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Welfare to Work (the clock is ticking or is it?) Almost 3 years ago (July 1997), Congress started the clock ticking on Welfare recipients. In Minnesota, MFIP (MN Family Investment Program) became the new acronym for the former Aide to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). The tick tock meant that the emphasis on welfare was job search and work first for all able bodied people. Sanctions include reduction in welfare payments and/or vouchers of services rather than cash payments would apply to anyone that did not co-operate and involve themselves in job search and training. At the Board meetings of May 2 and May 8, Monty Martin and Deborah Schlick of Community Human Services (CHS) updated the Commissioners on the program. Between July 1, 2002 and the end of 2002 about 2,800 MFIP participants will hit their time limits. It was reported by the presenters at the May 2 meeting that "Ramsey County's welfare reform goals are: people receiving cash assistance who can work will be in jobs that support their families before they reach their time limit; and people who cannot work or who are working in jobs that do not support their families will be supported by the community." However you put it, there will be some people who will be terminated from public assistance. According to the statistics on MFIP participants, there has been a steady decline since inception: 11,000 in 1997; by the end of 1998 the number declined to 9,400 families on cash assistance; another reduction took place in 1999 to 8,500 in July; since then the decline has been 50-60 families per month and is at about 8,200 as of right now. As positive as these figures are CHS projects that 2,800 will reach their expiration date. Why? Because of multiple barriers to employment. 28.5% of household members are on SSI (disability); 25% have language barriers; 35.5% unstable housing; 53.1% started on welfare as teen parents; 26.5% had been sanctioned; 17.4% have less than a 6th grade education; and 20.5% have 5 or more children. Janice believes that the first part of the goal is laudable, i.e., to have as many as possible working at good paying jobs. The idea of possibly extending time limits and supporting those with low-paying jobs and or unemployed beyond their time limit is unacceptable. The federal name for the dollars that fund MFIP is Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). The 2001 state legislature will be responsible for setting the TANF Intervention Fund. In the wee hours of the morning of this 2000 session, the Legislature approved a pilot program that will allow Dakota and four other counties to cut off all families that do not cooperate (5/10/00 Pioneer Press). How these dollars are applied to encourage recipients to work and move off of welfare permanently is Janice's focus-the goal is to minimize, really minimize the number that remain on MFIP cash payments. The cash ought to be coming from a payroll check. Temporary is the operative word. For the first time in the history of the country "welfare" has the opportunity to change from supporting a group of unemployed to maximizing the number of workers in the workforce and to safety net those that really need it like those with true medical (physical and mental) needs and the children. At the May 9 meeting, Janice said, "I'm not confident that the state legislature will accept a 2,100 to 2,800 figure of MFIP recipients for Ramsey County. I expect the number to be much lower. This is a whole new way that social workers have to look at 'welfare.'" Janice sees sanctions and the clock having a purpose. Moving off of welfare permanently is where it's at-that's the reality. Janice continued, "I hope more home visits and face to face with the message that you have to (work) or the consequence is sanctions or vendor services takes place. Jobs and doing the most for yourself self-reliance is what I push when I am out in the community door to door." Reality is we do not know how long the economic boom will continue. But to not use the economic boom to assist those who have not worked full time before would be a grave injustice. For every hour an unemployed or underemployed person can be on the job they are gaining money, spending opportunities, a track record of employment and skill building which can open many a door. Janice's reading of the state legislature and the federal government is that everyone that can work and support themselves and their family will. A more kinder way of thinking is: Be as self-sufficient as possible. Until you allow sanctions and the clock to work you'll never know the outcome. Example, 98% (5/12/00 Pioneer Press) of seniors in Minnesota passed their basic skills test. Would that have happened without mandatory testing? |
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