OHIO EMPOWERMENT COALITION NEWS


OEC UNITES TO FIGHT INHUMANE WELFARE LAWS

by Lynn Williams


To the shouts of "Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Sanctions have got to go!", the Ohio Empowerment Coalition's third annual statewide Welfare Conference & Lobby Day was started with the intent of stopping Ohio's punitive welfare laws. At a press conference, members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition spoke out for justice for the poor. Julie Star of Stand Against Social Injustice (SASI), in Sandusky County, stated, "We are revved up and we are fighting back. We're not going to let them continue to run over us (recipients)." Mark Stansbery of the Columbus Organizing Center, spoke out, " We are powerful and we are strong. You (legislators) are going to have to contend with us."

On Thursday morning, a group from the conference went to the House Human Services Committee where testimony was being heard on the Human Services budget. Approximately twenty-five members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition displayed buttons with the words, "Stop Sanctioning Children!" and testified before the Committee. The House Committee had not planned to even deal with the issue of sanctions. Our testimony made them consider it.

Representative Netzley grilled the recipients who testified. One man, Warren, who did a terrific job speaking out against the sanctions and who resides at the Drop Inn Center, was grilled over his substance abuse history. Rep. Netzley asked him, time after time, "Why are you an addict?;" and then "Why are you in a treatment program?" Warren stayed calm and held his ground. "I'm in a treatment program because I want to live." Netzley asked, "What did you say?" Warren repeated, "Because I want to live!" Rep. Netzley still appeared to not get it.

At the hearing, a mother from Bethany House, a homeless shelter, testified about how being sanctioned had made her family end up homeless. Mothers with a small baby and little girl, all of whom are homeless, were in clear view of the legislators. The little girl sat next to her mother, quietly holding her doll. (How hard it must be to be a little child and not even have a place to call home!) Even though speaker after speaker testified about the impact of sanctions on children, and the legislators viewed sanctioned children right before their eyes, they appeared unmoved.

When Genevieve Mitchell and Vicky Knight of Cleveland compared welfare sanctions with what the United States is doing to children in other countries (bombing in Serbia and sanctioning children in Iraq), Representative Carey hit his gavel. "We are not going to discuss politics at this hearing!" he stated. "We are hereto discuss the budget!" And yet, there clearly is a connection of how the government is treating children & families in all these countries. Children are being deprived of the essentials of life: shelter and food, and heat in the winter, right here in the heartland of America, as well as around the world in Iraq. Children are the victims, bearing the brunt of inhumane policies of our country.

When legislators can cut off all support for poor families in Ohio, even hurting children, by sanctions and time limits, the Ohio Empowerment Coalition clearly has its work laid out for us. Currently, according to the Ohio Department of Human Services' testimony in the Legislative Red Book, 3 1,000 families are being sanctioned each year in

Ohio. Considering that most welfare families have three members (a mother and two children) this equals approximately 93, 000 individuals, of whom 62, 000 are children, being sanctioned Our work is needed now more than ever. At our conference, representatives from across the state (Northeast, Central, Northwest, Southeast & Southwest Ohio) united to take action on changing Ohio's bad welfare laws.

It is urgent to write your Ohio Senator now!
Write to:
The Senate
Ohio Senate Building
Columbus, OH 43215

Call 1-800-282-0253 to find out your senator's phone number.





   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thousands of Ohio poor people may be eligible for a one-time payment of $750 or more under the court's decision in the Taber v. ODHS lawsuit (a statewide class action filed in 1993. The court found that the state welfare department (Ohio Department of Human Services) illegally denied some people's General or Disability Assistance. (GA or DA) applications in 1992 and 1993.

You may be eligible if you were denied General Assistance (GA) or Disability Assistance (DA) welfare benefits between July 1, 1992 and June 30, 1993 because you had income. The people most likely to be eligible are those who had a part-time job (spot or day labor) when they applied during that year.

You must apply at your county

welfare department by June 10,

1999. If you think you may be eligible and want to apply: Pick up a special Taber Lawsuit application form at your local welfare department.

Call 1-800-589-5888 extension 107 if you would like more information or free legal help.

    POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION



S.B. 123 currently in the Ohio Senate, would extend the time allowed for Ohio Works First (welfare) participants to count college time as the work requirement. It would allow two years of college or 2080 hours. It would allow for additional college time if the participant was making progress towards a degree. It would allow for clinical or a work study to count towards the work requirement. Also, the Department of Human Services in collaboration with the Department of Education, would be required to hold publicity campaigns to get this information to the public.

 

STORY OF A SANCTION

"I had applied for assistance in September of 1998 and I had moved to Fay Apartments. I started at the YWCA in November. I gave my caseworker, Ms Jarman, all my paperwork. She said, "It's not clear enough," so I gave her more papers , being more specific. Then she didn't process my paperwork. Therefore, I didn't get a check for four months. In December of 1998, 1 finally got my first check for $978.

Then she sent me a letter saying my monthly benefits in January would be $296. 1 never received the money. In February I did get $296.

Ms. Jarman's voicemail was always full. When I did get through, she never would return any of my calls. In February of 1999, 1 moved to the Tom Geiger House, a transitional housing program. I told Ms. Jarman over the phone that I had moved. I even wrote it on paper and gave it to her. But I still kept getting my mail at the Fay Apartments address.

By this time, Hope Godfrey, my YWCA GED class instructor, and I were trying to get in contact with my caseworker, to see if I could get a work allowance for school. Hope said, "I don't want my client to get sanctioned." The supervisor of my caseworker, Mr. Harper, called back and said, "Too late. She's already been sanctioned. Sorry."

I was supposed to go to a face-to-face but I never got the letter because they sent it to the Fay address. Then I was sanctioned.

I've done everything I was supposed to do. My caseworker did not do her job."

    TOLEDO RALLY TO PROTEST SANCTIONS

Members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition demonstrated with University of Toledo Social Work students and sanctioned individuals at a rally in Toledo on April 9th. The rally followed a study done by the Social Work students of sanctioned individuals in the Toledo area.

The rally was held to draw public attention to the harshness of sanctions in Ohio. Some of the demonstraters held signs "Protect Our Children," "Fight Poverty Not People", "Protect Our Children" and "So What Did the Kids Do?"

Julie Star, OEC member from Fremont and founder of Stand Against Social Injustice (SASI) spoke out at the demonstration. According to the "Toledo Blade", she stated, "I'm a welfare recipient, but I'm not ashamed.. If we have to take this to the streets, we'll do it." Sharon Weis of Hope House Family Services, Inc. in Findlay, Ohio and member of the OEC also spoke at the rally.

The students are in the University class taught by Terry Cluse-Tolar, Assistant Professor of the Sociology and Social Work Department. She, along with Social Work student Delaine McCord, also testified about the effects of sanctions at the Human Services SubCommittee of the Ohio House.
Thanks to the Social Work Class for their work in studying the effects of sanctions and for organizing a public protest. We look forward to continuing to work with them in this fight against sanctions

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