Spokane7
65°
September 8, 2011 in City
Welfare, child support cuts hit hard
Mother of three gets $300 less per month, says she can’t escape ‘poverty hole’
It was hard last year for a Spokane mother of three trying to work her way off welfare. It’s much worse now.
“I was trying to make the right steps, but now I’m going to have to back step,” said Jenniffer Cooke, 41, who receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families while she works to lift her family out of poverty.
State budget cuts, including the suspension of child-support payments, have had a severe effect on her chances.
Born into a middle-class California family, Cooke found herself and her children destitute and homeless in Spokane three years ago as a result of the breakup of her marriage, which ended in divorce.
She worked “one dead-end job after another” until November, when she joined AmeriCorps, working as a volunteer coordinator for Cancer Patient Care, a nonprofit that serves the social needs of patients.
Cooke’s plan was to escape poverty by learning job skills with the national service agency, which helps her pay off student loans and provides her a small stipend.
Although the court has ordered her former husband to pay Cooke $320 a month in child support, the payments are collected by the state to help reimburse the cost of payments and services she receives through a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant.
Beginning October 2008, federal and state law allowed the state Division of Child Support to pay custodial parents of minor children a portion of their child support. These payments, known as “pass-throughs,” are left to the discretion of each state. Idaho has opted not to pass through any portion of child support to welfare recipients.
In Washington, families with one child typically received a $100-a-month pass-through, and families with more than one child received $200 a month.
On May 1, those payments stopped for about 12,372 poor Washington families with 23,450 children as a result of budget-reduction measures taken by the state Legislature. Suspension of the child-support pass-through was expected to save the state $37.6 million over two years.
As of the first of the year, the state also cut welfare checks by 15 percent.
Cooke’s family lost its $200 pass-through while its TANF grant was cut from $662 to $562 a month.
Now Cooke fears she will have to find another low-wage job and quit AmeriCorps, where she had hoped to gain experience that would improve her future employment prospects.
“I’m not a big spender, but I’m barely making it,” said Cooke, who is having a hard time buying shoes for her children, ages 9, 7, and 4. “No matter what I do I can’t get out of the poverty hole.”
Rights panel poorly understood 
misjustice on September 08 at 6:08 a.m.
Where’s my tax cut?
Here’s the thread from yesterday, when the above story (now condensed) first ran.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/sep/07/budget-cuts-thwart-single-moms-effort-escape-pover/?c=341546&comments=1#c341546
mikeln on September 08 at 6:14 a.m.
New job plan coming soon to your t.v. What a joke, this president just doesn’t seem to have the backbone needed to put americans back to work at jobs that pay the bills the job creators say we are responsible for. A vote for either party is a vote to put yourself in the unemployment line.
misjustice on September 08 at 6:21 a.m.
Bbbut mikeln, gubmint doesn’t create jobs! Job Creators create jobs!
Where’s my tax cut?
BlondeSquawker on September 08 at 6:30 a.m.
He could start another war! That’ll create jobs!
-just sayin’
Diana on September 08 at 6:42 a.m.
We realize, of course, it is Congress that creates jobs bill legislation. Not the President. But, of course, we know that.
misjustice on September 08 at 6:47 a.m.
Ms. Cooke should move to Texass; there are lots of jobs there, according to Governor Perry. What she shouldn’t do is stay here, in a liberal state with her hand out and her pitiful poverty story, and expect more goodies from the tax payers. The jig is up, sister.
Get thee to Texass; where jobs are plentiful and they don’t cotton to free lunchers.
Where’s my tax cut?
DickAdams on September 08 at 7:11 a.m.
I agree MisJ, where`s my tax cut. I want to be included!! Then we can`t forget that approx 50% of Americans, do not pay one red dime of federal income tax.
IHike4Fun on September 08 at 7:15 a.m.
The state doesn’t pay child support. The non resident parent pays child support. DSHS could act as a pass through but the $$ always came from the parent. I don’t know what this article is talking about…
misjustice on September 08 at 7:37 a.m.
IHike, if mom is a free luncher, and gets state aid, then the state confiscates the child support, minus a small amount that goes to the free luncher which is called a pass through; as it should.
Why should I pay for Mr. and Ms. Cookes kid’s? I don’t even like kids; especially POOR ones! They put their sticky, grubby hands all over my chaise lounge (and reek of public education, I must add)…Ick!
Where’s my tax cut?
AmyY on September 08 at 7:43 a.m.
@IHike4Fun - If a non-custodial’s child is receiving cash welfare benefits, that money is collected by the state and the money is used to “reimburse” the state for the money paid to the custodial parent in the form of TANF welfare payments.
The pass-thru referenced in the article is a portion of that monthly child support payment passed along to the custodial parent along with their cash benefit. If the custodial parent is not getting TANF, that child support goes directly to the parent, not the state.
If a state allows for pass-thru’s, that’s less money for the state. The elimination of the pass-thru allowed for the state to show “savings” on the books but as the article points out, the effect may well be more people staying on assistance longer which probably negates any perceived savings.
mikeln on September 08 at 7:53 a.m.
