Read a pdf of the report Emergency Board Reserves for Federal Welfare Reform

The 1997 Oregon Legislative Assembly chose to set aside $4.9 million in the Emergency Fund to address some of the impacts of the 1996 federal welfare reform. While the Department of Human Resources (DHR) always noted that Oregon was receiving a windfall of federal funds to support the temporary assistance to needy families program, throughout the session, DHR also provided legislators with estimates of the costs associated with implementation of federal welfare reform. DHR informed the Human Resources Subcommittee of the Joint Ways and Means Committee that federal welfare reform was going to harm many Oregonians unless the State invested significant financial resources to offset losses in federal assistance. The agency explained that some low income Oregonians would lose all cash, medical or food assistance supported by federal funds, while others would have benefits reduced as a result of federal welfare reform. Additionally, DHR noted that it would be forced to expend additional costs for long-term care if federal cash benefits were not continued to disabled and elderly immigrants in community-based care settings.