Street roots., July 08, 2011, Page 7, Image 7

Street roots
7
July 8, 2011
Human services budget ‘horrendous'
TA N F survives with longer time limit, resources partially intact
BY AMANDA WALDROUPE
STAFF W R IT E R
"We have three basic things to do as a state.
our months ago, the proposed cuts
We have to educate our population. We have
to the Temporary Assistance for
to fund public safety, and we have to care for
Needy Families (TANF) program
the
most vulnerable among us, who cannot
threatened to cut an estimated 8,000 from
care
for themselves. ..."We are basically
needed assistance to stay in housing,
secure work and raise children.
failing our most vulnerable citizens."
But despite a tight human services
REP. MITCH GREENLICK (D-PORTLAND)
budget and a $3.5 billion funding shortfall
that the Oregon
Rep. Mitch
Legislature had to
Greenlick
close, many cuts to
the TANF program
and other programs to help them re-enter
services in this state.”
were avoided. The
the work force and become self-sufficient
Rep. Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland) was
60-month time limit,
TANF clients stay in the program for an
one
of the 14 représentatives who voted
which is how long a
average of 24 months.
against the budget “This was a very
family may receive a
The number of two-parent families in
difficult budget to put together,” he said.
monthly cash grant of
TANF has increased dramatically since the
“But the fact is, it’s inadequate.”
up to $506, was
start of the recession; 330 percent since
The House floor gradually became
preserved. Gov. John
2007. Overall demand has increased by 57.3 hushed and silent as Greenlick continued
Rep. Tina Kotek Kitzhaber had
percent.
speaking, first about how the governor’s
proposed an 18-month
The extent to which TANF has been
proposed DHS budget was “a disaster,” and
life-time limit that would have made
preserved is pretty remarkable considering
the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means
Oregon the most stringent in the nation.
the cute to other human service programs.
Committee’s proposed budget “a
Funding was restored to other TANF
Last week, the Oregon Legislature
catastrophe.”
programs as well, including the Parents as
approved the Department of Human
“Eventually,” said Greenlick, a member
Scholars program and programs providing
Services’ budget and legislators sounded
of
the
Ways and Means Human Services
support services to families.
clear warnings that Oregon’s safety net is
Subcommittee, which wrote the DHS
TANF advocates'scored another victory
close to unraveling.
budget “we were able to put $100 million
in the last two weeks of the Legislature’s
“It was a horrendous budget, with
back into it to make it onlylerrible.”
session. Oregon received a “bonus” grant
horrendous possibilities,” said Rep. Tina
“We have three basic things to do as a
from the federal Department of Agriculture
Kotek (D-Portland) on the House floor.
state,” he said. “We have to educate our
for reducing error rates in the state’s food
“It’s barely tolerable now...colleagues,
population. We have to fund public safety,
stamp program. $1.4 million of that money
please do not feel comfortable in this
and we have to care for the most
is restoring post-TANF payments given to
budget. It is very dangerous.”
vulnerable among us, who cannot care for
famihes who leave the TANF program as a
The total DHS budget is $7.97 billion
themselves.”
result of finding employment. The
dollars. It is 1.2 percent less than the 2009-
He criticized the way the state
payments, $50 a month, are designed to
2011 budget when increased federal food
determines human services funding,
help families as they transition to being
money is not factored in.
characterizing the process as determining
fully self-sufficient.
W S i 81 8 w -Mb i stamp
T w te k^ w n o yyas c lo s e d to t e a r s fo w a rd _ h o w m u c h j S N f o T r e s p e r i t o n e d u c a t i o r i ,
TANF is a program reserved for the
then public safety, with “what is left over”
theend of her speech, said that potential
poorest of Oregon’s poor. It provides a
left for human services.
increased future caseloads, combined with
cash benefit for individuals or couples with
“We are basically failing our most
staffing shortages and the likelihood that
dependent children to help cover their
additional funding will not be available is
vulnerable citizens,” Greenlick said. “That
basic needs while they participate in job
is not a good place to be.”
“creating a very fragile system of human
training programs, educational programs,
■
PH O TO BY JO A N N E ZU H L
Michelle, who is homeless, at the Downtown
Chapel after recieving a new “Vial o f Life”
packet with her medical history inside.
LIFE, from page 1
asked is, ‘do you have any medical
conditions,’” says manager Steve Mattsson.
But he admits that the homeless folks who
come in are notoriously poor historians of
medical history. Plus, alcohol can mask
over many serious medical issues.
“I meet first responders who wonder,
‘did I make the right choice?’” says
Noethe, who hopes the Vial of Life
program will Change that.
“The bottom line is we peed to make
sure those in need — however that is
defined — get the right help in an
emergency,” says Jean Marks with
Providence Health & Service’s Public
Relations office. “Emergency responders
seem to be excited about this program
because it makes their job easier. They
don’t have to guess about their patients’
allergies and prescriptions,” saysMarks.
“It serves the poor and vulnerable, but it
also helps everyone do a better job.”
Bruce Strade, executive director of
Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries, says
they are just getting a feel for how
successful the program is, but thinks
adapting the program for other agencies is
“not out-of our reach.”
Downtown Chapel’s idea for the Vial of
Life program originated from Northwest
Parish Nurse Ministries’ and Providence
Health Systems’ Vial of L.I.F.E. (Lifesaving
Information for Emergencies) program -- a
traditional method of storing medical
information of isolated elders’ in readily
identifiable pill hotties in refrigerators.
Early this year, parish nurse Sharon
Christenson asked, ‘why not do this in the
homeless community?’ and approached
Noethe with the idea of implementing the
Vial of Life program at Downtown Chapel.
Noethe says he immediately took to the
idea, remembering times when homeless
guests passed out mysteriously in
Downtown Chapel’s lobby.
He is especially hopeful that the
program will help guests with trauma
history, including traumatic brain injuries,
who cannot recall medical history.
“They dont’ always keep everything in
mind,” says Michelle, who is borderline
diabetic combined with other medical
issues. “And if (medics) don’t know about
it, that’s a problem.”
Noethe agrees. “It is essential that first
responders, especially in Old Town, are .
able to identify the Vial of Life pouches and
make use of them,” says Noethe.
His plan forward is to replicate the Vial
of Life program among other Portland
service agencies. Noethe has even created
a manual for other organizations to
implement and evaluate the program.
“I have no doubt this is going to benefit
someone,” says Noethe. “With Vial of Life,
we’re not doing case work where we follow
people over time, and we won’t always get
to see the outcomes.
“But I know this will improve lives.”
good, local, food.
ALBERTA
COOPERATIVE
GROCERY
1500 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211
503.287.4333
www.albertagrocery.coop
open to everyone 9-10 daily
This July a n d A ugust,
Downtown
brings you a better way
to give to the homeless.
ana tor every coupon
redeemed, well donate $5 to