In Focus
Apr 03, 2013 | Permalink »
States Strengthen Work Support Strategies in First Year of Initiative
In the midst of tighter budgets and cuts in benefits spending, some states are focusing on more effective administration of public benefits that support working families. They're doing so because they know that these benefits, which include programs focused on nutrition, health care and child care, help families become and stay employed and promote children's success in school and life. By streamlining eligibility processes and cutting red tape for these programs, states can reduce administrative costs and make it less daunting for working families to get the help they need.
For example, states involved in the Work Support Strategies (WSS) project are making administrative and programmatic decisions that help families more easily acquire benefits for which they're eligible. Reports on the initial planning year of the project (2010-2011), released by the Urban Institute today, indicate that participating states have made progress in simplifying application processes, streamlining eligibility policies, and coordinating the administration of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP - formerly Food Stamps), Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and child care assistance.
As a partner in the WSS project, CLASP provides technical assistance to states to strengthen the administration of their child care assistance programs in the context of the broader WSS focus on coordinating across multiple programs. In the first year of the project, WSS states took steps to reduce barriers to families' enrollment in child care assistance programs and to improve continuity of care for children. Read More >>
Mar 29, 2013 | Permalink »
What Do You Do if You’re Poor … And Disabled?
By Helly Lee
Our country's safety net is designed to help people with varying degrees of need. Unfortunately, some people find themselves dealing with multiple issues that exacerbate each other. For instance, those who are disabled may also have to contend with living in poverty - indeed they might have become poor because their disability prevented them from working.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provide modest but critical income support for individuals with a medical impairment that limits them from work and helps cover the additional costs of disability that are beyond the scope of health insurance, such as accessible housing, or prepared meals. SSDI is a social insurance program earned by workers based on their employment history, while SSI serves poor families, including caregivers for children with significant disabilities.
Recently, National Public Radio (NPR) ran a series about federal disability programs that largely reinforce myths and stereotypes about the programs and the people who access them.
The question is often asked: "If you can't do your job because of your disability, why don't you just find another job that may accommodate you?" Sure, it sounds like a logical question, but the reality of finding another job may be more complicated, especially when you take into consideration the demographics of those in areas where disability rates are high. Only 6% of the nation's working age population receive SSDI or SSI, but in some Appalachian and southern states (one of which is highlighted in the NPR story) more than 10% of the working-age population are beneficiaries of the programs.
Mar 29, 2013 | Permalink »
Budget Amendment Foreshadows Immigration Debate Ahead
By Helly Lee
Denying access to critical resources such as health care and nutrition can create serious problems for children and families, and costs us all in the long run. However, some in Congress will seek to do just that during discussions on immigration reform in the coming months. We've seen efforts to limit immigrant access to resources in past immigration debates, and we saw it again recently in our budget debate.
This week, it may seem quiet on Capitol Hill as Congress is in recess, but last Friday was full of action on the Senate floor as the budget vote-a-rama was in full swing. Among the hundreds of amendments introduced, Senator Sessions (AL) offered one that would have prohibited both undocumented and lawfully present immigrants from qualifying for health care subsidies through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid. The amendment would have affected millions of immigrants who have earned legal status from access to health care. Senator Menendez (NJ) offered a counter amendment restating current law that undocumented immigrants are already not eligible to receive federal benefits. Senator Sessions' amendment was defeated by a vote of 43-56. Democratic senators, all of whom opposed the amendment, were joined by Republican Senators Collins (ME) and Murkowski (AK), as well as Independent Senators King (ME) o and Sanders (VT). Senator Menendez's amendment was passed by voice vote.
Congress is currently working on bi-partisan immigration reform legislation and the Senate "Gang of Eight" is expected to drop its bill soon after members come back from recess in early April. While the Sessions amendment failed, the debate around it provides a window into what can be expected as immigration reform legislation takes a front seat in the coming months.
We can expect that in the upcoming immigration reform debates, additional efforts to limit the ability of low-income immigrants to access health care and other economic supports will arise. CLASP has joined with 360 other organizations across the country in an open letter to the President and Congress to take a proactive stand on health and nutrition access for immigrants, and will work alongside advocates to protect access to vital services.