The Seattle-King County Asset Building Collaborative will be having their annual Financial Fitness day on March 31^st. They have joined with over 40 community partners to be able to bring community members FREE financial services. These services include everything from one-on-one help filling out a tax return, printing and analyzing free credit reports, opening bank accounts, creating a household budget, working with a financial planner, applying for public benefits (food, utilities, child care, health insurance, social security), learning how to start a business, shredding confidential documents, and—new this year—completing a FAFSA application!

Services will be provided by experts, including attorneys, financial planners, housing counselors, credit counselors, public health workers, and volunteer tax preparers. Workshops will be offered throughout the day on a variety of financial topics, such as understanding credit reports, budgeting and money management, first-time homeownership, paying for college, and dealing with debt collectors. More than 40 community groups will offer resources and advice.

To register for this event or to find out more information, visit the SKCABC website. Registration is strongly encouraged for those who need childcare, language interpretation or American Sign Language services.

Interested in volunteering for the day? Check out the positions on the United Way of King County’s website.

In the budget that has been approved by Congress, and is expected to be signed by President Obama, we are pleased to share that the majority of programs that United Way has prioritized have stayed intact or even increased in funding. Given the conomic and political landscape, this is good news. Please see below for highlights of FY2012 program funding in our building block areas. Note: There is an additional 0.189 percent across the board cut to all programs not reflected in these numbers.

INCOME

• Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP): $120 million – the same as FY2011. (A special thank you to the nearly 700 advocates who spoke up for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program in the past couple of weeks. Given the 40% cut xperienced last year, we consider it a win that the EFSP maintained funding).
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) matching grants: $12 million – the same as FY2011
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) adult training, youth training and dislocated worker grants: $2.61 billion – down $55 million (2.07%) from FY2011
• Workforce Innovation Fund (created last year with the input from several United Ways and written testimony from United Way Worldwide): $50 million – down $75 million from FY2011
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): $3.48 billion – down $1.22 billion from FY2011
• Individual Development Account Initiative: $19.91 million – down $4.07 million from FY 2011
• Child Care and Development Block Grant: $2.28 billion – up $60 million from FY2011
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): $80.4 billion – up $15.19 billion from FY2011 (Passed November 18, 2011 in H.R. 2112)
• Section 8 Housing Vouchers: $17.24 billion – up $474.6 million from FY 2011  (Passed November 18, 2011 in H.R. 2112)
• Community Development Block Grant: $3.3 billion – down $192.9 million from FY2011 (Passed November 18, 2011 in H.R. 2112)

HEALTH

• Healthy Start: $104.78 million – up $415 million from FY2011
• Medicaid total grants to states: $184.28 billion – up $11.14 billion from FY2011
• Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: $760.7 million – down $53.29 million from FY2011
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC): $6.6 billion – down $130 million from FY2011 (Passed November 18, 2011 in H.R. 2112)
• Child Nutrition Programs: $18.15 billion – up $830 million from FY2011 (Passed November 18, 2011 in H.R. 2112)
• Community Health Centers: $1.58 billion – the same as FY2011
• Maternal and Child Health Block Grant: $646.32 million – down $10 million from FY2011

EDUCATION

• Head Start: Funded at $8 billion – $424 million above FY 2011
• Title I Grants: Funded at $14.5 billion – $60 million above FY 2011
• Special Education programs: Funded at $11.6 billion – an increase of $100 million above FY 2011
• School Improvement Grants (SIG): Funded at $534.6 million
• Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program: Funded at $160 million – this is a restoration from FY 2011
• Investing in Innovation Fund (i3): Funded at $149.7 million
• Race to the Top: Funded at $550 million, and continues to allow those funds to be used for the Early Learning Challenge competition
• 21^st Century Community Learning Centers: Funded at $1.151 billion
• Promise Neighborhoods Initiative: Funded at $60 million – $30 million above FY 2011

When United Way of King County board member and CEO of the new tech company Pirq asked Bill Gates how cash strapped startups could create a culture of giving back to the community, Gates told him to build a way to give back into the actual business model of the company.   That’s exactly what Sun did with the ‘Deals for Meals’ program.

Pirq is a new smartphone app that  connects users to great deals at restaurants and cafe’s in real time, where ever they are at.  Users recieve a 20%-50% discount off their entire bill, simply by scanning the Microsoft Tag at the restaurant.  This is where ‘Deals for Meals’ comes in.  Everytime a user scores a deal using at one of the more than 130 dining locations, Pirq gives 10% of its fees to United Way of King County to help end hunger in our community.

So my thought here is this.   With the economy continuing to struggle, and the rising number of people who are needing a little help to put food on the table (did you know that since 2007 food banks in King County are handling 43,000 more visits EACH MONTH?) can you imagine what the effect would be if every new company in King County included a plan to give back to the community in their business model?

