Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 2014)
11 Street roots April 25, 2 0 U BROWN, from page 10 make sure the recommendations get implemented. The governor’s Prosperity data that if Oregonians can get a high school Initiatives specifically mentions this “income diploma and a GED and a bachelor’s degree, cliff.” I think we have a consensus that this they’re going to be much more likely to be m ust be fixed. I’m assuming the agency is employed than if they don’t have any of the working on specifics in its budget that will above. So why would you punish people for address it in the upcoming legislative doing what makes them successful ip the session and I’m assuming it’s on the eéonomy? Allow more governor’s radar time for education. screen as well. I think Give credit for partial we’ve reached -a wWe need to adequately food participation in work- tipping point on this related activities. For the TSKF program and its and people get i t example, this week I w ra p aron a l sewioes, That There’s a punishment ran into three high essentially, to Oregon w ow !!,!» my pash back« school and college TANF clients who get People e a i/t be successful students looking for minimum wage jobs. k unless job faad the services They internships at my lose their TANF, office. They could that they need to be and they’re worse off work part-time at a than where they were. siitcesslal/^ Starbucks, but they It doesn’t make any know th at internship sense. It’s a experience is much disincentive for more valuable in term s of learning and in people to get minimum wage work. term s of resume building. Why wouldn’t you give people on TANF who are volunteering J. Z.: The state has undergone several self crédit for that work experience? So we evaluations o f its bureaus,'including low- made some really specific recommendations income health care delivery and housing. How that we think the feds need to look at to will this report have an impact on how the provide m ore flexibility or common sense state conducts housing and health care ? than the system currently allows. I think operations, and how it all works together? families — whether they’re middle income or higher income — get common sense, and K. B.: I think it’s really a push to state these were common sense agencies to start working across silos. recommendations. That’s been the move that Gov. Kitzhaber has pushed with this 10-year budget plan...... J. Z.: W hat about raising, the income They’re starting to share stories. That threshold? I t ’s currently $617 fo r a parent o f needs to happen in a much more data-driven two. A nything above that gets you kicked o ff and conscious way. Washington State does TANF. it. If they can do it in Washington State, we should be doing it in Oregon. There needs K. B.: The auditors can make to be more data sharing ip ways that help recommendations; it’s one of my jobs to us, and more evidence based practices across silos. J. Z.: Advocates fo r people experiencing poverty say they’re concerned that the response goes in the other direction - enforcing time limits, ramping up requirements and pushing people o ff the roles. You make the numbers look good, but the people aren’t better off. K. B.: The audit highlights some very successful programs in Oregon, and some very successful folks, such as Tabatha Bielemeier. She’s highlighted in thé report * and she’s a contractor with TANF. She’s been very successful in placing clients because she had high expectations. So we want to be able to replicate the great work she’s doing. We want to b e able to replicate best practices. I think we’ve got some great things happening around the state in terms of the TANF program. We need to adequately fund thé TANF program and its wraparound services. That would be my push back. People can’t bè successful unless you fund the services that they- need to be successful. J. Z.: Do you have a num ber in mind? K. B.: No. J. Z.: You’ve announced that you are hiring 160 more caseworkers. K. B. 162. Yes, that’s huge. That was planned as a result of budget change of the 2013 Legislature. J. Z.: T ka i’s got to have a big impact. K. B.: Totally. So if you’re serving 200 families, and then you’re serving 80 or 90, you can spend a lot more time with those families and set very clear expectations. Transition Wandering Beggars by Vicky Franklin Wandering Beggars Parasite to this host called “Society” Stigmatized as the Anonymous No acknowledgement Plague the public with the audacity to “Ask” “Do you have or Can I have Your money and leftovers.... Isn’t that what they consider us Leftovers... Seasoned with debris, laying on cement pavements For us the hardest season is winter But the people who stereotype us are the coldest ever Assumed reasons for our conditions Their conclusion We are metropolitan exclusions Write us off... the streets Implement public policies Criminalize us for ruining the scenery Occupy land use as our bedding Tenants of public space, eminent domain Lack resources, so we do what we can to be self-sustained P rojects believes 110 O lte should have to be homeless. TANFs heavy toad H TANF enrollment in Oregon has increased dramatically, to more than 110,600 in July 2012. However, TANF expenditures have not changed. Unlike other federal entitlement < programs, federal funds for the TANF program are capped. That means that when demand increases, the state must either add state funds or decrease services in order to serve more individuals and families. ■ In order to meet the recent increase in demand, the 2011 Oregon Legislature cut funding to the JOBS employment and training program, which is part of TANF, and prioritized limited services to the most job-ready families. The program’s childcare subsidy was discontinued and mental health care funding was cut. ■ To cover payments, Oregon genera! fund expenditures on TANF rose from $166 million in 2007-09 to $254 million in 2013-15, a 53 percent increase. With case growth, the total monthly spending per family dropped from about $800 to less than $600. B Workload for case managers nearly doubled, up to 200 families per case manager in some cases. At that level, the auditors estimate that case managers have fewer than 40 minutes a month to work with each family. Ending homelessness and achieving self-sufficiency - now roasting and distributing craft coffee. Available,for purchase at: New Seasons M arket Green Zebra Grocery Food Front Cooperative Grocery Chuck's Produce Transition Í Projects 650 HW Irving SV Portland, OR 97209 503.280.4700 www.tprojects.org CaiWs ili bffice coi fee accounts! ■ 503-784-9263 CENTRAL CITY COFFEE www.c©nUalcityconc©rn.oig iac^ox>V<Mu/<^hcâ.CltYOoifee TkeTait Home We are people who aré homeless Doesn’t mean that we are not human .. . • But to society we are referred to everything that is offensive If we wasn’t why do lawmakers make laws to apprehend us All we have left is our dignity And we fight for that each day Despite the stares and rude comments as the public walk pass as if were not even there but don’t get-us wrong, I know some care Menu for today is bitten off sandwiches backwashed sodas This isn’t the life that We chose Do you hear the cry of the Wanderers with no fixed abode... Where senior and disabled adults receive the care and respect they deserve. Call us for more information (503)223-2144 1337 S.W. Washington, Portland, OR 97205 www.tafthome.org
