Re: Is it possible to create a welfare system that rewards people to be self-sufficie
I'll admit. I have never been on welfare and I don't know how it works. I used to think that being on food stamps meant you were on welfare, but somebody on food stamps told me that isn't true. You can work, be low income, but still qualify for food stamps. I don't know the qualifications or disqualifications, and I doubt most people do. I think welfare is just a scapegoat, and I will readily admit that I don't know how efficient and effective it is or is not. I don't know how easily abused it is, how often etc.
I have worked with clients and counseled people who were/are on welfare; I also studied social work (in addition to counseling, psychology, sociology and computer tech) in college, so I know the local welfare system fairly well .. as far as I know welfare includes:
All the following services are provided as a percentage of income below poverty level - the more you make the less assistance you get and then once you are above the poverty level the assistance is cut-off - I believe all require that you are working or volunteering until you work - also there are waiting lists for certain assistance types (not sure exactly which ones though):
Temporary cash assistance: a small amount of cash supplement - program based on need basis i believe and that is temporary (not sure how long) and requires that recipients do education, if they don't have a GED I believe they have to do adult classes, then participate in approved trainings for jobs, or enroll in a degree based system that will likely ensure them a better job
Housing assistance (there are different types, some for those with disabilities, some for the elderly, some for people in poverty) - I believe the one for people in poverty requires all the people in the household to be working or if they can't find work, volunteering until they can - assistance is figured by charging rent that is like 30% of your monthly income - via voucher or in association with certain housing foundations - I believe there is a government assisted home owners version that is much more expensive, but less so than buying a house outright and people rent to own -
very long waiting list
Cell phone can be provided for those in poverty with a small amount of minutes mainly meant enough minutes for emergencies and work related calls
Food Stamps - like 14% of income worth of food is provided (increases with family size)
Healthcare - covers doctors visits (not dental) and medications - there is one for the elderly and one for those in poverty -
I believe this takes like a couple months or so to get accepted
Dental - some cities have dental clinics that offer lowered rates/sliding scale fees for those in poverty
Heating Assistance - minimum estimated heat cost is calculated then assistance is given via a voucher
Higher Education Assistance: there's a program call inspire or something that helps pay for books and transportation to college
Student Loans - government student loans help with tuition and a little bit of living costs depending on family size and one's age (under 25, students get much less assistance) - subsidized and unsubsidized loans - i.e. some loans accrue interest while the student is in school and some do not accrue interest until the individual is out of school - I believe you need to be getting a C or better in all your classes to continue to get student loans
Social Security - for people with disabilities helps with basic needs in the form of cash (i.e. a check) -
I think this is next to impossible to acquire unless you are paralyzed or paralyzed from the waist down, or have been diagnosed with MR before the age of 18 - and I think it could take up to a year or more if you have any other kind of disability
That is all I can think of off the top of my head - Not sure if there are differences from State to State
The main problem with these systems is that there is a sudden cut-off of assistance - i.e. assistance abruptly stops at a certain income level - this encourages people to keep lower incomes because they wouldn't be able to afford their bills if they got off the system - it's pretty sick if you ask me - whoever thought the system up either were complete morons or there is some conspiracy to keep people on welfare
don't quote me on all of those, but that's what I can remember from talking to people and from college