Mississippi to drug test welfare recipients

The Mississippi Senate passed a bill last week to drug test welfare recipients who are considered at risk for substance abuse.

Starting July 1, applicants to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance to families in need, will be required to fill out a written questionnaire in order to assess the likelihood that they struggle with substance abuse. If their answers indicate substance abuse is likely, the applicant will be required to submit to a drug test. 

If individuals test positive for a controlled substance, they will continue to receive TANF benefits but must undergo treatment. If they test positive a second time within a year, the recipient will be kept out of the program for 90 days. A third positive result will remove the recipient from the program for a year. 

Implementation of the bill's components is estimated to cost about $36,000 per year, which will be paid for with TANF funds.