Privatized Public-Assistance Program Turns Into a Fiasco.

The [Texas] Legislature and Gov. Rick Perry slashed the payroll of the state's welfare offices and ordered a shift of many screening duties to four privately run call centers. ...

The Texas call-center experiment was supposed to make it easier for the needy to get help. ... There's every indication, though, that it's actually compounded confusion at the gates. ... State leaders acknowledge that promised cost savings haven't materialized and mistakes are common. Now, the system could be headed for more severe problems, as a jittery economy means more Texans may soon apply for public assistance. ...

Paperwork for applicants has been lost. Needy Texans have received little help from state workers when they've complained of mistakes. And all too often, Texans who should qualify for state-paid health care and other benefits have been refused because of such errors. ...

State officials acknowledge the failures but say there's no turning back. ...