Record number in government anti-poverty programs

[ProSense]

Source: USA Today

WASHINGTON — Government anti-poverty programs that have grown to meet the needs of recession victims now serve a record one in six Americans and are continuing to expand.

More than 50 million Americans are on Medicaid, the federal-state program aimed principally at the poor, a survey of state data by USA TODAY shows. That's up at least 17% since the recession began in December 2007.

"Virtually every Medicaid director in the country would say that their current enrollment is the highest on record," says Vernon Smith of Health Management Associates, which surveys states for Kaiser Family Foundation.

The program has grown even before the new health care law adds about 16 million people, beginning in 2014. That has strained doctors. "Private physicians are already indicating that they're at their limit," says Dan Hawkins of the National Association of Community Health Centers.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-08-30-1Asafetynet30_ST_N.htm

[OneGrassRoot]

1. The HEARTH Act....

I just got the first link via email yesterday. Since then I've seen several poverty and homeless advocacy groups saying it was a good move -- not good enough, but a move in the right direction after decades.

http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/3335

http://monarchhousing.org/2010/07/15/hearth-act-implementation/

[ProSense]

2. Thanks. More info.

HUD FY2011 BUDGET FOCUSES ON FISCAL DISCIPLINE, INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND PLACES

<...>

The carefully targeted investments in the Budget will enable HUD programs to:

• House over 2.3 million families in public and assisted housing (over 58% elderly or disabled);
  
  
• Provide voucher assistance to 78,000 additional families (over 47% elderly or disabled);
  
  
• Assist nearly 5.5 million households, over 200,000 more than at the end of fiscal year 2009.
  
  
• More than double the annual rate at which HUD assistance creates new permanent supportive housing for the homeless;
  
  
• Create and retain over 112,000 jobs through the Department’s housing and economic development investments in communities across the country.

<...>

The Budget reflects a strong administration commitment to preventing and ending homelessness. To support implementation of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act signed into law last year by President Obama, the Budget proposes a nearly $200 million increase in homeless assistance funding compared to fiscal year 2010 to increase investment in evidence-based practices, support the shift of local homeless assistance systems to a performance-based orientation, and to better meet the unique needs of rural communities. These investments in prevention will create long term savings in the costs of caring for the homeless. HUD has requested $2.055 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants in its FY2011 budget. $107 million of the new funding would focus on providing up to 10,000 new units of permanent housing for homeless families and individuals and implementing a new rural homelessness program.

<...>

President's FY 2011 Budget Rundown

[rfranklin]

3. What a bunch of freeloaders!

If we threw them out on the street, unemployment would go way down! :sarcasm:

[Downwinder]

4. Dup

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4522091

[Iowa]

5. All these "anti-poverty" will not keep you out of poverty...

As one who worked for many years with people who were down and out, I have always said that there's a lot more hole than there is net... a LOT more. Most people don't realize how little net there really is until they need it. For most families it comes down to money - things like food, shelter, transportation, and medical care. There are a ton of little programs out there that will "help" you with advice, maybe some training expenses, resume preparation, etc. Most are based on the antiquated notion that any able bodied person who wants to work should be able to find a job (which we all know is bullshit). Food stamps and food pantries may help with food - IF you qualify.

But unless you qualify for unemployment, or Social Security Retirement, or a pension, or have a disability that is so severe that you qualify for SSDI/SSI, or you're paying for private disability insurance and qualify for that... nobody will be sending you a check to cover your ongoing living expenses. It varies from state to state, of course - but trust me - you don't want to be without a job in this country unless you can afford to pay your own way or fall into one of the categories above.

When I saw what was truly available, vs. what most people and politicians think is available, I started living FAR below my means and accumulating some assets. There's no way I wanted to be at the mercy of this country's weak safety-net. There's really no "net" there unless you fall into a very narrow subset of people. So anyone who has a decent job now should be living well below their means, IMO, because one never knows when things will turn to crap. There's no other way that I know of to protect yourself, and I was in a field that enabled me to see it first-hand.

[TheWatcher]

6. Shuuut Up! Stcok MArktz Up 200 Pointzzz!!!!!111!

Recpverie is Stronge and Gwtting Strongier!!!!!!11111111

Youe Hatee ObMa!

:crazy: