PEOPLE UNITED FOR FAMILIES (PUFF)
POVERTY > to > PROSPERITY
Newsletter
September/October 1998
PUFF Is a Denver-based grassroots membership organization made up of low-income Individuals & families working together to make our voices heard on the issues that directly impact us and to break through the negative stereotypes many single parents face.
PUFF, c/o Community Resource Center, 1245 E. Colfax #205 Denver 8 80218
Phone 303-860-7711 FAX 303-860-7723 e-mail: crcpuff@mbo.net
A statewide coalition of TANF participant-driven organizations (including PUFF) and advocates for the poor came together to take our concerns over the inadequate and confusing sanction notices that counties have been sending their clients to the State Board of Human Services. All across the state, TANF participants have received sanction notices that do not explain the "offense" , what is going to happen to their family (reduction in cash benefit) and what they can do to correct the situation. Specifically, our concerns were: notices are confusing and not in "plain English", information about good cause exemptions and how to cure the sanction is not included, directions for how to appeal the sanction is not clear, there is no separate notice for 2d and 3rd level sanctions, and there is confusion in the notices regarding sanctions imposed during the same month for different sanctionable conduct.
The State Human Services Department agreed to include specific reasons for sanctions in the notice. These revised notices are scheduled to go into effect on October 1. Some counties have been sending out their own version of sanction notices along with the State generated notice. We thought this was a good idea because the counties can be more specific in their notices and give the client more information about what it is they need to do. The State will mandate counties to send supplemental notices,
Our coalition also wanted to address the way sanctions were being handled by county departments of social services. We will continue working on this to get to the process of sanctioning. Too often, people are being sanctioned with out ever having a chance to correct what it is they are doing wrong. Some counties, like Denver, have a conciliation process which means the case worker is supposed to send a letter informing the client they are in violation before starting the sanction process. This way, the client has a chance to defend themselves or do whatever it is they need to. In many cases, families are sanctioned without ever knowing it until they get into their Quest account and find out there is nothing there. Other things we wanted to address were.- the fact that sanctions can't be stopped immediately once a person corrects their "offense", imposing sanctions because of concerns meeting work participation rates, improper termination of food stamps/Medicaid when cash assistance is sanctioned, and the lack of good cause and cure policies. Unfortunately, our meetings with the State and county officials were stopped before we could get to these important issues. HOWEVER, we are not going to quit! We will be reporting at an upcoming State Board of Human Services meeting to re-open this discussion. Stay tuned.
If you think you have been unfairly sanctioned or denied of your benefits please call us! We need to find out what is going on with people so we can change the system! Call Beth at 303-860-7711 with your story.
On Wednesday, September 16th the Denver Welfare Reform Board met to vote on 8 policies that would put the Denver Department of Social Services in compliance with the new State and Federal welfare laws. Policies up for approval at this meeting were: the amount of the basic cash assistance grant, county & state diversion programs, work participation requirements including: education and job training services, community service, supportive services (housing assistance, transportation, clothing, etc.), work incentive support payments, and short-term employment. Of those 8, the Board approved 2 policies - the state and county diversion programs. PUFF members in attendance were: Janette Martinez, Carol West, and Paula McIntire.
There was a lot of discussion at this meeting - among the Board members as well as with the people who were in attendance. There was a lot of concern over how these policies are implemented at the case worker level. When it comes to policies, they often look good on paper but when it comes down to how they are communicated by the case worker and understood by the individual participant, it is another story. PUFF member Carol West told the Board, and especially Mr. Hernandez, Director of DDSS, that it is critical that case workers all be on the same page. Too many case workers are not informed of all of the programs and policies that are available to their clients. Or they are not telling their clients about all of the options that are available to them.
The Board seemed to be confused about the policies and set up a meeting with DDSS officials to hash out details on the new policies. The Board agreed to vote on the work participation activity policies at the next meeting, Wednesday, October 21, 5:00 p.m. at the DDSS Building, 2200 W. Alameda Ave. If you would like a copy of PUFF's positions on the policies to be voted on call Beth at 303-860-7711 and we will mail it to you.
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If you have access to the world wide web, you should check out these
very informative web sites that address poverty issues and community organizing.