Let me know your thoughts about this…any ideas of other business models or other ways to make giving back a key component to a successful company?

And by the way…Good on ya James Sun and Pirq!

Jared

• The president will be allowed to raise the debt ceiling in three stages up to $2.4 trillion through the end of 2012
• The federal budget will be reduced by at least $2.4 trillion over the next 10 years
• The bill imposes spending caps that will reduce the deficit by $917 billion over the next 10 years
• A bipartisan budget committee with equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats will be created to seek up to another $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction.  Should the Congressional committee members not agree to an additional $1.5 trillion in reduced government spending by November, that would set off automatic across-the-board cuts of $1.2 trillion over a decade, with about half coming from the military.
• Congress will be required to vote on a constitutional amendment requiring it to balance its budget.

Even though the compromise allowed the federal government to keep its doors open and bills paid through 2012, the jury is still out about whether the arrangement will result in the federal government and some local governments being able to keep their triple A credit rating.  The Moody’s agency said late Tuesday it will maintain the U.S.’ top AAA rating, but warns that the outlook for the country is negative and that it could downgrade the rating of local governments and the University of Washington .  A downgraded credit rating would increase the government’s cost to borrow money, and could raise interest rates on many consumer loans.

While some analysts say that downgrading to double A status will not seriously affect the economy, others believe that a downgrade will cause serious complications.  Washington state treasurer, Jim McIntyre recently shared his view of the possible fall out of a downgrade on the state.

On or around July 29^th, you will receive your 2011 Primary Ballot in your mail. That’s just one week away, and the renewal of the King County Veterans & Human Services Levy is Proposition 1 on that ballot.  

The current Veterans & Human Services Levy was passed by nearly 58% of the voters in 2005, but it is set to expire at the end of this year.  Over the past 5 years, the current levy has helped more than 82,000 veterans, their families and others all across King County.  The proposed measure would continue the existing levy for six years at the current tax rate.  This is not a tax increase! The average homeowner would invest $17 annually. Half of the proceeds would be dedicated exclusively for programs to assist veterans and their families. The other half would support general human service programs available to all King County residents.

 The Veterans and Human Services Levy funds essential services like:

• Employment training
• Veterans treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Housing with support services
• Behavioral health services
• Services for new mothers and infants

Specifically, the King County Veterans & Human Services Levy has provided $34 million in funding to programs that help end homelessness.  The Levy has funded initiatives that identify, engage, and house long-term homeless individuals, projects that increase permanent housing with support services, and programs that link education & employment to supportive housing. At the end of 2010, the Levy had helped fund a total of 25 affordable housing projects, creating more than 1,200 new units with 177 reserved for veterans.

However this funding source, which works to help end homelessness, treat veterans with PTSD, and help veterans and others across the county find employment and get back to work, will end on December 31, 2011 if it is not approved.  If you would like more information or would like to support the levy please contact kelly@housingconsortium.org or visit: http:///www.vetsandhumanservices.org

 2011-2013 Budget Outcomes

Updated as of June 17, 2011

Information subject to revision as we further analyze a very complex set of budget provisions.  For more information contact UWKC Public Policy Director Carol Wood, cwood@uwkc.org 

Department of Social and Health Services Research: GA-U (DL was formerly known as General Assistance-Umemployable) clients overall have high medical expenses and frequently use inpatient hospital services. GA-U clients with mental illness or substance abuse problems frequently visit the ER. GA-U clients with substance abuse problems are arrested at high rates. However, mental health and/or substance abuse treatment has been shown to reduce medical expenses, ER visits and numbers of arrests for GA-U clients.

Nonprofit Housing Providers: We contacted ten non-profit permanent and transitional housing providers to get a sense of how they might be impacted if tenants lose cash assistance. Providers were most concerned about access to transitional housing for DL recipients, as ability to pay rent and maintain a savings account are required for most programs. Without cash assistance, these requirements will severely limit accessibility of housing for this population. Additionally, providers are concerned about long-term loss of rental income. Although some programs may be able to absorb minimal losses over a short period of time, many are doubtful that they will be able to continue operating with long-term reductions in income from tenants who are on DL.

Recipients of Disability Lifeline: We interviewed individuals who rely on cash assistance to learn more about what cuts will mean for them. We found that recipients most often use cash assistance to pay for basic needs, transportation, food and cell phone service. Many reported that transportation and a cell phone are necessary to use medical services, so medical coverage without cash assistance may result in less accessible medical care for recipients. There is concern that elimination of cash assistance will lead to increased homelessness and crime as people become increasingly desperate to meet their basic needs. For more about our interviews with DL recipients, click here.

