Final answer:
Congress switched to a block grant approach for welfare programs during the reform efforts in 1996, replacing the AFDC with TANF.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the welfare reform efforts in 1996, Congress decided to switch to a block grant approach for welfare programs. This significant change was marked by the replacement of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. This shift from an entitlement program to a block grant meant that states received a fixed sum of money from the federal government, which they could then use to manage their own welfare programs, with certain restrictions and requirements.
This reform was part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act signed into law by President William Clinton, which gave states more discretion over the provision of welfare and imposed new standards such as work requirements and caps on the length of time one could receive assistance.