Budget cuts in federal programs having to do with hunger prevention, health care, and job training provide a natural experiment to determine the effects of these diminished programs on families. The available evidence indicates that needy families, particularly single mother-child(ren) units because of their higher rates of poverty have been adversely affected. The study's findings along with the present political climate suggest that family policy scholars need to monitor measures of family well-being within the context of existing programs. The article concludes with a discussion of these measures.
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