..we are NEVER going to "fix" our social services system, because the basic concept is flawed. We will never teach people to be responsible and self-reliant as long as we coddle them and try to make their life whole after they commit mistake after mistake after mistake. After a temporary period of assistance we need to say, "Enough, you are on your own"...but you and I know that will never happen. To put it bluntly, we as a society don't have the stomach, backbone, or cajones to do what is needed....and so, it will just continue to get worse, because we're afraid to let poor people know the true nature of poverty.