2009-2010 Debate Topic

1. 2009-2010 Debate Topic Social Services for Persons Living in Poverty

2. The Resolution • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.

3. In Poverty • What might this mean?

4. In Poverty • Economic considerations - $$ • Other considerations - food, water, shelter, clothing

5. Federal Poverty Standard • Johnson Administration - 1965 • War on Poverty • Must be able to define • Money left over after paying for food • Food budget x3 • Only difference now is adjusted for food inflation (how much food costs) • Determined annually by Department of Health and Human Services • ~$10,000 for a single person

6. A few stats on Poverty • 1:8 Americans (12.5%) • 37 million people • 1:4 are immigrants - counting issues • 43% in extreme poverty (< 50% poverty line) • 90 million Americans in “near poverty” - 200% - many social services also go to the near poor • Study: up to 50% of the US population will qualify as “in poverty” at some point - job loss, health crisis, etc.

7. Problems with Counting via Poverty Line • Conservatives: poverty line too high - home ownership and economic growth • Liberals: poverty line too low - overall cost of living has increased above wages and food costs - health care, etc. • Problem of geographic disparities and cost of living • Census reporting problems

8. Other Ways to Count Poverty • Basic Needs • Rarely used in the US - widely used internationally • Problems: less uniform • Important T debate here • Can the aff target the near poor? Etc. • Only federal poverty line?

9. Causes of Poverty • Single service vs. social institutions • Myths • “Poor are lazy”

10. Causes of Poverty 2.0 • #1 - Not Enough Jobs - unemployment rate • #2 - High Paying Jobs - in 2K, there is no county in the US you can live on minimum wage and own an apartment • #3 - Education - HS as predictor • #4 - Children with single parents - 1 vs. 2 care providers/wage earners • #5 - “Vicious Circle” - fewer opportunities

11. Social Services • What might this mean?

12. Social Services • “services directed at limiting poverty” • “organized efforts to advance human welfare” • federally funded or administered • program with benefits to poor communities • there are a TON of these - we will come back to them in the discussion of current federal programs

13. Two Types of Social Services • Block Grants • Fed money to states - states directly provide • Specific Purpose, some conditions • States choose most specifics • Most social services in the US • Capped programs • Entitlement Programs • Required to serve all eligible participants • Pay based on number served

14. History of Social Services • Early Social Services • Private entities and churches • Pensions for soldiers during Revolutionary War

15. History of Social Services • The Great Depression • 1/4 of workforce unemployed • Social Security Act • Benefits to retirees and unemployed • Families with Dependent Children • Maternal and Child Welfare Assistance • Public Health Services • Vocational Rehabilitation

16. History of Social Services • War on Poverty (1960s) • Food Stamps • Work Study • Medicaid • Medicare • VISTA • Job Corps • Head Start

17. History of Social Services • Welfare Reform (1990s) • Big Fight! • Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) • Replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) • Substantial increase in conditions

18. Welfare Reform • 3 Goals • Reduce welfare dependence and increase employment • Reduce child poverty • Reduce out of wedlock childbearing and strengthen marriage

19. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Biggest Program in the Lit • DHHS Program • Block grants • Individual states design their own welfare programs • Income and funding levels vary by state • Includes direct cash, family planning, back to work programs, childcare, work support, employment programs

20. TANF Continued • Requires participants to work - no less than 2 years after getting assistance • 30-55 hours per week depending on family size • 5 year limit lifetime • Targeted single mothers

21. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Capped block grants from DHHS • Generally, cash to people with (very) limited income • Over 65, blind or disabled • Not based on previous work • Can only have $2K to qualify

22. Title XX Social Services Block Grant Program • Capped block grants - they determine which social services they fund • Allocated based on population (not # of PLIP) • Many various programs here - foster care, individuals with disabilities, child protective services…

23. Medicaid • Federal-state partnership with DHHS (1965) • Medical care to low income persons • States run the programs, fed sets minimum eligibility • 1/3 spent on senior citizens (long-term care options) • Not individual payments - health care providers

24. Head Start • DHHS • “Preschool plus” • Nutrition • Family Counseling • Lots of parental involvement

25. State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) • DHHS • Health insurance for kids and some parents who can’t afford health care but are not eligible for Medicaid • Not available to legal immigrants after 1996 • Preventative care • Maybe not a social service

26. Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programs (SNAP) • Formerly Food Stamps • Department of Agriculture (DOA) • Assists low income families to buy food • Can also be used for temporary assistance after natural disasters (Katrina)

27. Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) • DOA 1974 • Nutritious foods, education and referrals • Low income pregnant and breast-feeding women, children up to age 5 at nutrition risk • Serves 45% of all infants born in the US

28. National School Lunch Program • DOA • Free or reduced price lunches for PLIP as well as people much higher

29. Federal Housing Assistance (FHA) • Housing and Urban Development (HUD) • Rental housing assistance (vouchers) • Federal assistance to states and localities (block grants) • Homeownership assistance (mortgage insurance/assistance)

30. Refugee Assistance • 1980 • Emergency admissions for refugees and resettlement • Unaccompanied alien children • Cash and medical assistance • Employment services

31. Recent Changes in Social Services • 2009 American Recovery and Investment Act (aka? stimulus!) • $3bn emergency fund for new welfare recipients • $15bn expansion child tax credit • $86.6bn for Medicaid • $2.1bn for Head Start • $2bn for Community Health Centers • $1bn for Veterans Health Administration • And lots more! • Back to more $ for more people

32. Aff Areas • Basic expansion of Social Services • Social Services targeted to specific groups • Removal of federal limits on Social Services • Programs targeted at the states

33. Basic Expansion of Social Services • Child care subsidy • Nutrition • Homelessness • Counseling • Lead Paint • Child Support • Education • Health Care

34. Social Services for Specific Groups • Military • Federal Detention Centers • Federal Prisons • Indian Reservations • New Orleans • Immigrants

35. Removal of Federal Limits on Social Services • Welfare Reform • Food Stamps • Abortions