Basic Needs and Housing:

Disability Lifeline – Eliminates Disability Lifeline Program effective October 1 and creates three new programs Aged, Blind, and Disabled Program, Pregnant Women Assistance Program and the Essential Needs and Housing Support Program.   Medical coverage for participants is preserved but monthly cash grants for Disability Lifeline-Unemployable recipients are eliminated and replaced with Department of Commerce grants to counties or community-based organizations for essential needs and housing support.  The $64 million funding designated for the later will not be sufficient to provide housing to all who need it. The administrative requirements for this change are still to be determined. Former DL-X recipients will continue to receive a monthly cash grant of $197, along with medical services under the new program name: Aged, Blind, and Disabled program. 

Housing Trust fund – Funded at $50 million for the biennium. 

Homeless services – Failure to extend and increase document recording fees supporting Home Security funds will result in cutting funding for existing community programs supporting homeless and formerly homeless persons in housing.  Immediate cuts will come from the existing shortfall in State Home Security Funds where there are $42 million obligations and $31 million in revenue to support projects statewide.

Mental health services – There will be a 4% cut for non-Medicaid and 3% cut in Medicaid mental health services.  Reductions in non-Medicaid reimbursement will result in less flexibility to serve non-Medicaid eligible residents in supportive housing, crisis and hospital diversion services, and outpatient services.  Reduction in Medicaid reimbursement rates may require reduction in rates paid to community mental health providers.

Substance abuse services – Reduction in outpatient and residential treatment services for non-Medicaid eligible individuals will make it more difficult for people to receive needed services.

Immigrant and Refugee services – Immigrants and refugees were affected by cuts in many human service areas including support for naturalization, employment services, medical interpretation and food assistance.  In terms of food assistance, $4.8 million was allocated to the State Food Assistance Program (half the current funding level) and the monthly benefit has decreased meaning fewer people will be receiving less in benefits.

Early Learning:

Early Learning-Policymakers in the state have come to recognize the importance of early learning and its relationship to success in the K-12 system, higher education and later life.  Most state funded early learning programs received approximately maintenance level funding including $1.86 million/year for home visiting, $2.256 million for Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP), $1.276 million for information and referral through Child Care Resource and Referral Network (CCRR), $300,00 for Reach Out and Read and $400,000 for  Parent and Caregiver Support including Family, Friend and Neighbor support; state funds for home visiting, however, are able to leverage federal funds and private dollars thereby increasing the total amount committed to home visiting.  About $900,000 in new state money was added in order that the Kindergarten assessment, WaKIDS, be administered, on a voluntary basis, to all kids in state-funded all day kindergarten. State funds were also redirected to support a public private initiative focused on preventing and reducing the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and their long term effects. Sadly, the Career and Wage ladder was eliminated (including contracts with 55 child care centers statewide).  

Subsidized Child Care-Eligibility for state subsidized child care remains at 175% federal poverty level; however, prioritization of teen parents and TANF recipients along with capping the number of families covered at 32,500 has created a waiting list of low income, non-TANF families who need subsidized child care to continue working

Health:

Medicaid payments to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) –Payments to community health centers and Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) are reduced by approximately 10.6% ($86.3 million cut state wide).   Cash assistance used by clients to pay for care on a sliding fee scale has been eliminated or slashed. And, over the long term, budget proviso language has changed the inflation index used for FQHCs, so that reimbursement rates will increase at a lower rate from year to year.  Community Health Centers provide care for approximately 200,000 low income and medically vulnerable people throughout King County. Cuts to this system will result in less service to low income residents. 

Maternity Support Services (MSS) –MSS which serves low income women and children has been reduced 30% ( a $23.9 million cut state wide).  

Adult Dental –Adult dental coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries is eliminated for everyone except pregnant women, disabled adults and for emergency services.  This cut will shift care to emergency rooms.  Over 30,000 adults affected in King County.

Apple Health for Kids – This program of health services is preserved for children under 200% of Federal Poverty Level and the costs increased for those above 200% poverty. The Children’s Health Program, serving families with illegal immigrant children, was maintained, but families with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level will pay higher premiums.  The overall reduction for CHP for the biennium was $1.6 million.

Basic Health Plan – Enrollment is frozen at the current level of enrollees.  This affects over 14,000 enrollees in King County.

Other health related reductions –

Reduces support for local WIC by $800,000 and family planning grants by over 11%

Eliminates Community Health Service Grants to Community Health Centers

Reduces General Fund support for Public Health Departments by 50%

Seniors:  

Services and programs important to older adults have all experienced cuts including: elimination of eyeglasses and hearing aids and restriction on dental coverage (except in emergency) for adults on Medicaid; changes in the adult day health program that may cause closure of some centers; a 10% cut in home health care hours needed to keep older adults in their own homes; loss of  co-pay funding for low income seniors enrolled in the Medicare part D Pharmacy program (this affects 50,000 seniors in Washington); and possible reductions to Meals on Wheels, Transportation and other senior services provided through the Area Agencies on Aging.

