Power point by: Patrick Dorsey, Thomas DiGugliemo, Winona Francis, Ian Uyeki, Mario Walker and Kelsey Shannon Prepared for PSCI 12: Public Policy and Administration A Community Based Learning Course at Drew University In Partnership with The United Way of Northern New Jersey, Morris County May 2012

The Question What are the federal, state and local programs operating in Morris Country to help the unemployed find work? Are they effective? What kinds of supports and services do they provide? What kind of additional supports and services are necessary to assist job seekers?

FEDERAL POLICES Social Security Act 1935 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program under title IV directed primarily at single-parent families Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

FEDERAL POLICES (con’t) Added a workforce development component to welfare legislation EITC, which was enacted in 1975 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 “third tier” Helps A.L.I.C.E.’s Department of Housing and Urban Development Act “federal government has been out of this business for 20 years ”(Louis A. Riccio)

Important Departments The Morris County Economic Development Corporation: matches business with vacant lands western Morris county have over a million square feet of office space State has bad reputation with business Morris county development office: Smart Growth & Transit Village Homeless Survey Madison Housing Authority: Average waiting time for public housing is 5-10 years

Suggestions Game of “hot potatoes” needs to stop Add amendments to the HUD Act require the federal government to set aside funds so that more affordable housing can be build. The state should be required to meet a certain percentage of it. State donate vacant land Cut the Red Tape

State and Local Policies and Programs

Legislation and Policies Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 PRWORA created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families replacing AFDC 1997 – New Jersey passes Work First New Jersey Act and Work First New Jersey General Public Assistance Act

Context: Unemployment

Work First New Jersey Main goals of Work First New Jersey include; - helping needy families with children - promoting job attainment and retention - helping families remain stable - educating people in a variety of ways Includes a greater emphasis on self-sufficiency and transitional benefits.

Work First NJ Structure At the state level the Department of Human Services Division of Family Development directs the entire Work First New Jersey program. Career centers operate at the local level under the Department of Labor and Workforce Development as of July 1 st, 2004 under the; Unemployment Compensation Law, Extended Benefits Law, and the Workforce Development Partnership Act

Initial Maximum Allowable Income Levels and Maximum Benefit Payment WFNJ/TANF Schedules I and II

Benefits Cash Assistance benefits include; - help with living expenses - medical support - child care - transportation - other expenses related to maintaining a job Individual Responsibility Plan, Early Employment Initiative, Career Advancement Voucher

Evaluation Making sure Work First New Jersey is operating as efficiently both in terms of cost and how well it helps families is a very important process In 1997 the state hired Mathematica Policy Research Inc. to provide an evaluation of Work First New Jersey

Evaluation

Programs and Services

Federal Supplemental Security Income Earned Income Tax Credit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Temporary Assistance Needy Families

Programs and Services Not many programs are still under Federal administration but are still funded by the Feds Most programs are State administered and Federally funded

Supplemental Security Income Since 1974 the number of recipients of SSI has doubled and 85% of these recipients are disabled SSI helped 7.5 million people in 2009 and for 60% of the recipients, SSI is their only source of income

SSI Helps families with low to very low income ALICE members would not be able to qualify Now used to help more disabled people than impoverished

EITC Federal tax credit for low and moderate income level families who have been working Over 27million families received this benefit in 2009 In 2010 EITC raised 6.3 mil people out of poverty, including 3.3mil children

EITC ALICE members benefit significantly Especially depending on family size This benefit helps working families non-working families do not get to take advantage of this

Programs and Services State New Jersey Medicaid (DMAHS) New Jersey Food Stamp (SNAP) New Jersey Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) New Jersey School Breakfast and Lunch Program New Jersey Family Care (SCHIP) New Jersey Summer Food Service Program (SFSP New Jersey Unemployment Program New Jersey Work First (WFNJ-TANF)

Programs and Services The change to having the State administer programs has its pros and cons Definitely helps States target concentrated areas but also help prevent other from falling into the poverty bracket

New Jersey Medicaid (DMAHS) The Medicaid program supports over 1 million residents of New Jersey This program is used by many to cover medical needs such as: going to the doctor, hospital bills, and nursing home programs Program intends to help NJ residents who are categorized as having low to very low income

DMAHS Some members of the ALICE bracket stand to benefit Families of 4 making less than $30, 500 Does not cover enough of the ALICE bracket Individuals find it hard to receive benefits from this health care/insurance assistance if they do not meet responsibility requirements not just income

New Jersey Food Stamp (SNAP) The nation’s most important anti-hunger program New Jersey spends about $91mil ARR act of 2009, increased benefits by 13.6% SNAP helped about 46 million Americans in 2012 Morris Co. 8,132 in 2010

