The support from TANF through the years represented “a big sigh of relief" for Shamek as she struggled with health issues, a husband's deportation and raising her young children.
But as she and her family dipped on and off the program over nearly 20 years, she was unaware her lifetime limit was drawing closer. In 2017, she lost access to the benefit for good. Medically fragile, with two young children in tow and no income, Shamek moved in with her parents.
In 2018, a third of the families who lost their benefits were homeless at the time, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Not all have the benefit of accommodating parents, like Shamek.
"What do they expect someone to do?" she said. "My parents are my safety net, but if I was outside, I'd be fucked."
At the same time, the effects of the recession-era changes tend to disproportionately impact people of color, especially Black families. While they make up 19% of TANF recipients, Black families were 30 percent of those removed in 2018, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Andrea Caupain is the CEO of Byrd Barr Place, which provides advocacy and services on behalf of poor Seattle residents.
"We saw Black families who still have not recovered [from the recession]," she said. "And so when we think about the TANF program, this disproportionately kicking people off of the program and unfairly sanctioning people, it's just another blow."
Rep. Debra Entenman, D-Kent, is one of a number of legislators pushing to increase accessibility to TANF. She introduced a bill in the Legislature this week in large part because of how hard the changes in the program have hit her Black constituents. "We have to ask ourselves honestly what are we doing? Why are we doing it and why is it disproportionately affecting a small part of our population?" she said.
Bryttni Seals — who was once in Entenman's district — has hit her lifetime limit. After a period on TANF, Seals, who's Black, completed medical office assistant training and last year landed a job with a Sea Mar community health clinic in South Seattle. At just over minimum wage, things remain tight, but she makes it work without TANF. She’s a self-described success story of the program.
But because the cap is for life, Seals, 30, with two young children, worries about the future. “If the company went down tomorrow, I’d be back to asking for benefits, applying for benefits, but I can’t get anymore benefits,” she said.
Last year, the Legislature rolled back some of the restrictive recession-era policies. Families can no longer be permanently removed from the program. Additionally, families experiencing homelessness are now eligible for an extension on their 60-month time limit.
The Legislature could go further this year. Entenman’s bill would allow families to stay longer on TANF, so long as they were in good standing with the program. It would also make the program more accommodating of families who temporarily fall out of compliance with TANF requirements. The changes would apply retroactively, meaning families who’ve been removed from the program could rejoin.
In the Senate, Joe Nguyen, D-West Seattle, has also pushed for restoring TANF to what it used to be, and even expanding it. His parents received welfare when he was growing up, and he credits the stability it provided with launching his successful life, first in tech and now in politics.
"The amount of money we estimate we needed on TANF was about $20,000," he said. "[Now] I pay more on taxes on that by myself in a year."
State estimates put the cost of returning TANF benefits to pre-2011 levels at about $18 million in 2020 and then over $27 million for each of at least the following three years. At those levels, roughly 1,700 additional families would receive cash assistance each year.
"Fundamentally, I'm OK with giving people money, getting them back on track and calling it good," he said.
"assistance" - Google News
January 23, 2020 at 08:04PM
https://ift.tt/2vihHnR
Cash assistance for families has plummeted in WA, even as poverty remains high - Crosscut
"assistance" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Ne4zX9
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Cash assistance for families has plummeted in WA, even as poverty remains high - Crosscut"
Post a Comment