Norfolk State University's CASE Media Fellowship Deals with Tough Issues in Welfare Reform

Norfolk, Va.- NSU's CASE Media Fellowship will examine the federal law known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 or Welfare Reform during its first media fellowship program on March 14-15, 2002. NSU faculty and local and regional social service agencies will tackle issues of this sweeping legislation that became effective in Virginia in 1997.

Participating journalists in the CASE Media Fellowship will be involved in an intense program with University faculty and other welfare reform experts to discuss welfare reform and its implications. Workshop topics will include the differences between self-sufficiency and "just getting a job;" how are states addressing the hard-to serve populations; the impact of welfare reform on childcare, transportation, Medicaid, and food stamp costs; how are the children doing; and more. Journalists will have the rare opportunity to talk in small sessions and without the burden of deadlines with some of the country's top experts in the area of welfare reform.

Among the NSU CASE Media Fellowship presenters include Marvin Feit, dean of NSU's School of Social Work, Antoinette A. Coleman, NSU professor in the School of Social Work, Rowena G. Wilson, NSU professor in the School of Social Work, Daniel Stone, director of the Virginia Beach Department of Social Services, Michael J. Austin, University of California at Berkeley and Roger Lum, director for the Department of Human Services City of Oakland, California.

For more information, call News and Media Relations at 757/823-8373.