Implementing welfare reform in rural and urban communities - Why place matters

This piece argues that the very nature of rural poverty and the communities in which the rural poor live influence the administration of welfare programs that were designed to address urban poverty. Using in-depth interviews with case managers in urban and rural Kentucky along with statistical analysis from Kentucky's 120 counties, this study shows the very real challenges faced by administrators and highlights the challenges faced in both rural and urban communities. Importantly for public administration, resource constraints, the number of clientele served, geographic distances, and sense of community differently affect the implementation of welfare policy by place. The author suggests that because of the unique aspects of rural poverty, the welfare poor in rural communities may be best served by rules that emphasize local program variation.