- Kansas proposes welfare changes, By Brad Cooper, September 16, 2011, Kansas City Star: “Kansas is undertaking a series of welfare reforms, including one measure that would remove a financial advantage for unmarried couples on the welfare rolls. The head of social services, Rob Siedlecki, revealed the reforms Friday, saying they’re intended to level the playing field in several programs that serve tens of thousands of people. The goal is to strengthen the agency’s efforts to help Kansans find employment and achieve self-sufficiency, he said…”
- Kansas reforming some welfare rules, By Scott Rothschild, September 16, 2011, Lawrence Journal-World: “Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Secretary Robert Siedlecki Jr. on Friday announced a host of policy changes for programs that provide assistance to low-income Kansans. ‘These changes represent a significant change in policy, in that they treat all households equally, and create fairness across the system,’ Siedlecki said in a news release. Siedlecki said the changes would help eliminate fraud and abuse, and save from $10 million to $15 million, which would expand SRS’ programs to get folks back to work. ‘Getting people jobs is our first priority,’ Siedlecki said. The new policies will affect programs that provide tens of thousands of Kansans with food stamps, child care assistance and temporary assistance. They are set to take effect starting Oct. 1 and should be fully in place by Jan. 1…”
Day: September 19, 2011
Recession and Cases of Child Abuse
Child abuse rose during recession, research says, By Lindsey Tanner (AP), September 19, 2011, Houston Chronicle: “An increase in child abuse, mostly in infants, is linked with the recent recession in new research that raises fresh concerns about the impact of the nation’s economic woes. The results are in a study of 422 abused children from mostly lower-income families, known to face greater risks for being abused, and the research involved just 74 counties in four states. But lead author Dr. Rachel Berger of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh said the results confirm anecdotal reports from many pediatricians who’ve seen increasing numbers of shaken baby cases and other forms of brain-injuring abuse. Berger decided to study this type of injury, known as abusive head trauma, after noticing an increase at her own hospital from late 2007 through June 2009. Her hospital averaged 30 cases per year during those recession years versus 17 yearly before 2007…”
Unemployment and Foreclosure
States slow to tap $7.6B fund to help jobless pay mortgages, By Julie Schmit, September 18, 2011, USA Today: “A $7.6 billion federal program to help homeowners avoid foreclosures had distributed about 1% of its money to distressed owners 16 months after its creation, government reports show. The Obama administration awarded the funds last year to 18 states most affected by unemployment and fallen home prices. The states developed their own foreclosure-prevention programs targeting assistance to lower-income jobless and underemployed homeowners. By June 30, 17 states had used the funds to help about 7,500 homeowners, show reports states filed to the Treasury Department. New Jersey, which began its program in May, started making loans only this month. Funds are flowing more rapidly now, state officials say. All the states have launched their programs. The last was Illinois last week…”