HHS Approves School Attendance Welfare Waiver for San Diego County

HHS News Release

HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today approved "School Attendance Demonstration Project" (SADP), a welfare reform demonstration that will be implemented in the San Diego, Calif., Unified School District to require teen-age Aid to Families with
Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients to attend school or participate in job search and training. This is the third welfare waiver for California approved under the Clinton administration.

"California's demonstration mirrors President Clinton's goal of welfare reform that promotes work and responsibility," said Secretary Shalala. "While Congress continues to debate, the Clinton administration is continuing to take action in reforming welfare one state at a time."

Under SADP, 16- to 18-year-old AFDC recipients who are not high school graduates and who do not attend school or meet the requirements of GAIN (Greater Avenues for Independence, California's Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program) will be removed from the AFDC assistance unit until they comply. SADP may be expanded to other school districts during the course of the three-year demonstration.

"By promoting responsibility in young people to stay in school or get a job, this demonstration offers a real chance for young people to avoid welfare dependency," said Mary Jo Bane, assistant secretary for children and families. "We look forward to the results of the project."

The demonstration will begin in January 1996 and include a rigorous evaluation.

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

Contact: Michael Kharfen (202) 401-9215