Notes from DSS visit with Economic Services Program Administrator Tim Rhodes

Tim Rhodes- the coordinator of public assistance programs in the Economic Services Division of the Department of Social Services.

Although we received a generous packet of information from Tim last night, he mentioned a few things worth recording on our blog.

From the DSS Economic Services Division Public Assistance Programs Flyer:

• Emergency Assistance (EA) is typically a one time payment for families in some crisis
• NC Health Choice for Children is the state affiliate of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

Three most funded entitlement programs (in descending order)

1. Medicaid
2. Food Assistance/Food Stamps
   
3. Work First (Cash welfare) -- is no longer entitlement
   

From Graphs

Medicaid

• Approximately 15% of the total population of Buncombe County (BC) are Medicaid recipients (32,000 receive medicaid out of the 220,000 residents of Buncombe county)
• Due to the economic crisis, companies are eliminating their health insurance programs to eliminate and/or consolidate costs, resulting in an increase in the utilization of medicaid assistance.
• Mediciad reimbursement rates have not been keeping up with inflation or assistance rates As a result, hospitals take balanced or lower numbers of medicaid patients in comparison with privately insured patients to cover the slow/lacking reimbursement rates of medicaid, in order to cover hospital costs.
  

Food Assistance

• In 2008, BC saw largest increase in number of Food Assistance (FA) recipients
• Currently, there are approximately 23,000 BC residents receiving FA
• Increases every month
• The percentage of recipients of FA relative to the total population is increasing
• There is, approximately, a 25% increase in employed persons receiving FA
• Every $1 of FA that enters into the BC economy generates another $1.73 in the services it employs (grocery stores, truckers and transportation, etc.)
  
• Congress is continually expanding food benefits, and will continue to do so through the Farm Bill, which greatly determines where the funding will come from for FA

  "The food stamp programs mirror the national economy"- Tim Rhodes
  

Work First

• The Work First cash assistance program is the third largest program in the DSS. Eligibility for the program is as follows: benefit from the program is on a sliding scale based on income, and if the monthly income falls below a certain point, you become eligible for the program support.
  
• The Work First program can only be received for a maximum of five years
• Though most receive for only a few months
• Decline in government spending likely due to rearranging of funds
• moved to other areas of need
• Reform in 1996 (under Clinton) eliminated welfare entitlement, required that all recipients must be in job training within 12 weeks of receiving first welfare check
• Due to this reform, a large amount of money that previously was supplied into an all inclusive welfare check is being relocated through the program to help pay for uniforms for jobs, cars, and other work related necessities. This spending is regulated through the program instead of by the individual.
• 720 people in BC are on Work First, and 75% of these recipients are children no longer living with their parents. Welfare is still an entitlement for children living along, despite the 1996 welfare reform.
  

General Notes

• Those leaving welfare in BC will receive, on average, $7.55 as an hourly wage
• BC pays for 50% of DSS workers, government pays for 50%
• Government payments will increase to 100% due to stimulus package
• DSS has contractual relationships with organizations like OnTrack, ABTech's ASPIRE program, etc.
• DHHS = department of health and human services
• TANF= temporary assistance for needy families. This is the term used today to describe the welfare system put in place after the 1996 welfare reform.
• Welfare recipients going to get a job usually don't join unions
• BC has the highest cost of living outside of the triangle area of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill
• EBT cards= Electronic Benefits Transfer. Automation of food stamps. The Farm Bill will hopefully expand pilot programs to offer fresh food for recipients, allowing for use of EBT cards at farmer's markets and community gardens
  

Responses
--Unfamiliar with NC Justice stats and vaguely familiar with Just Economics
--Impressed with our group and what we're doing.
--We could use charts to figure out how much each individual was receiving to paint more of a picture of how an individual is trying to live. Filling the gaps will be very important. How "safe" is this safety net?
--Stigmas. EBT cards. How much should the government help? What is the majority opinion of Americans today? Government vs. Employer.