"Missouri is conducting a radical experiment with social services, and the well-­‐being of millions of Missourians hangs in the balance" “The gross negligence and the mismanagement is something that the state of Missouri should not tolerate” (Anna Sandidge, Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet) Members of the St. Louis Workers Right Board, an affiliate of Jobs with Justice, convened a hearing on March 22, 2014 in order to examine whether Missouri is creating impossible roadblocks for its already desperate citizens. A panel of community and faith leaders heard testimony and determined the reorganization to the Family Support Division is indeed implementing devastating changes and intractable obstacles for Missouri citizens. The Family Support Division (FSD), within the Department of Social Services (DSS), is responsible for administering Missouri’s health insurance, supplemental nutrition assistance, and childcare provisions for low-­‐income individuals and families across the state, but figures indicate problems. Studies from the Food Research and Action Center show that between December 2008 and December 2013, Missouri was the only state that showed a decline in food stamp recipients, while the national average was a 47% increase. Ø Since the reorganization began last year, the number of Missourians receiving nutritional assistance has declined by 70,000 individuals. Ø The number receiving health insurance through the Medicaid program has declined by 50,000. Ø Administrators in the department cite improvements in the economy for this change. Ø Given the national data above, attributing the decline to an improving economy doesn’t pass the smell test The system is being starved Whether a child will be covered by Medicaid or receive nutritional assistance weighs on the back of a caseworker, as do the fates of 1,000 or more other families. “We have termed the work that is getting done as winning the lottery…” (Holly Roe, FSD Eligibility Specialist) 1 As if this extraordinary workload weren’t enough, caseworkers are facing more and more barriers to efficiency in performing their jobs. To the extent that FSD has moved into its new work model, caseworkers have actually lost access to clients’ case records. Instead of assisting clients in their office, caseworkers must now call a “processing center” where a client’s case is being handled and relay the information back and forth between the client and the processing center. Processing centers are often hundreds of miles away from the client’s residence, so directly engaging their issues at the source is impossible. Obviously this is far from efficient. Worse, it contributes to a lobby atmosphere in which clients frequently are entirely denied their rights to meet face-­‐to-­‐face with a caseworker at all. An investigation by CWA Local 6355 highlights the dysfunctional nature of the client experience at FSD. Despite a small preliminary sample size, results of the investigation, Nobody to Talk to, found that 75% of applicants were told to “Leave your application in the drop box.” Further, 75% of food stamp applicants were denied access to the interview to which they are entitled under federal regulations, even when they asked for that interview. Just put your papers in the box In addition to the confusion and frustration that accompanies the extensive paperwork, and the unavailability of one’s caseworker, clients are now instructed to leave their paperwork in a so-­‐called drop box and go home. Some offices utilize a loud speaker, strongly reminding clients to simply leave their materials in the box. Yet, many of these boxes are not secured and offer little opportunity to record proof that materials were indeed provided. Advocates tell of clients being instructed to leave their original documents in the box, including social security cards. Even in the best of cases, with security and sign in logs in place, clients face long stretches without appropriate contact with a caseworker, often resulting in leaving the poorest of the poor empty handed. One client testified about the month and a half she fought through the application process to obtain Medicaid for her child. After multiple conversations with a State Representative and a hospital visit for her sick child, she received the insurance. However, they were unable to backdate the application appropriately and the two-­‐day visit to the hospital was not covered. “You hand walk your paperwork in, sign TWO rosters telling what you brought in and who it is for, then you get a letter stating that because you failed to turn in your paperwork your case is closed OR because you failed to have a telephone interview -­‐ that was never scheduled – your case is closed” “It seems as though the people at the top don’t have a clue about what is going on with the people at the bottom” (Marilyn Brown, FSD Client) 2 “They will wait by the phone, take off work… and then they don’t receive a call. If they try to call a caseworker they often cannot get through or leave a voicemail because the mailbox is full” (Jamie Rodriguez, Legal Services) DSS tracked the number of applicants unable to complete an interview during September 2009 at 196 individuals. This number has exploded to 7,001 individuals unable to complete an interview in September 2013, and thus rejected from services. When clients are told that they may not see a caseworker, when the system compels them to leave papers in an overflowing drop box, when caseworkers are cut off from access to information about their own clients’ cases, it is little surprise that we see an explosion in the number of people rejected because they could not complete an interview. Of course this would predict the massive drop we’ve seen in Missouri in enrollment in SNAP and Medicaid programs, but FSD administration is clinging to a fantasy that an improving economy explains the drop off. It’s hard to imagine this as anything other than willful ignorance. Testimonies from clients and advocates told of letters received in the same day both scheduling an interview and also rejecting the applicant for services. Advocates are rightfully concerned about those “Our clients frequently receive attempting to receive benefits without assistance. contradictory information... a client will Many clients are working multiple jobs and caring for receive a letter stating their food stamps family members, the assistance they are seeking is to are approved and then that same day supplement their hard work, that extra flotation device receive a letter saying their food stamps to keep their head above water. They do not have time were rejected or terminated.” to sit in an office from 9am to 2pm with the hopes of (Jamie Rodriguez, L egal Services) seeing a caseworker. ”You are shuffled along just like animals in a pen…you just play musical chairs waiting to see somebody” (Marilyn Brown, FSD Client) They do not have time to consistently call in the hopes of reaching a caseworker with space left on her voicemail box. They do not have the time and they deserve more. “I was told that a caseworker can no longer see you, it is all done by phone, fax, or email” (Angie Reckelhoff, FSD Client). In short, caseworkers are overwhelmed with an impossible task, clients are feeling lost, ignored and forgotten, and FSD administrators spin it all into a narrative of efficiency and growing prosperity (in the face of economic data). 