A major cause of poverty in America is that many poor adults do not work. The reform of welfare programs in the mid-1990s had some success, but its main purpose was to increase employment among welfare mothers. It therefore did little for low-income men. These men are seldom on welfare themselves and thus are largely beyond the reach of welfare work programs. Yet they are often the fathers of welfare families, and their work problems are central to the poverty problem.

How can the nation achieve "welfare reform for men"? That is, how can we combine new benefits with clearer work requirements so that low-income men will work more regularly and thus escape poverty? Two groups of low-skilled men are especially important: those who fail to pay their child support judgments due to work problems and ex-offenders who have left prison and risk becoming recidivists unless they find work. Some experimental fatherhood and prison reentry programs have shown promise. Yet all have been small and largely detached from the mainstream child support and criminal justice institutions that deal with poor men.

Panelists will describe leading work programs and examine how such programs might be broadened to serve more men in need. How might they be integrated into routine child support and criminal justice operations? In short, how does one make employment a regular experience for these men so that they will more likely escape poverty and be better able to support their families?

The conference will also include a presentation of a new national study on child support and prison reentry programs. In addition, representatives from the Obama administration, congressional staff, and the advocacy community will discuss whether and how national policy might help expand these programs.