CONCLUSIONS

Welfare as we knew it has ended. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 is the law of the land, but it is implemented differently in every state. That means that Ohio Works First, the state TANF program, has 88 different manifestations for each county's department of human services. While I support the principle that every person who can work, should work, we have gone too far and not far enough. The drive to cut the welfare rolls has produced an atmosphere where the poor are treated as criminals. One county director of human services was ashamed at the way the state is demonizing the poor, punishing them simply for asking for assistance. He was not surprised that people were unwilling to return to government offices for demeaning treatment and instead turning to food pantries.

I was disappointed in the private sector to hear that a company would fire an employee for attending a family member's funeral. But, I was outraged to hear that public assistance would be denied for such a cause. Another family lost its benefits because the father quit his job following the tragic death of their son in a school accident. In order to keep his family together in a time of overwhelming grief, he was cut off and now they have no income. While they are appealing the decision, their children suffer as they try to put food on the table.

I was appalled when the Darryl and Martha Wagner told me that they only qualify for $10 per month in food stamps. They were required to fill out a 700-question application, document everything, and return every three months to do it all over again. I heard other stories of those who were denied food stamps because their car's value was more than $4,650 and a car loan wasn't considered in discounting its value. In a rural area like Appalachia, workers need reliable transportation to get anywhere - to work, to day care, to the store. It was sad to learn that federal programs established to help people in need are too often failing to accomplish their purpose.

The limited number of people we met and places we visited does not paint a complete picture. It is a telling indicator of the nature of hunger in our country. Hunger is a hidden plague, but a real one. Those who are hungry rarely lobby for help or speak about their plight, too often they are ashamed and don't have the wherewithal to speak out. Hunger is hidden because the majority of Americans are comfortable and do not want to know about those in need. Policy makers and journalists, those who could make the biggest difference, are guilty of ignoring Americans who most need our attention.

· First, the vehicle allowance needs to be updated. Currently, if a food stamp recipient owns a car worth more than $4,650, his or her benefits will be slashed or revoked. In rural and suburban areas, reliable transportation is essential for people to get to work -- a requirement under welfare reform. The federal government should exempt the value of one vehicle from a family's asset limits.

· Second, the shelter cap deduction should be increased to permit food stamp recipients who spend more than 50 percent of their limited income on housing to deduct excessive costs when determining food stamp benefits.

· Third, Congress must adjust the food stamp level from the Thrifty Meal Plan, which pays just $.71 per meal on average, to the Moderate Meal Plan. This no longer reflects the true cost of feeding a family.

· Fourth, we need to guarantee a reasonable level of food stamp benefits, especially for the elderly and disabled. The minimum benefit level should be closer to $75 per person per month, not the current $10. It is ridiculous to put applicants through enormous hassle in exchange for only pennies a day.

· Fifth, the recertification process should be required once a year for those who are elderly or disabled living on fixed incomes. Working families should be recertified no more frequently than every six months, not every quarter. It is an extreme hardship for people who are working, disabled or elderly to go to an office every three months to provide additional documentation. The paperwork should be reduced and simplified to conform with other federal assistance programs. Ohio would greatly benefit from a universal application form, instead of the current 34-page, 700-question application.

· Sixth, food stamp benefits should be restored for all 18-50 year old unemployed adults without dependents, especially in regions of high unemployment. In this area of Appalachia where laborers have lost their lucrative jobs in coal mines or factories, they are now unable to access food stamp benefits.

· Finally, states need to do a much better job in assisting those who are eligible for food stamps to participate. During my visits, it was clear that states are not insuring those who are eligible are able to apply and participate in the program. While recognizing the need to reduce waste, fraud and abuse, those who apply for food stamps should not be made to feel like criminals or treated as less than human. These are people in need and should be treated with compassion and dignity. Office hours and procedures should be expanded to accommodate those who are working full-time or more than one job. It is apparent that states are overly focused on quality control compliance, instead of serving those who are categorically eligible for food stamps.