D artment o ( Urba ( Studies nd Planning Certified by

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), a 46 year old federally mandated welfare program which provides income support for low-income families was radically altered in 1981 by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA), a major budget cutting effort by the Reagan administration. Over 300,000 families nationally and 26,000 families in Massachusetts were terminated from benefits. A total of 11 general provisions were passed which changed the nature and structure of AFDC. In particular, child care, work e-xpenses and Medicaid were either eliminated or reduced. This thesis examines how families have coped and the strategies they employed in their struggle for a decent life for their families since the termination of their AFDC benefits. The impacts of four issues are addressed: chil