The unintended consequences of all this will come back to bite us on the backside, and bite us hard. We need to start building private prisons, we are going to need them. This will not only put people back to work but we can then have half the people keeping watch over the half in jail, full employment on your dime.
DickAdams on September 08 at 8:06 a.m.
MisJ, re your comment about kids. I`ve got an idea for you. Build a swimming pool, fill it with crocodiles and then invite the little kids living near you over for a swim.
Squid on September 08 at 8:52 a.m.
Seems to me that time limits for welfare or whatever assistance is the best answer for all problems. We have all known someone who has been on welfare over 20 years, and then moves to another program when they run out of qualifying kids. A breeding career that doesn’t pay well, or motivate anything.
I really believe it’s necessary to help when help is needed. I just don’t believe it should be a life long commitment. 6 year limit, maybe? Long enough to get a four year degree and get self sufficient. There are plenty of grants and scholarships for single women with kids…. But then again, that takes planning, motivation, and commitment, which was obviously abandoned. I guess I don’t know the perfect solution.
Orphan on September 08 at 9:21 a.m.
I have offered to help quite a few of these people in non monetary ways, most will not return the 1st phone call and not one has ever returned the 2nd call or showed up for the meeting they agreed to.
When I have offered cash or goods they are right there. Maybe I am jaded, maybe I have just offered to help the wrong people.
I will continue to give meat, cash and clothing to the Union Gospel Mission.
AmyY on September 08 at 10:03 a.m.
There is a limit on cash assistance to families (TANF) and has been one in place since the 1990’s thanks to the Clinton Administration. States were given the option to determine how long of a limit - 5 years (60 months) is the maximum and those numbers follow you from state to state. It’s a lifetime limit.
misjustice on September 08 at 10:31 a.m.
When they make it hard to actually live on Welfare then people will get jobs. But, why get a job when you can have others take care of you? Oh, I forgot…..that’s Obama’s “Share The Wealth” theory that so many voted for.
pamelar16 on September 08 at 11:56 a.m.
@Squid: “Long enough to get a four year degree and get self sufficient.”
Yes, because we all know that everyone who has a 4 year degree is employed.
@ just me again: “When they make it hard to actually live on Welfare then people will get jobs.”
What world do you live in? Have you heard about the unemployment rate???
@misjustice: …Never mind, you are too ridiculous to respond to.
johnclarke on September 08 at 1:12 p.m.
Thank you Orphan, our politics may not line up very often but you are a fine person for trying. I have posted numerous times that there is another layer to Work Source called Career Path Services that with a referral (all you have to do is ask) will help you find a job. They often co-locate in Work Source offices. You have to simply want to get a job, and chances are they will find you one.
Squid on September 08 at 2:12 p.m.
Pamela, have you lost hope? Been chatting with Eeyore? “Oh well, it doesn’t matter anyway.” There are plenty of jobs with a four year degree, if you choose wisely. There is always a need in the medical professions. A little research goes a long way. Same with a positive and cheery attitude.
Amy, I wasn’t aware there were limits. I rented a house to a couple that were getting DSHS checks for several years, and had been getting them for several years before I rented to them. I wouldn’t sign a section 8, so they got the Mormon church to pay rent for them. Is it possible that they were on a different DSHS program that didn’t have time limits? I know they were doing the job training thing for a while, as well as school at SCC, but quit, and apparently weren’t required to continue to keep getting checks.
reallyok on September 08 at 2:40 p.m.
It is very possible to work and still qualify for section 8. And if someone is receiving TANF (welfare), they are required to do a job search full time and not allowed to get a 4 year degree.
AmyY on September 08 at 2:47 p.m.
@squid - only TANF benefits are time-limited (and I believe some Tribal TANF programs may not have limits; don’t quote me on that). This is the cash grant that goes to families with children under the age of 18.
It is entirely possible that the folks you rented to were receiving a different type of cash grant - such as disability. There are no time limits on aged or disabled payments.
The system is not perfect and sometimes folks get more than they are eligible for. It works the other way too though for some folks - getting denied when they are in fact eligible.
Squid on September 08 at 3:23 p.m.
Thanks for the info Amy and ReallyOK. They weren’t Tribal members, as far as I know, and seemed perfectly able to work. Who knows. I suppose my views were tainted by them, since they bought all new furniture, a fairly new Geo, and a killer subwoofer stereo for the Geo. Their cupboards and refer were packed so full of cheap junk food, that you couldn’t get a piece of paper in them. Always complained about everything, except when they disappeared when rent was due. They did $20,000 damage out of spite, before they left without notice, and then were going to take me to small claims to get their damage deposit back.
I know I shouldn’t judge all by their actions, and try not to, since I have been in a position when I could have used assistance. I think it’s necessary, but not permanently, unless you have an honest disability. I am glad to hear there are time limits.
misjustice on September 08 at 5:33 p.m.
Pamelar16, thank you; that is my point.
Dick, I like the way you think. I have a kiddie pool and will fill it up with hot water, itching powder,leeches and sign “FREE SWIMIN”
Where’s my tax cuts?