Teens Make a
Difference
by Beth Sole
[Editor's Note: Beth is the daughter of PUFF member Cindy Sole. She spoke at a rally sponsored by PUFF, the AFDC Coalition, Jobs with Justice, and Colorado 9 to 5. The purpose of the rally was to recognize the 2 year anniversary of President Clinton's signing of the welfare reform bill and to call on our elected officials to "remember the children."]
My name is Beth Sole and I went to one of the PUFF rallies. I spoke out
about a few concerns that I had. One of which was how can people sit there and say there
need to more after-school programs but yet they vote "no" on after-school funds.
My second concern was why are after school programs so expensive and why can't they be
free? Where I am going to school, I have to pay $45 to play on the volleyball team. I also
want to be involved in drama, choir and other activities but I have to pay for those too.
Even though there weren't legislators or school officials at the rally, I hope my concerns
are answered and something is done about them.
For the most part, the rally went well. I want to let everybody know that teens can make a
difference if they try. I am only 14 years old and I am already trying to help make the
world a better place. Teens are always welcome to speak at PUFF rallies because we are the
future and our voices need to be heard too.
Dear Friend,
I hope you never have to face my life sentence. I have never broke the law so it would seem I would be a free woman. Even so, I live in a prison called my body. In a state prison, you might see bars on doors or windows. Not in mine. They are internal. I have 2 rods and 4 screws holding my lower back together. Which makes sifting, standing and walking painful and difficult. I have what the medical world calls degenerative disk. That means my disk and my spine blow out just like an old tire. Which causes my back bones to press against one another - causing what is left of my disk to press on my nerves.
In this great country we live in, we have what is called Corporate Punishment. Which means jailers must treat prisoners fairly, no unjust pain or embarrassment. Yet my warden need not apply to our constitutional laws, nor do my prison guards. One of my guards in named Diverticulitis. We'll call him Diver for short. He has many friends who come and take time to humiliate me. One is Diarrhea, who has been my companion for over a month this time. Diver also put Nausea in my cell with me. Nausea has a friend call hemorrhoids. They enjoy beating on my intestine and colon. This group likes to make sure I don't go very far from my home. I never know when they are going to throw a party and invite another buddy to the scene. Her name is Incontinence. She is quite a prankster. When she is around I lose control of everything in my rectum. I drop everything inside of me. I hope you never shit on yourself or on the RTD. Even though my family knows and tries to understand, I cry and cry.
In my prison, I have another guard called Diabetes, who forces me to take 3 pills every morning and 2 every evening. She brings Cramping, Ringing Ears, Memory Loss, Gum Problems, and Teeth Loss. She also has friends who are Heart Problems, Bad Circulation and Liver Disease. When I put everyone together we got a well-run prison. The warden, Depression, who reminds me that I have responsibilities - my 3 children and granddaughter in my home.
I am divorced, but I have a Lover. His name is Social Services. His close friends in the government call him TANF.I am finding he doesn't know me very well. I understand, we don't' see each other often, only on certain visitation days. We do keep in touch, as I write him every month. But he is hanging around with some guys who work for the U.S. Government. They call themselves Legislators. I found that no matter how TANF wants to care for me and my family, the Legislators whisper in his ear, "We don't know if she is good for you. All she does is ask you for money. Can't she find a job? Can't she survive with out you?" I know that TANF stands up for me and my family and tells them we need him and his generosity. While the Legislators don't know me, and I don't think they want to. Don't they know they are hurting me and the children in our hearts and causing me more pain. And that mean, old Depression just. laughs even louder at me.
I met a new man the other day. We'll call him Doctor. He introduced me to a new friend, a pill to help calm down depression and pain. He also wants me to meet some doctor friends of his to see if he can help me cope with my life sentence. While I'd like to thank you for stopping by to get to know me a little better. I hope you let the Legislators know next time you have a chance to talk with them, I am not so bad of a person and I know there are other people like me. Maybe if they get to know us, they might want to help us. Now I know, most of us can't get a reprieve from our life sentence, but with their help, we can live a somewhat decent life again. I thank you for sharing this time with me.
Your Friend,
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