[nfbwatlk] State to reduce cash grants to Disability Lifeline recipients, Washington DSHS press release, October 20 2010

[David Andrews]

Looks like they have also laid off their proof 
reader, as I heard at least one typo!

Dave At 11:02 AM 10/25/2010, you wrote:





>Link:
>http://www.dshs.wa.gov/mediareleases/2010/pr10096.shtml
>
>Text:
>News Release Listing
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Contact: Nick Lutes, (360) 902-0570, nick.lutes at ofm.wa.gov
>Contact: Troy Hutson, (360) 725-4350, troy.hudson at dshs.wa.gov
>Contact: Thomas Shapley, (360) 902-8007, thomas.shapley at dshs.wa.gov
>
>October 20, 2010
>State to reduce cash grants to Disability Lifeline recipients
>
> OLYMPIA ­ In order to make budget reductions 
>neecessary to balance the state budget for the 
>remainder of the current fiscal year, the 
>Department of Social and Health Services will 
>reduce the monthly cash grant to Disability 
>Lifeline recipients effective Jan.1, 2011.
>Washington state's Disability Lifeline Program 
>provides cash grants to low-income adults 
>without children who are unable to work due to a 
>physical or mental impairment that is expected 
>to last at least 90 days. A small number of 
>disabled and elderly legal immigrants also 
>receive help from the Disability Lifeline program.
>
>"This is further evidence of the tough choices 
>confronting state government in these difficult 
>economic times," DSHS Secretary Susan N. Dreyfus 
>said. "It illustrates the struggle to support 
>even some of our most vulnerable populations."
>
>The 2010 Supplemental Budget approved in this 
>year's legislative session called for the 
>Department to save nearly $6.2 million by 
>limiting the length of time a person can receive 
>Disability Lifeline (formerly General Assistance 
>Unemployable) benefits. The Legislature reduced 
>the State General Fund appropriation in 
>anticipation that benefits would be discontinued 
>effective Sept. 1 for those persons who had 
>exceeded the new allowable time limits.
>
>On Oct. 4, a federal court issued a temporary 
>restraining order to stop the time-limit benefit 
>terminations from taking place. The order was 
>based on 2010 legislation (HB 2782) that 
>provides that Disability Lifeline benefits 
>cannot be discontinued based on the time limits 
>until a case review is conducted that finds the 
>person does not meet the federal supplemental 
>security income disability standard. As 
>interpreted by the court, this 2010 legislation 
>would require the five-step sequential 
>evaluation process outlined in the Social 
>Security regulations. The budget for this 
>program does not include sufficient resources to 
>conduct these more intensive reviews.
>
>Without the ability to achieve the savings from 
>time-limit terminations, as anticipated in the 
>2010 Supplemental Budget, the Department's only 
>option was to reduce the amount of the monthly 
>cash benefit paid to each recipient in the program.
>
>The Department had already planned to reduce the 
>Disability Lifeline monthly cash grant Jan. 1, 
>2011, in response to the 6.3 percent 
>across-the-board budget reductions Gov. Chris 
>Gregoire ordered last month to avoid a deficit 
>in the state's general fund budget for the 
>fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2011. The 
>across-the-board reductions were ordered when 
>the state's economic forecast showed revenues falling short of projections.
>
>To meet both the 2010 Supplemental Budget 
>expectations and the required 6.3 percent 
>across-the-board reductions, the Department will 
>reduce the typical monthly cash grant from $339 
>per month to $258 per month effective Jan. 1, 2011.
>
>
>
>DSHS does not discriminate and provides equal 
>access to its programs and services for all 
>persons without regard to race, color, gender, 
>religion, creed, marital status, national 
>origin, sexual orientation, age, veteran’s 
>status or the presence of any physical, sensory or mental disability.

                         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
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