- Eliminates General Assistance; Emergency General Assistance; Emergency MN Supplemental Aid. Replace with new 'Adult Assistance Program' as a block grant to counties.
- MFIP/Diversionary Work Program - $150 SSI penalty.
- MFIP Child Care Assistance Grant reduction.
Grant Programs:
- Reductions to the Children & Community Services Grant - Grants to all MN counties to purchase or provide child protection/child welfare services for children, adolescents and other individuals who experience dependency, abuse, neglect, poverty, disability, or chronic health conditions.
- Reductions to the Adult Mental Health Grants.
- Reductions to the Children's Mental Health Grants.
Health Care:
- Eliminates Medical Assistance for single adults and moves them back to GAMC and the Coordinated Care Delivery Systems (CCDS). (If you recall, the four recognized CCDS clinics were all in the Twin Cities metro area, severely hampering access to care for those in Greater Minnesota.)
- Removes approximately 100,000 people from Medical Assistance, primarily parents and children.
- Eliminates all optional services under Medical Assistance such as dental, eyeglasses, physical therapy, speech therapy and prosthetic devices.
- Combines General Assistance, Emergency General Assistance, Emergency Supplemental Aid, and special needs and diets into one block grant with a 60-day residency requirement. Counties are granted authority to decide how to spend the funds.
- Moves everyone who is at 75% of poverty and above from MinnesotaCare to the Minnesota Healthy Contribution program. Eligible persons would have to obtain their own health care coverage which may limit their access to a broad range of health care benefits and face higher deductibles ($3,000 or more according to an analysis by NAMI).
It's sometimes hard to represent in a short newsletter all the significant changes being proposed and debated this legislative season as the deficit is addressed. As one short-hand review, the following is a list of programs that are slated to be eliminated or significantly reduced by the Senate HHS Finance Committee:
Department of Human Services
Eliminate Child Care Service Development Grants
Eliminate Child Care Resource and Referral Grants
Eliminate Migrant Child Care Grants
Eliminate Child Care Facility Grants
Eliminate American Indian Child Welfare Program
Eliminate Child Welfare Reform-Prevention/ Early Intervention Grants
Eliminate Child Welfare Act Transfer
Reduce Subsidized Adoption Grants
Reduce Relative Custody Assistance Grants
Eliminate LEP Grant-CFS
Eliminate U Special Kids Intensive Care Management Grants
Eliminate Outreach Grants
Eliminate Caregiver Support Grants
Eliminate Aging Prescription Drug Assistance Grants
Reduce Senior Nutrition Program Grants
Reduce DD Family Support Grants
Eliminate Technology Grants-Corp Foster Care Alternatives
Reduce Mental Health Alternatives to ML Grants
Eliminate AMH Culturally Specific Services
Eliminate Children's Mental Health Screening Grants
Eliminate CMH-Capacity School Based Services
Eliminate CMH-Capacity Evidence Based Practices
Eliminate CMH-Cultural Competence Provider Capacity Grants
Eliminate Adult Mental Health Crisis Grants
Reduce the Children and Community Services Grant
Department of Health Grants
Local Public Health Grants for Tribes
Family Planning Grants
Family Planning Grants-Greater MN
Home Visiting
TANF 1 FHV Tribal Government
TANF 1 Family Planning
GF 1 Eliminating Health Disparities
TANF 1 Disparities Grant
GF 1 Community Tobacco Grants
GF 2 Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program
GF 2 Indian Health Grants
GF 2 Migrant Grants
GF 2 CALS Grants
HCAF 2 Rural Hospital Planning & Transition Grant
HCAF 2 Summer Health Care Internships
HCAF 2 Health & LTC Career Promotion Grants
HCAF 2 Funding for Existing Loan forgiveness Obligations
730 HCAF 2 Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program
731 HCAF 2 National Health Service Corp (Federal Match)
732 GF 3 Lead Abatement Grant
__________________________
Minnesota Housing Freezes Rental Assistance Enrollment
Last week, Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency) published notice that effective April 1, 2011, Minnesota Housing would implement an admission freeze in all Agency funded Tenant-Based Rental Assistance programs. Minnesota Housing had increased the number of housing opportunities with funding from the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) rental assistance program to help achieve the goals established under the Business Plan to End Long-Term Homelessness. Many of the past funding commitments were made under the assumption that the HTF, a state appropriated resource, would receive a $4 million dollar biennial base budget increase. Both the Governor and Legislative proposals have decreased funding to the HTF, and Minnesota Housing has responded with the proposed freeze.
