I will be holding town meetings on the topic in the next several months and will be seeking the input of our social services agencies to ascertain what, if any changes are needed for the Virgin Islands," she said.