SNAP SNAP caters to the ALICE bracket but not all The bottom 25% of the bracket Especially working families Requirements are hard to meet in some cases Not enough people who are eligible utilize the program Not all the food have significant nutritional value

New Jersey Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Provides assistance to families who need to meet their basic utility expenses such as heating and cooling People who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible

LIHEAP Eligibility for all families of the ALICE bracket Many people who need the help may not qualify They have a strict application period from November 1 st to March 31 st

New Jersey School Breakfast and Lunch Program Aimed at children eating healthy meals, so the funding from the state helps provide children with breakfast Helps ALICE family bracket

New Jersey Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Food service that provides nutritious meals during the summer when children are out of school All levels of the ALICE bracket are eligible Help ease financial burden

New Jersey Family Care (SCHIP) Established to help working families with uninsured children receive affordable health care insurance Significantly helps ALICE because it targets families making over the poverty line

SCHIP As long as the children are under 19, the program provides a variety of health services for the recipients such as: prescription drugs, eye care, physician, lab services, mental health and sometimes dental Some families may have to pay a premium

New Jersey Unemployment Temporary financial assistance to workers unemployed through no fault of their own that meet New Jersey's eligibility requirements This program helps anyone who essentially needs it and meets requirements If one doesn’t have internet access it is harder to apply than someone who does

Programs and Services The majority of these programs are very helpful, some benefiting different demographics and the different needs that the citizens have around the county, state and nation Programs such as TANF and SNAP however have shown great promise in getting people to work and to improve their job training and for adults

Program and Services The one constant problem is how many people actually have the opportunity to utilize these programs Lack of program promotion Not enough Federal and State programs that directly help with job placement and training More pressure on local level to provide solutions

Recommendations The state could improve their transportation services that they make available to the state and local counties Particularly in Counties such as Morris Public transportation is limited Increases financial burden Prevents opportunities (Jobs)

Transoperations County transportation service that provides Carpooling Vanpooling Biking to work Other mass transit In the 2011 fiscal year they saved $20 mil in commute cost

Morris County Income

Morris County Residents

Local Programs Majority of Morris County Residents do not fit qualifications for State and Federal aid. Resort to Non-Profit organizations Local Non-Profits United Way of Northern New Jersey Literacy Volunteers of America

Reasons for Unemployment and Insufficient Income Lack of Education Communication Skills Work Skills Language Barriers Lack of work in the area

Private and Public Groups

The Problem Income related benefits are not always given in the form of direct monetary advances Lack of awareness within the ALICE population as to how to receive government and private benefits Insufficient amount of private organizations with the needed funds to achieve their mission

Private Programs Interfaith Helpers of Gloucester County Maribeth Fullerton works with a non-profit Christian based organization funded by donations by other organizations and overseen by volunteers in the community Funded by United Way in Southern New Jersey

The Effectiveness of an Education Community Colleges play a large role in the advancement of education. Those who have obtained above high school education or more do not live anywhere near the poverty line, compared to those that have only obtained a high school education or less. Susan O’Connor: Director of Women’s Volunteer Coordinator at The Women’s Center at County College of Morris works directly with ALICE population in enrollment. Effect of women in the work force in relationship to CCM scholarship opportunities.

Government Programs

Language choices allow for easier access to non-English speaking benefit seekers

Effects on A.L.I.C.E. Federal, State and Local Policies Improving Job opportunities More Affordable housing can help decrease housing from 32% Increase income with new category of EITC More savings

Effects on A.L.I.C.E. Federal, State and Local Programs & services Majority of the programs cater to members of the ALICE bracket, specifically dealing with families making between &20k-$60k Help the ALICE’S to advance: Job training Community college classes Organizations and corporations brings jobs to the area The emphasis on working households also gives ALICE families an advantage in receiving the benefits they deserve

What the Community and UW can do Continue to spread awareness regarding financial literacy– what benefits are out there for ALICE? Drew offers a Financial Literacy course in the Fall of In this course economics students will work within the communty to teach students smart and productive financial skills. Promote giving back to non-profit organizations This helps enable services to be provided to others

What can the United Way Do Push the State to decrease red tape and to form better relationship with Businesses Encourage state and local government to donate vacant land Help with Transit Village Continue evaluations of programs, but hire another outside group to provide analysis. Also continue trend towards transitional benefits.

What can the United Way Do How effectively can they coordinate a transportation program that can help ALICE residents of Morris County ease transportation cost? Get to jobs easier Get to programs easier

Special Thanks to….. Jodi Miciak, co-chair of the United Way Housing Alliance Sabine Von Aulock, Morris county development office Leigh Schopp Economic Development Manager for The Morris County Economic Development Corporation Louis A. Riccio, Executive Director of Madison Housing Authority Susan O’Connor, Director of Women’s Volunteer Coordinator Maribeth Fullerton, Interfaith Helpers Coordinator