Minnesota Housing is seeking guidance from its partners and stakeholders on the best future response based on the following scenarios:
1. Maintain the current program guidelines: Many grantees administer Section 8 Model programs, where participants pay 30% of income for rent. Some have a subsidy cap program, and the terms vary. Funding cuts will likely reduce availability of assistance for 700 - 815 households:
- SFY12: Estimated loss of 240 households, through attrition.
- SFY13: Effective 7/1/12, funding for at least 440 households will be cut.
- SFY13: Estimated loss of 130 households, through attrition.
2. Implement a subsidy cap program (where the amount of rent covered would be limited). Subsidy limits may range from: SRO - $250, One bedroom - $300, Two Bedroom - $400, Three Bedroom - $600, Four Bedrooms or More - $750.
- Funding cuts will likely reduce availability of assistance for 350 - 400 households, through attrition.
- The freeze on new admissions is likely to be in place for 24 months.
- Tenants will likely incur increased cost. Exceptions may be made for participants with zero income.
3. Shift a higher percentage of housing cost (40-45%) on to the tenant.
- Funding cuts will likely reduce availability of 300 - 380 households, through attrition.
- The freeze on new admissions is likely to be in place for 9 - 12 months.
__________________________
Homeless Program Hosts Open House
On March 18, Hearth Connection and Project Home staff organized an open house for legislators and community members to learn more about a local homeless services program. The open house in Owatonna was hosted by the South Central Human Relations Center, whose Project Home team serves people with long histories of homelessness. Participants, landlords, community leaders, and staff were on hand to discuss the program and potential cuts from the state budget. Rep. Kory Kath also attended the event.
Project Home's open house fostered good discussion and raised awareness about homelessness in the area. Please check out local media coverage of the event from KTTC News and the Owatonna People's Press.
__________________________
Pending State Bills
Throughout the Legislative session we wish to highlight bills that may help frame public debate on policy matters or that directly impact services and housing for people experiencing
long-term homelessness. Here is a quick list of bills that grabbed our attention:
Please keep watching the HHS Finance omnibus bills: HF 927 and SF 760.
SF 1017 attempts to amend Minnesota Statute Section 144.343 to deny minors the ability to consent to medical, mental health and other health services to determine pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, alcohol or drug abuse. The bill only provides two exceptions: incest and homeless or runaway youth receiving services from a licensed program offering outreach, community support, and short-term shelter. The exception for homeless youth would only consent for youth receiving services, although a substantial percentage of the homeless youth population never receive services from a community-based organization due to limited capacity (lack of bed spaces and too few personnel).
HF 689 (and companion bill SF 164) would implement changes to general assistance programs. Authored by Rep. Huntley, HF 689 would increase the amount of earned income (ie employment earnings) a person can have while enrolled in a group residential facility or similar programs. For instance, participants would be able to keep $500 of earned income in a separate savings account per month, instead of the current $150 limit.
__________________________
Federal Policy Update
Congressional Briefing Today: Family and Child Homelessness
The House Congressional Caucus on Homelessness will host a congressional briefing entitled "A Growing Epidemic: Homeless Children, Youth, and Families," on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Barbara Duffield of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth will moderate a panel of persons including:
- Beth McCullough of Adrian School District in Adrian, MI;
- Lori Cryss of Amethyst, Inc. in Columbus, OH; and
- Michelle Flynn of The Road Home in Salt Lake City, UT.
The briefing will highlight successful strategies for addressing family and child homelessness.