3 “While I do believe technological improvements are necessary in the world we live in I shudder at the idea of these manmade implementations being in place to help human beings, but are in fact stripping human dignity” Holly Roe, FSD Eligibility Specialist “The cart seems to always go before the horse when decisions are being made by those who are so far removed from what is happening in the trenches of human suffering” Chris Worth, Paraquad Disability advocates stress the severity of this new obstacle. “If we mechanize this system, we take that one advocate away…we are telling people who have very little experience with computers to navigate the system on their own…we remove that human connection” Worth’s testimony included his own story with his caseworker who advocated for him (when they still had the capacity to give due attention to their clients). He also explained the desire of many in the disability community, “who want to work, who want to be engaged and be active” and have utilized FSD in order to accomplish these goals. “Think of the talent, think of the creativity, think of a human aspect of a person with a disability, a poor person in general, and then apply it to what the state of Missouri is trying to do and you see the real crime” Despite the realities illustrated by advocates, clients and employees within the system, the reorganization plan for the Family Support Division of the Department of Social Services involves the elimination of 700 positions. The goal of the Family Support Division is to have all its programs, including Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, and childcare, covered under the new system by the end of 2015. Missourians following the necessary procedures are falling through cracks, employees are drowning under the pressure and the paperwork, and advocates are outraged. There is “evidence of a deliberate effort to make it difficult to apply and obtain assistance that people need” (Jerry Hochsztein, attorney). Yet FSD administrators are bulling forward with their heads down and their hearts hardened. 4 March 22, 2014 Hearing Panelists The Reverend Teresa Mithen Danieley The Rev. Teresa Mithen Danieley is a graduate of Crossroads High School, Yale College (B.A., History), the University of Chicago (M.P.P.), and the General Theological Seminary (M.Div.) She currently serves as a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri's Commission on Ministry and a Trustee on the Episcopal Presbyterian Health Trust. Pastor Teresa is an Associate of the Order of St. Helena. She has served as pastor of St. John's, Tower Grove for nine wonderful years. Jerry Hochsztein Jerry Hochsztein is an attorney in individual practice in Clayton, representing individuals and organizations in all types of civil matters. He is active in progressive and religions organizations, such as Jobs With Justice and its Workers Rights Board, Jews United for Justice and the Civil Rights Committee of the Anti-­‐Defamation League, He also volunteers for the United Way Allocations Panel and the St. Louis County Older Resident Program. The Reverend David Johnson David Johnson has served as the pastor at Overland Baptist Church in St. Louis since 1997. He currently serves on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Heartland coordinating council. David has served on the boards of the Word and Way, The Baptist Home for the Aged, and the Ritenour Ministerial Alliance. Active in economic justice issues, and interfaith relations, David also serves on the boards of Ritenour Co-­‐Care, St. Louis Meals on Wheels and Community Against Poverty. Reverend Elston K. McCowan Rev. Elston K. McCowan is the 1st Vice President of the St. Louis City NAACP. He serves as the Criminal Justice Chair and the Prison Committee Chair for the Missouri State NAACP Conference of Branches. Rev. McCowan has served as the Pastor of Star Grace MBC located in in North St. Louis City for 11 years. McCowan also serves as the Social Justice Chair of the General Baptist State Convention. He is currently employed with the St. Louis Public Schools as a Collaborative Specialist. He is the Minister General of the Universal African People's Organization as well as the Co-­‐coordinator of the Gateway Green Alliance. Rev. Lew Moye Lew Moye is the President of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. He is the Chairman of the United Auto Workers Local 110 Shop Committee representing 4,000 workers at the Chrysler plant. Moye is and has been a tireless advocate for worker rights. The Reverend Dr. Martin Rafanan The Reverend Dr. Martin Rafanan is currently an ordained minister in the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Martin has served as Chair of the Advocacy Committee of the Continuum of Care for Ending Homelessness in St. Louis. He is currently the Co-­‐Chair of the St. Louis Workers Rights Board of Missouri Jobs with Justice. He also serves as the Treasurer of VSA Missouri, a member of the Advocacy Committee of Catholic Charities in the St. Louis Archdiocese, and as a board member of the Mid-­‐South Organizing Committee of the national fast food worker movement. Anna Sandidge Anna Sandidge coordinates the justice ministry for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet – St. Louis Province. She has been an active peace and justice organizer and educator locally and internationally for over 15 years. She has developed and co-­‐facilitated reconciliation courses at the United Nations in New York and works with many groups to integrate social justice into their organizational identity and daily operations. She received her Psychology and Anthropology degree in 2001 from Missouri State University and her Master’s in Community Social Work in 2004 from Saint Louis University. 5 Missouri Jobs with Justice St Louis Workers’ Rights Board Recommendations Workers Rights Board Hearing Regarding the Reorganization of the Missouri Family Support Saturday March 22, 2014 Overland Baptist Church, St Louis MO The Workers Rights Board of Missouri Jobs with Justice includes 85 community, faith, labor, and student leaders across St Louis whose mission is to fight for working families and support the rights of workers across our state. We strongly recommend the following: •
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The Family Support Division must cease all staff cuts until the reorganization is openly and intentionally reviewed and the new software system is truly operational The Family Support Division must maintain face-­‐to-­‐face interviews as a viable option for clients to request The contents of so-­‐called drop boxes must be secured with assurances that materials are passed on to the proper Family Support Division employees The Family Support Division should reformat any form letters in order to make changes and the process of appealing benefits clear to families The state must look into the real reason that caseloads are dramatically dropping in Missouri in contrast to other states The Family Support Division should host public events, in multiple locations around the state, in order to discuss the reorganization and allow stakeholders an opportunity to provide real input Failure to act will result in untold numbers of Missourians, the largest portion of which are children, unable to access the basic necessities of adequate health care and nutrition…
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