We need to reduce the government's role in fighting poverty, not because the goal is not noble but because government programs are ill-suited for problems of behavior and attitude. Government programs are constrained by the laws, rules, and regulations by which they are carried out, and government programs often end up harming those they are intended to help. One idea is to allow Americans to take a charitable tax credit for donations given to community groups that are involved in fighting poverty. That would allow people to send some of their tax dollars to charities instead of to the government. Another possibility is the use of vouchers for those with certain kinds of disabilities.
Social service is just one area where privatization is likely to increase in the future.