Should People Who Test Positive for an Illicit Drug Be Eligible for Welfare?

I can’t browse Facebook without periodically seeing a post regarding welfare and drug use. “People who test positive for illicit drugs shouldn’t be eligible for welfare.” I get it. People who have money for drugs should not get financial assistance if that supports their drug use. There is a social contract in play between the people being provided for and the people doing the providing. Welfare recipients must be provided for when they need it, and those who provide for it must trust that it is necessary. We need to be careful with tax-payer dollars.

The easy answer to “Should People Who Test Positive for an Illicit Drug Be Eligible for Welfare?” is no, but this is a complicated issue and we shouldn’t answer quickly.

Drug testing programs are intended to help welfare recipients overcome drug addiction, remove barriers that keep people from getting jobs, supporting their families and lead successful lives. Drug addiction is a barrier to that end. But the issue is far more complicated than that.

Drug testing has been proposed since federal welfare reform in 1996. The federal rules permit drug testing as part of TANF’s, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, block grant. People convicted of a felony for possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs cannot receive assistance under TANF. But some states want to widen the net.

So how does it work? It varies by state. In most cases, recipients are administered a substance abuse screening tool, or a questionnaire. If the tool gives the Department of Human Services reason to believe the person has a substance abuse problem, the person will be required to take a substance abuse test. If the applicant refuses the test, benefits are denied. For those who test positive, they are referred to treatment and can receive benefits. Some states require the individual to pay for the test. Other states pick up the cost. Some states only administer the test to certain individuals “upon reasonable suspicion of illegal substance use.” In some cases, suspicion exists for those with a drug conviction within five years and who test positive for illicit drugs. In some states, children could still receive assistance from a guardian whom tests negative for substances. But not all states.

What could go wrong here? A drug test alone cannot determine the existence or absence of a substance use disorder and testing is not a proven deterrent to drug use. People who receive financial assistance have limited means to pay for testing, or to participate in treatment. The costs of treatment, transportation and childcare all pose barriers to one who might benefit from it. Many recipients hold jobs and might face loss of employment if unnecessary testing or treatment interferes with their schedule.

Several factors could be considered in the discussion of drug testing programs. First, any discussion of mandated drug testing should include the “war on drugs,” which has not proven to be effective and certainly has not saved taxpayer money.

Second, illegal substances are the targets of drug testing programs yet alcohol abuse accounts for a higher percentage of substance abusers and has greater potential for harm to one’s overall functioning than illegal drugs of abuse. Admittedly, both alcohol and drug abusers need treatment, but a one-sided focus on illegal substances inadequately addresses the problem.

Third, the primary goal of TANF is to identify and remove barriers to work, thereby eliminating the need for people to receive tax-payer assistance. Substance abuse is only one of many barriers to financial independence. Barriers to work include lack of childcare, lack of transportation, inadequate housing, poor medical and/or mental health and domestic violence as well as substance abuse – all layered upon one another. All of these barriers are to be targeted for intervention. If states are to widen the net, let’s include all barriers to independence, not just drug testing.