Jenica, 24, is a single mother with three children Sean, 2, Shane, 4, and Shannon, 5. She has an eleventh grade education, as she dropped out of high school to live with Slade, the children’s father. Slade, 35, lived with the family for six years until one year ago, when he abruptly left without warning, taking all of the family’s cash and a substantial amount of property as well. Jenica thought she and Slade had been happy, but now, he is nowhere to be found. His work history involved a series of briefly held, part-time unskilled jobs. He has no immediate relatives. She feels he would be virtually impossible to track down and get child support from him.
For the past year, since Slade disappeared, Jenica has applied for public assistance and underwent some job training aimed at placement in a food service setting. She had recently gotten a minimum wage job for 35 hours a week as a cook at Boogie’s Burger Heaven. The job would be subsidized by state TANF funds for the next year. Jenica enjoys her work and her fellow employees. She feels proud of getting back on her feet again and becoming independent. However, she faces numerous challenges related to child care, especially when she must work at night. One of her older children, has Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes him to shout out insulting or obscene comments and to strike out at others. In addition, although Jenica likes her job, she aspires to something that would provide her with a better future. She would like to get her GED (General Education Degree or high school equivalency). Ideally, she would prefer to work in a professional office, perhaps as an optometrist’s assistant or working with computers in some way.
In what ways is TANF helping Jenica and her family survive? In what ways is TANF limiting Jenica’s ability to attain her and her family’s optimal health and well-being (short term and long term)?
Using what you’ve learned, what steps do you think Jenica needs to take to become more independent, move out of poverty and improve her and her family’s quality of life? Research and reference at least two additional programs (not previously mentioned) that will help Jenica.
