The picture of TANF painted by this paper’s detailed case studies is very different from “welfare” as most Americans think of it. For one thing, there is no national TANF program but rather a different program in each state. Even within each state, TANF is not a single program, and in particular, not a cash welfare program. In every study state except California, the majority of TANF resources are used for purposes other than cash assistance to families. These purposes include child care and child welfare programs, as well as a catch-all group of other programs that meet the purposes of the TANF law. Includes data from Michigan. Link to pdf Paper