Bridge to Benefits: Helping Families Improve Economic Stability by Enrolling in Public Programs

1. Bridge to Benefits:Helping Families Improve Economic Stability by Enrolling in Public Programs CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND MINNESOTA

2. Children’s Defense Fund • Nonpartisan, nonprofit organization • CDF does not seek nor accept any government funds • MN is one of 13 state and regional offices • The mission of the Children’s Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

3. CDF Minnesota Initiatives Legislative Advocacy: • Health Care • Child Care • Minimum Wage • Outreach: • Bridge to Benefits • Research & Education: • MN KIDS COUNT Data Book

4. What is Bridge to Benefits? • Multi-state project by CDF-MN to improve the well-being of families and individuals by linking them to public work support programs and tax credits • Health Care Programs (MinnesotaCare, Medical Assistance, GAMC) • Food Support • School Meal Program (free/reduced-priced school breakfast & lunch) • Energy Assistance Program • Child Care Assistance Program • WIC Program • Tax Credits (EITC and WFC) • Relies on an online eligibility screening tool • www.bridgetobenefits.org

5. What is Bridge to Benefits? • Addresses underutilization of programs • Energy Assistance: 70% of eligible households are not enrolled • Health Care: 22% of eligible persons are not enrolled in MNCare or MA • Child Care Assistance: 76% of eligible children are not enrolled • Food Support: 41% of eligible persons are not enrolled • School Meal Program: 28% of eligible children are not enrolled • WIC: 20% of eligible families are not enrolled • EITC & WFC: 18% of eligible households are not claiming • Includes work support programs and tax credits that were created to help low-income workers meet basic needs • Target families making above 100% FPG 5. Helps overcome barriers to participation: lack of awareness, complex application process, literacy, language, transportation, stigma, etc.

6. Bridge to Benefits Goals • Increase awareness and participation in public work support programs • Improve economic stability and well-being of working families • Promote healthy child development • Help families navigate program rules and discover the easiest way to apply • Assist service providers by forming a “network of support,” making sure families are receiving all the help available • Strengthen communities by bringing in more federal and state dollars

7. Potential Impact • At the current participation rate, the EITC lifts 4 million people (including 2.4 million children) out of poverty nationally each year • Millions more federal dollars would flow into the Minnesota economy (current annual amounts) • Energy Assistance = $145 million • EITC = $463 million • Child Care Assistance = $96 million • Food Support = $318 million • School Meal = $109 million • MinnesotaCare = $127 million

8. The Impact on One Family • Consider this family of five: • 2 working parents • 1 child in 1st grade • 1 preschooler • 1 infant Their income is $31,000 a year (125% FPG in 2008) $7.45 per hour or 90¢ more per hour than 2008 minimum wage

9. Impact On The Family’s Budget NOTE: Values are approximated and may vary by family circumstances.

10. The Family Budget • This family makes $2,583 each month • Without any public programs/tax credits, they are more than $900 short each month trying to cover the costs of child care, health care and their food budget • Does not include housing, clothing or transportation costs, much less savings • After enrolling in public programs/claiming tax credits, their remaining monthly balance is $2,429 • An additional $370/month can have positive impacts on children’s cognitive, social and behavioral development

11. Bridge to Benefits Outreach Plan • Create a screening tool (www.bridgetobenefits.org) to help families determine potential eligibility for work support programs and tax credits. • Recruit “Screening Organizations” that work with low-income families to use the screening tool on a regular basis to help clients. • Recruit “Application Assistance Organizations” that assist families with applying to public programs and accept email referrals from Screening Organizations.

12. 2009 Outreach DataJanuary 1 - December 31, 2009 • 9,029 screens • 26,081 family members affected • 94% of families screened were potentially eligible for at least one program • Families that were eligible and interested in programs: • Health Care programs: 74% • Energy Assistance Program: 67% • Food Support: 46% • Child Care Assistance: 32% • School Meal Program: 26%

13. Online Screening Tool • A simple and quick tool designed to help families and individuals understand if they are eligible for seven public work support programs and two income tax credits.Screens a variety of family types. • Energy Assistance • Health Care coverage • GAMC • Medical Assistance • MinnesotaCare • Child Care Assistance • Food Support • School Meals • Earned Income Tax Credit • Working Family Credit http://www.bridgetobenefits.org

14. So, How Does It Work?

15. CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND MINNESOTA 555 Park Street, Suite 410 St. Paul, MN 55103 651-227-6121 www.cdf-mn.org www.bridgetobenefits.org Elaine Cunningham, Outreach Directorcunningham@cdf-mn.org / 651-855-1176Ryan Johnson, Outreach Specialistjohnson@cdf-mn.org / 651-855-1175