Welfare Reform legislation passed by the United States House of Representatives would have major ramifications on public assistance programs now in effect across the nation. The bill, now set to be acted on in the U.S. Senate, broadly effects both eligibility guidelines and the level of federal funding for most social services programs, including Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Emergency Assistance, child care, child welfare and nutrition assistance.

As the state agency responsible for administration of social service programs in Kansas, the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has begun planning for expected changes in the social welfare system. Meetings have already been held within the agency on the potential effects of the bill, and soon public meetings involving clients, community agencies, and other state agencies will be scheduled.

According to acting SRS Secretary Janet Schalansky, at least some of the changes enacted by the House will be enacted. That is why planning now for future changes is essential, she said.

Due to the magnitude of this bill and its implications, it is essential for everyone involved in providing assistance to poor and vulnerable Kansans to plan for upcoming contingencies," Schalansky said.

Whether or not you agree with what is happening in Washington D.C., there is little doubt that the effect of these actions will be felt here and across the country."

The House bill, called the Personal Responsibility Act, ends numerous federal and state entitlement programs and replaces them with block grants to states. The bill covers five years of block grant funding,

and cuts more than $400 million in federal funds that would have come to Kansas during that time period under the previous system, according to estimates by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The bill passed by the House, divided into six categories or Titles," would have the following effect on programs in Kansas:

*Title I - Block Grant for Cash Assistance to Families

Title 1 replaces the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program. It would provide $53 million less in federal payments to Kansas over five years.

No payments would be made to the following persons:

Adults who have received cash benefits for a lifetime total of five years or who did not cooperate in establishing paternity or assist child support enforcement workers; non-citizens except veterans, refugees in the U.S. less than five years and aged non-citizens in the U.S. over five years; children born out-of-wedlock to a mother under age 18, except in cases of rape or incest; children born to families within 10 months of when the family was receiving case benefits, except in cases of rape or incest.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services estimates that over five years, 36,000 children would be denied AFDC benefits under the proposal. Currently, SRS provides AFDC cash payments for about 60,000 children a year.

*Title II- Child Welfare and Child Protection Block Grant

Title II would block grant federal funding for abused and neglected children and children in adoptive placements. This part of the bill consolidates 23 child welfare and child protection programs, including Family Preservation and Support, Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, Independent Living, and Child Welfare Services.

Title II reduces funding to Kansas by $20 million over five years, despite modest growth in the block grant over that time span.

*Title III - Child Care and Nutrition Assistance

Title III would consolidate federal child care programs into a block grant. It would provide $25 million less to Kansas in federal funds over five years and eliminate the current guarantee for child care for individuals required to participate in work or training/education.

safety requirements. Titles III and V also repeal existing nutrition assistance programs, include the School Lunch Program and the special Supplemental Nutrician Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and replaces them with a capped lump sum resulting in $100 million less Title III also removes federal oversight of child care health and in federal funding to Kansas.

*Title IV - Restricting Welfare and Public Benefits for Aliens.

Title IV would restrict public assistance for legal immigrants. Most legal immigrants would be ineligible for old-age or disability payments under the Supplemental Security Income program, would not be able to receive temporary family assistance, and would not be eligible for services funded by Social Services Block Grants.

Title IV reduces funding to Kansas by $28 million over five years.

Title V - Food Stamp and Commodity Distribution.

Under Title V, a work requirement was included to eligibility requirements for certain recipients to receive Food Stamps. The provision puts a cap on Food Stamp expenditures, reduces federal funding to Kansas by $139 million over five years. Title V also allows Food Stamp funding to be block granted.

Title VI - Supplemental Security Income Reforms

Title VI would deny SSI to many currently eligible persons and future applicants, particularly disabled children. The reductions would result in $112 million less in federal funding for Kansas for childhood disability programs over five years and would result in 30 percent of disabled children loosing eligibility for federal SSI benefits.

Schalansky said some of the measures passed by the U.S. House may be modified or even rejected by the Senate. But nonetheless, Schalansky said it is apparent Congress will trimming programs and cutting overall federal social service spending.

The uncertainty of what will be in the final package makes planningmore difficult," she said. But a common feature appears now to be fewer benefits and less federal spending."

However, Schalansky said the Legislation now being formed will also offer states an opportunity to define themselves the mission and role of social services programs.

Good management of fewer dollars will be essential if we as a state are able to protect vulnerable and needy citizens," she said.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001