Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Out of Poverty
North Texas Regional P-16 Council
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Fort Worth, Texas
Presented by: Camille D. Miller and Diana Maldonado
Texas Health Institute
Mission: To improve the health of Texans and their
communities.
The Benefit Bank of Texas vision: to build a diverse
network of volunteer and professional counselors at
community organizations, businesses, churches, and
health care and social service providers united in helping
the 17.1%* of Texans in need.
The challenge of our work:
Overcoming Poverty vs. Managing Poverty
*US Census Bureau 2009, Poverty Population Numbers
2
Texas Unclaimed Federal Dollars Per Year*
SNAP (food stamps)
$ 4.8 Billion
EITC (tax credit)
$ 700.5 Million
SCHIP (children’s health)
$ 537.5 Million
Children’s Medicaid (children’s health)
$ 955.2 Million
Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy
(prescriptions)
$ 763.6 Million
Pell Grants (college tuition)
$ 583.7 Million
Total
$ 8.3 Billion
*Represents most recent data available: SNAP–2010, EITC-TY2009, SCHIP-2009, Medicaid-2007,
Medicare-2009-10, Pell Grants-2007
3
The Challenge
Federal Poverty Level in Texas is 17.1%*
Medical
Benefits
FAFSA /
Pell
Grants
Help with
Federal/State
Taxes
SNAP
* US Census 2009
4
A Solution
A tool that:
• Supports workers
• Stabilizes families
• Strengthens communities
5
The Benefit Bank of Texas
 A counselor assisted one stop service
 An eligibility calculator
 An application completion tool
 A free income tax assistance program
 Offered where people live, learn, work, play,
and pray
6
The Benefit Bank of Texas
Current Programs:
• SNAP (Food Stamps)
• Medicaid - CHIP, Perinatal CHIP, Medicaid for Children,
Medicaid for Pregnant women, Medicaid for parents/caretakers of
Medicaid children with income below TANF needs limit, Retroactive
Medicaid and Spend down Medicaid
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
• Federal Taxes - Earned Income Tax Credit, Childcare Credits
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• Voter Registration
7
Family Budget on Low Wages Alone
(1 adult in college with 2 children)
INCOME
Wages
Total
EXPENSES
$ 15,080
$ 15,080
Rent & Utilities
$
7,608
Food
$
4,032
Transportation
$
3,108
Health care
$
3,288
Child care
$
5,064
Taxes
$
4,416
Miscellaneous
$
1,940
College expenses
$
1,720
Total
$
31,176
Expenses exceed income by:
$ 16,096
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Family Budget with Probable Work Supports
(1 adult in college with 2 children)
INCOME
EXPENSES
Wages
$ 15,080
Rent & Utilities
$
7,608
EITC
$
3,595
Food
$
4,032
SNAP
$
4,500
Transportation
$
3,108
Medicaid
$
2,788
Health care
$
3,288
Child Care Subsidy
$
3,764
Child care
$
5,064
LIHEAP
Additional Child Tax
Credit
$
560
Taxes
$
4,416
$
1,000
Miscellaneous
$
1,940
Work Pay Credit
$
300
College expenses
$
1,720
Pell Grant
$
3,350
Total
$ 34,937
Total
$
31,176
Work Supports raise income by:
$19,857
Income exceeds basic expenses by:
$ 3,761
9
How TBB-TX Works
• Client chooses/enters
own access password
• Expertise is in the service
• Explanatory help pop ups
• Electronic filing with
printed copy for client
• Detailed follow up
instructions for client
• No information retained
on local computer
• Sophisticated reporting
10
Tools You Can Use
Check
potential
eligibility
in a few
minutes
Copyright © Solutions for Progress, Inc
11
QuickCheck - Basic Information
QuickCheck is based on:
Household size
Information for
each person living
in the household is
entered.
Household income
How much earned
and unearned
income was there
for the tax year?
Household expenses
How much is the
person’s cost of
living? What are
their expenses?
Copyright © Solutions for Progress, Inc
12
QuickCheck – Eligibility Evaluation
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Site Locator
To use Site Locator, go to www.thebenefitbank.org
14
TBB-TX Self-Serve Tax & FAFSA Filing
Anyone in Texas with a household income of $60,000 or less can file
their income taxes for free, right from home!
Here’s How:
1. Visit www.thebenefitbank.org
2. Click, “The Benefit Bank SelfServe Login.”
3. Select your state and click, “Go!”
4. Complete and e-file your taxes!
You can also complete and e-submit
a FAFSA application.
Copyright © Solutions for Progress, Inc
15
TBB-TX is Different
• Tax returns and benefit applications
prepared on and filed electronically from
single platform
• Wide range of benefits supported
(more can be added)
• Constant maintenance for conformance
with current federal and state regulations
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Proven Success in Multiple States
PA
IN OH
KS
NC
AR
MS
SC
TX
In Ohio, more than 5,000
counselors at over 1,100
sites have helped families
claim $518 million in
supports since 2006.
Recognized as most
successful program in US.*
FL
In South Carolina, more than 1,750
counselors at 419 sites have helped
South Carolinians claim more than $26
million in supports since January 2010.
Results are at twice the pace of Ohio.
* Ohio Second Harvest Food Bank, www.oashf.org
In North Carolina, 1,700
counselors at 340 sites have
helped North Carolinians claim
$24 million in supports since
April 2010.
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Making Headway
18
The Benefit Bank of Texas
Provides access to enrollment where
people:
•
•
•
•
•
Live
Learn
Work
Play
Pray
Overcoming Poverty vs. Managing Poverty
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Examples of TBB Sites
• Faith congregations
• Home ownership programs
• Health & social service
organizations
• Food and nutrition
organizations
• Community-based
organizations
• United Ways
• Community Development
Centers
• Job-training programs
• Homeless shelters
• Asset building programs
• Prisoner reentry programs
• Education organizations
• Advocacy group offices
• Unions
• Employers
• Public agencies
• Child and Family CBOs
Copyright © Solutions for Progress, Inc
20
TBB Host Organization Roles
There are two TBB roles within each organization:
• Site Administrator – primary contact
– works with counselors to ensure they have a good
working knowledge of TBB
– ensures that the site is working effectively to assist
clients
– informs TBB-TX staff of changes of contact information
for the organization or counselors
• TBB Counselor – direct-service person
– staff and/or volunteers proficient with computers
– attends training for benefits and/or taxes
– attends update training, as needed
21
Site Requirements
• Computer with internet
connection
• Printer & Fax
• Staff/Volunteer time
• Private space for client
sessions
22
Free Marketing Support
23
The Benefit Bank Help Desk
Staff of trained professionals reached by a
toll free number to answer technical
questions about The Benefit Bank of Texas
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10 Easy Steps to Becoming a TBB-TX Site
Step by Step Actions to Becoming a Site for The Benefit Bank of Texas
1.
2.
3.
Receive and review a TBB-TX site agreement
Sign site agreement.
Identify potential counselors for your site (include an identified
site administrator – primary contact for TBB-TX).
4. Schedule training for your counselors.
5. Fill out electronic site information sheet for locations, times of
operation, inc.
6. THI sends an invoice for site membership fee (annual budget
< $1 million = $500/year; >$1 million = $1,000/year).
7. Pay invoice.
8. Attend training.
9. Utilize free marketing materials to inform clients of your new
service.
10. Begin providing TBB-TX services to clients.
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Thank you!
Camille D. Miller
President and CEO
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
Sherry Wilkie-Conway
COO
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
Diana Maldonado
State Director of The Benefit Bank
of Texas
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
Amanda Royston
Vice President
Events, Education, Marketing and
Communication
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]