Texas Health and Human Services

1. Texas Health and Human Services

2. Poverty • Guidelines are set by U.S. government – in 2006, threshold for a family of four was $20,000; for any one individual under 65 it was $9,800 • Essentially means that you don’t have enough resources to meet basic needs

3. Poverty • About 20 percent of child population lives in poverty • Those in poverty are more likely to be crime victims, suffer job losses and have inadequate housing and health care

4. Texas’ Poor • Texas’s rate (17.6%) is slightly higher than the national average • Rate is highest along the Mexican border • Only five states rank higher in rates, although two are New York and California

5. Causes of Poverty • Because Texas is dependent in large part on earned wage jobs, it is more susceptible to economic fluctuations • Low-paid service sector jobs have increased, which usually provide less benefits • Less demand for unskilled workers in more secure areas of employment

6. Causes of Poverty • Many companies have relocated outside of U.S. • Larger percentage of women in the workforce has kept wages lower • Population shift has caused wages to decrease and poverty to increase • Lack of education

7. Consequences of Poverty • Children of poverty are less likely to graduate from HS or to attend college • Crime rates among victims of poverty seem to be higher than those of better means • Life expectancies are shorter, and more health problems are suffered

8. Government Programs • Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was created to assist poverty families, along with other welfare programs • Because of the growth of the programs, they came to be seen as an entitlement, anyone who applied and met criteria were put on program (and, more importantly, began to view program as something that could not be taken away or altered)

9. Government Programs • Because no incentives to leave program was offered, many persons did nothing to get out of poverty • In 1996, welfare was reformed with the Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) • TANF provided for a period of benefits while job training occurred

10. Program Administration • Many social insurance programs are administered by the feds, and persons receive benefits whether or not they are poor • Other programs have benefit levels set by the states, and are means-tested, i.e. you have to be poor to receive the benefits

11. Federal Programs • OASDI • Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance is commonly referred to as Social Security • Funded by 6.2% payroll tax on up to $94,200 • Benefits are limited • $255 death benefit

12. Federal Programs • Medicare • Established in in 1965 during Johnson administration • Provides health insurance to elderly • Provided to those covered by OASDI • Funded by 1.45% payroll tax on ALL earnings

13. Federal Programs • SSI • Supplemental Security Income is available to any older, blind or permanently disabled worker, regardless of how much $$$ was paid by them into OASDI • Texas does not supplement SSI payments

14. Joint Programs • Unemployment compensation • Administered by Texas Workforce Commission • Provides benefits for workers who lose jobs • Benefits are limited, and usually only last twenty-six weeks • Texas’ benefits rank low compared to national average

15. Joint Programs • Food Stamps • Lone Star Card provides $$$ to purchase food items • Amount of benefits is determined by formula including family income and size • TANF provides assistance for five years and requires able-bodied individuals to work after two years

16. Joint Programs • Medicaid • Acts as Medicare coverage for SSI, TANF, AFDC and other programs • Department of Health administers program • Legislature provided CHIPS program in 1999 to permit low-cost medical insurance • County and teaching hospitals provide care

17. State and Local Programs • DPH provides preventive health services • DPRS provides child care licensing, child and adult protective services and nursing-home monitoring • MHMR provides services through state hospitals and local MHMR facilities