Policy Update, September 18, 2015

Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways usually provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).

Sign on to preserve expiring provisions for EITC and CTC

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) are critical pro-work, pro-family policies that help nearly 1 in 4 Hoosier households. Together, these tax credits are among the strongest tools to promote employment over dependency and to help working families move out of poverty to self-sufficiency. Congress is working this fall to make permanent some expiring business tax breaks. We urge Congress also to make permanent the expiring provisions of the EITC and CTC, which:

reduce the marriage penalty that some two-earner families face in EITC;
boost EITC for families with more than two children; and
ensure that the CTC's pro-work incentive is not lost for very low-wage workers.

Additionally, we ask that Congress close the glaring hole in the EITC that leaves out very low-income workers without children.

Please join our sign-on letter by replying here for your organization. Review text of letter.

New Poverty Data shows rate improving ever so slightly.

The U.S. Census released new poverty data this week, showing that the poverty rate continues to hover around 15% in Indiana. This translates to nearly one million Hoosiers living in poverty.

The poverty rate is higher for children, women and minorities. The chart at left illustrates the national poverty rates by age and sex.

More than 1 in 5 (21.5%) Hoosier children were in poverty in 2014. In Indiana, 16.8% of women

were in poverty, in contrast to 13.7% of men. While 12.6% of whites were in poverty, 32% of African Americans and 28.7% of Latinos were in poverty.

U.S. Census: More Hoosiers are insured!

Fewer Hoosiers were uninsured in 2014 in contrast to 2013. The uninsured rate dropped from 14% to 11.9%. Our rate has not declined as much as our neighbors with IL at 9.7%, KY and MI at 8.5% and OH at 8.4% uninsured in 2014. Nationally, the uninsured rate declined 13.3% to 10.4%--the largest decline in the uninsured rate over a single year in recorded history!

Advocates anticipate that the rate will continue to decline as more Hoosiers enroll in the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), as HIP was approved January 27 and has been rapidly adding new participants over the last eight months. See the full Health Insurance Coverage report.

New rates for "exempt" child care effective 9/15

The IN Family and Social Services Administration's Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning released new reimbursement rates for certain exempt providers participating in the Child Care Development Fund. The new rates increase reimbursement about 7% to reflect the new laws that became effective July 1. Review the powerpoint slides explaining the new requirements or the letter explaining the rate change.

Licensed and exempt child care providers that elect to participate in the Paths To Quality program qualify for higher rates. Compare and contrast the rates in your county.

Americorps Funding available

Serve Indiana has announced the 2016 funding opportunity for Americorps programs. Applications may be submitted to focus on the following areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures or veterans and military families. United Ways and Funds interested in applying? Please let us know.

Legislative Study Committee topics

The interim study committees of the Indiana General Assembly have been announced with first committee dates. Check calendar. Of interest to our readers are:

Education - 9/29 and 10/19, all 1pmET; 9/29 on school testing, data and reporting requirements and 10/19 to discuss teach shortages
Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services - 10/27 on whether or not bill drafts will be proposed
Fiscal Policy - 10/7, 10/13 and 10/21 all 9amET; multi-year review of tax incentives (EITC, NAP, IDA Credits, etc.), school corporation capital projects, EDGE credits and more
Agriculture and Natural Resources - 9/23 on the production and use of hemp oil
Corrections and Criminal Code - human trafficking, DNA samples, technology issues with sexual assault, crime and bullying
Courts and Judiciary - 9/24 and 10/20 on open adoption records, medical malpractice
Environmental Affairs - 10/14 on solid waste management districts and water distribution systems and 10/28
Government - 9/29 on policy body cameras and obsolete laws
Pension Management - 9/23 on public pensions
Public Policy - 10/6 and 10/22 on smoking, e-cigarettes, taxes and regulations, relationship to health and pregnancy
Road and Transportation - 10/8 and 10/15 on enterprise zone funds for transportation, railroad crossings and special group license plates
Redistricting - 10/1 on alternative methods of redistricting
Budget Committee - Indiana State Policy compensation relative to local departments
Commission on Improving the Status of Children - 11/18 on teen suicide prevention

Weigh in on issues important to you!

We will try to summarize important opportunities to weigh in on rulemaking or public comment periods. Here are a few opportunities.

Public hearing and comments received on Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) and Comprehensive Local Environmental Action Network Community Challenge Program (CLEAN) for clean air, water and solid waste on October 14.
FSSA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services will accept comments on educational interpreter services through a hearing held on October 22.

Let's not allow clients to fall through the cracks.

Help encourage people who are classified as ABAWDs, Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, to meet the new work requirements and to:

reschedule their appointment with the IMPACT office if they missed it, and
report their employment to the IMPACT office (as some recipients are already working, meeting the requirements, but may not have reported it).

We are also asking the assistance of

health and mental health providers to help clients apply for an exemption if there is a medical, mental health or addiction issue making them unfit for work, but who are not yet on disability. See information sheet in English and in Spanish and sample letter for providers to complete, as prepared by our friends at Indiana Legal Services, Inc;
food pantries and community- and faith-based partners to post flyers for
ABAWDs
; and
any organizations with clients who have special circumstances, i.e. a caregiver for an older adult or person with disability who is not able to meet work requirements to contact us.

EBT Outage: The Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) services for SNAP and TANF will experience a temporary overnight outage from 11pm, Saturday, September 26 through about 12:30pm, Sunday, Sept. 27. FSSA and Xerox are working to inform retailers and to enlist their help in disseminating posters for areas.

* Eastern Time Zone - ET English and ET Spanish

* Central Time Zone - CT English and CT Spanish

For info about the number of total SNAP recipients in your county, view FSSA reports.

IaUW Public Policy

IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on policies that are aligned with the impact work in local communities conducted by our 61 United Ways and United Funds.

Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and
Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.

Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities.

Review our public policy documents created during the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly, including fact sheets, testimony and bill summaries. See our quick summary based on IaUW priorities.

Frequently Requested Links / Documents

iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.

IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.

Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.

IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.

Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region.

IN211.org - Search for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.

NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.

Funding and Other Opportunities - Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

Indiana General Assembly

- Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.

Library of Congress

- Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.