Today we observe the passage of “welfare reform” on August 22, 1996, which “ended welfare as we know it” and created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Far from a success, this program has eviscerated needed direct financial assistance for struggling families. As we wrote in 2016, the program is helping far fewer…
Families Should Be Able to Take a Raise, Work More Hours, or Save for a Rainy Day Without Risking Losing their Food Assistance Overnight. The USDA has proposed a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rule that would make over 3 million Americans ineligible for SNAP benefits. The rule would severely cut back a longstanding state option – called…
This afternoon, Community Legal Services (CLS) and Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of almost 12,000 low-income Pennsylvanians who will lose their only source of income once the General Assistance program ends. The Pennsylvania residents who will lose this vital support are people with disabilities, people fleeing domestic violence, people completing treatment…
The Presidential Administration’s proposal would take food away from 755,000 people, including 90,000 Pennsylvanians.
The Pennsylvania General Assistance Program Ended August 1, 2019 Frequently Asked Questions 1. Will my cash assistance end? It depends. If you are pregnant or caring for a child who is related to you, your cash assistance should not end. You are not getting General Assistance. If you are not caring for a child, and your only income…
The following information comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Which students have always been eligible for SNAP (also known as food stamps)? The general rule is that college students are not eligible for SNAP, but there are many exceptions. Students may be eligible for SNAP if they are: (1) working 20 hours a week or…
Good news! Most low-income community college students can get SNAP benefits (food stamps). Apply Now! Until now, most students could only get SNAP if they are working 20 hours a week, receive work study, have young children, or have health problems. Because of a new policy, now Pennsylvania’s community college students who are in programs…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a new policy to help youth transitioning out of foster care access Supplemental Security Income (SSI)! Youth transitioning out of foster care are a particularly vulnerable population. Studies have confirmed what advocates in the field know from experience – that youth who age out of foster care are more likely…
Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid in 2015. Before Medicaid expansion, most lower-income adults who wanted Medicaid had to get forms from their doctors saying that they had health problems. Now, most lower-income adults can get Medicaid without medical forms. Q: Why does the welfare office ask for a medical form? A: Before Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid in…
Billie Washington was struggling to make ends meet. A former home care attendant, she was no longer able to work due to her rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other illnesses. While waiting for her disability benefits hearing, she began receiving General Assistance. Ms. Washington carefully budgeted the monthly $205.00 to cover her rent, toiletries, medical co-payments, and public transportation to get to doctor’s appointments. When she found out that General Assistance was being eliminated, Ms. Washington felt like she had the rug yanked out from under her. Describing the feeling of desperation, she said, “I was crushed. I just, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
