The welfare-to-work program in the United States is designed to promote self-sufficiency among low-income families by providing them with the support and resources they need to secure and maintain employment. The program was established in the 1990s as part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 and is officially known as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. This support to families is meant to be for a period of five years although it may be extended in some circumstances.