Information and Referral:

The WIN211 information and referral system will receive $1 million, half of the amount of state funding it received in the past biennium.  This will mean reductions in support for the statewide system as well as loss of grants to local call centers.  At a time when needs are rising, the system will have less capability to answer calls, update the referral data base and make appropriate referrals.

Education:

K-12: Two initiatives-I-728 and I-732- that address class size reduction and COLA increases for teachers were not funded.  Teacher pay was slated for a 1.9% reduction

Higher Ed: Support for state universities and technical colleges was dramatically cut at the same time that financial support for low income students was increased and well as the ability to raise tuition between 12 and 18%. State workers are taking a 3% pay cut.

This post was written by guest blogger, Erin Milliren, an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Bridge to Basics program, a partnership between United Way of King County, Within Reach, the City of Seattle and Americorps 

Hi, my name is Erin Milliren. I am one of the four AmeriCorps service members who staff the Bridge to Basics outreach team. Based out of WithinReach in North Seattle, we travel all throughout King County. We visit food banks, public libraries, WorkSource offices and public service centers. At each site, we connect eligible community members with public benefits like food stamps, utility assistance and low cost medical options. As a team, we speak to an average of 1100 people and assist several dozen with applications for food stamps and state medical insurance (Children’s Medicaid, Pregnancy Medical).

This job is one that is full of incredibly rewarding experiences and interactions, but is also colored by the frustrations of working within an ever shrinking system of tax funded health programs. In the hundreds of hours I have spent at outreach, I have heard countless stories that detail the hardships of unemployment and underemployment, homelessness, and poverty. One client in particular, who is diabetic and experiencing homelessness, embodies the frightening dilemma that many adults face after they are cut from affordable insurance plans.

After finally getting in to see a dentist at one of the few free clinics in Seattle, Jane was informed that all of her teeth are rotten, and need to be pulled as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this means that she will need to find a way to pay for dentures. Too young to be covered by Medicare and having recently been cut from Washington’s Basic Health program, dentures are not an option. So, she has chosen to hold off on the extractions. Jane is very aware of the fact that there is an increasing chance of infection if she does not take care of this problem, and that an infection could affect her heart which is already compromised by the diabetes. When I met her, she was incredibly disheartened, and distrustful of me as a service provider.

Fortunately, I was able to connect Jane with Basic Food, and she received the maximum allotment of benefits, which is $200 per month. Even though she continues to struggle to save money for her teeth, Jane is at least able to use her food stamps to purchase healthy food which helps her control her diabetes. Also, I connected her with the Washington Prescription Drug Program which will hopefully make insulin more affordable.

I love working with the Bridge to Basics team especially because we offer tangible resources to community members who really need them. Help us assist other community members by remembering people like Jane when you vote. Keep them out of hospital emergency rooms by funding the type of services that provide medical services to low income adults.

With thoughts of unanticipated revenue from existing revenue sources out of the picture, several other issues are holding up agreement on budget passage—reducing the debt limit and reworking workers compensation.   The debt limit is currently at 9% and the Governor, Senate, and House Republicans would like to see a constitutional amendment lowering it to 7%.  State legislators seem to be moving toward an agreement that would lower the debt limit over time.

Agreement on whether to allow injured workers to take a lump-sum payment to settle claims against their employers seems to now be the main sticking point in reaching agreement on a state budget.  There are very high-level conversations continuing in an effort to resolve the substantial differences of opinion between the various parties.  

Another major issue needing resolution is the structure and funding level for  Disability Lifeline.  United Way has played a major advocacy role in seeking to preserve this critical program, including testifying on behalf of Downtown Seattle Association and other community partners.  ESHB 2082, passed by the House last Friday, renames the program, preserves medical coverage for recipients, maintains a cash benefit only for those who will be eligible for SSI, and refers other benefit recipients to housing and other basic needs support. It was sent to the Senate and is scheduled for a May 18 hearing in Ways and Means.

As negotiations between the two chambers come toward resolution, United Way will continue to focus on Disability Lifeline, home visiting, other key safety net programs, and the Housing Trust fund.

The 30-day special session is scheduled to end a week from today, and rank-and-file members of the House and Senate are expected to work through the weekend to pass a number of bills in anticipation of reaching a budget resolution.

On a more positive side, the WaKIDS bill was signed into law last week by Governor Greigoire at the same time that she signed a bill creating coordinated entry for homeless families.  In regard to WaKIDS, United Way identified a range of business and community leaders who signed onto letters supporting expansion of the pilot.  Finally, Washington state was one of a handful of states this year that implemented federal health care reform measures.