Mothers' Pensions and the Aid to Dependent Children Program in Michigan

Abstract

IN ORDER to be eligible to receive federal grants for Aid to Dependent Children, various states have been required to modify the old mothers' pension laws at some points. In a few states where there was opposition, usually from the administrator of the old system, the old mothers' aid legislation was not repealed, but in order to qualify for federal Aid to Dependent Children grants, new legislation was enacted and a new administrative organization was set up concurrently with the old mothers' aid program. Michigan is one of the states in which the administration of mothers' pensions had been entirely under the county governments with the state assuming no financial or supervisory responsibility. When the Aid the Dependent Children program was inaugurated in the state of Michigan in August, 1936, the administration and financial support included, in addition to funds from the local unit, funds from the state and federal governments. In view of the fact that no special enabling legislation was enacted for Aid to Dependent Children, the Mothers' Pension Act was not repealed, and both of these plans have been active in Michigan. Since the inception of the new program there has been approximately one-third of the counties with the two similar programs in operation. Owing to this situation a discussion and comparison of the mothers' pension and Aid to Dependent Children plans during the last two years is of more than local interest.