These
times of danger and crisis prompt us all to reexamine our relationships,
values and how we do things. The government can legislate parameters and
guidelines that mirror the values and morals of the larger society, but
this is only an environmental backdrop. It is still up to each individual
to make choices. I hope our leaders don't legislate to further narrow our
choices and freedoms. Obviously, I am a supporter of individual freedom.
Education is one avenue for illuminating the
conscience and influencing the choices people make. I have been involved
in creating programs to assist women getting off drugs before they become
pregnant--especially crack, coke and methamphetamines--and to understand
the correlation between putting junk in their bodies and harming the child
inside their womb. Even with proper health information and knowledge about
overpopulation, some people will override these concerns and have large
families for a variety of reasons--whether personal, religious, cultural
or otherwise.
Some aspects of welfare reform are answering
questions about population from a societal point of view, and tell the
parent what they can get help with right up front. You can receive money
now for the children you have, and if you come into the system pregnant
you will receive aid for that child, but not for subsequent
children. This is a way of trying to influence women's choices, since it
tells them that if they do have more children while they are on welfare,
they will suffer greater hardship. A year ago, this was not the case.
You could have a baby every other year, and get more and more money.
A person on welfare who doesn't participate
in the mandatory job program is "sanctioned." This means their portion
of their family's grant will be eliminated. If a person decides not to
participate even after being sanctioned, they can be kicked off welfare
altogether. They will no longer receive a cash grant. However, the State
of California has a safety net for the children. The children's portion
of the grant would be converted into direct payment to the landlord and
the utility company for rent and utilities. This means that at least their
child has a roof over its head, light and warmth. Also, a sanctioned person
can still usually qualify for food stamps, since welfare and food stamps
are not automatically linked--you now have to qualify for each program separately.
Mendocino County's population is now about 87,000. The AFDC population
(now called TANIF --Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) excluding caretakers,
the disabled and pregnant women, is a bit over 2,000 people. The
preponderance of our clients are women, typically female heads of household,
although there are also some two-parent families.
I was responsible for the community planning
process for the new welfare-to-work program (CalWORKS). I went around the
county, held meetings to get community input, and then wrote a simple plan
that outlined what the people wanted. The plan that was ultimately approved
by the Board of Supervisors has about eight guiding principles. Those principles
are substantive, and reflect what the community groups considered most
important.
Now is the time for implementing welfare reform.
Job Alliance (an employment services program of Social Services) is mandatory
for those receiving CalWorks who are not exempt. The welfare-to-work program
starts out with a six-week introductory phase that focuses on planning,
job search or job exploration. It seeks to identify the skills and the
attributes that people have learned and developed over time, helps them
create a resumé and then to begin to look for work. This includes
teaching them how to interview and how to dress for success.
This whole process begins to help the client
feel empowered. The better people feel about themselves, the more successful
they will be--whether they are trying to get services or a job. This self-empowerment
approach has been long in coming and is increasingly threaded throughout
human services programs.
Job Alliance not only helps people who want
a job, but it can help those who would thrive being their own boss--self-employed,
working in a partnership or with a collective. They don't just say, "This
is the next job available, so you have to take it." They try to match career
goals with the person's abilities and temperament. It's a very good program.
Some people have the potential and are ready
to move forward, to advance our society. They will more than likely benefit
from a system that is responsive, nurturing and positive. Others have the
potential, but are not quite ready. For someone who is closed, whose potential
is lying dormant, they are not going to benefit no matter what we throw
at them. We should not forget these people; we should be there for them
when the light does go on, as it is important not to miss an opportunity
to help when a person is ready. It is a challenge to the system of providers
to put their major effort and time into effectively helping those folks.
In this county, people are on welfare on the average for about one
and a half years. Many people come on and off of welfare--as a seasonal
support when they are out of work, or due to changes in their household.
As of January 1, 1998, a person can be on welfare for a maximum of five
years (cumulative, nation-wide). This is not retroactive. The government
is spending a lot of money to help people assess what kind of employment
and skill training they need to become self-sufficient. If we just cut
the aid and didn't give other support, I wouldn't be happy. However, I
think the government did a good job in redefining welfare. People have
a time-specific opportunity to better themselves, get jobs and potentially
become self-sufficient and are informed upfront of the consequences if
they don't apply themselves. This can be a very successful program. A lot
of people are working hard to make it so.
Some people are going to have hard times ahead--especially
if they either don't apply their expertise or learn additional skills to
get work. Those with barriers that marginalize them are going to be expected
to work if they aren't eligible for SSI, and since their likelihood of
advancing in a regular job is less, they are going to need the most help.
The service sector in our society is increasing,
and service-industry jobs (including jobs related to tourism) provided
a substantial number of the new jobs last year in Mendocino County. People
with good work habits can pretty much find that type of work anywhere.
Yet entry-level jobs with chain stores, fast-food restaurants and so on,
generally pay minimum wage and don't provide enough money to keep a family
together. Even a single person would have to share housing and be close
to mass transportation to get along on minimum wage. Fortunately, working
people can still get food stamps and Medi-Cal as they transition from welfare
to work. The trick will be to develop workforce support to enable people
to advance from entry-level positions to jobs that pay them enough to become
self-sufficient.
We are like turtles. We carry our cultures on our back, as part of
who we are. The Anglo- American culture in the United States supports individualism.
Although we give some support, we also expect people to carry their own
weight. Culturally, this is what the dominant culture epitomizes.
The moral decline in our models and the lack
of promotion of high ideals came about at the same time that individuality
became excessive. I am an individual, but I am also a responsible human
being and do not disregard my community. I view my role in life as one
of service, and of honoring and loving others. That is core to who I am.
I chose that path a long time ago, when I graduated from college and made
the choice to go into the Peace Corps. Why did I do it? Because John Kennedy
started the Peace Corps in the 1960s, and I felt I wanted to make my contribution
for my country. I had a nice blend of nationalism and idealism, and I never
have lost that spark. I have become somewhat cynical about our leadership
and politicians in particular, but I haven't lost certainty regarding service
to others and to my community.
Although public service gets a bad rap, the Department of Social Services
is quite customer-service based now. The majority of the people working
in this field today are dedicated to their communities and welcome that
they need to be relaxed when they provide a service. Yet, often they are
hamstrung by having too little resources to do their job, or by having
to spend so much time documenting their work--leaving too little time for
direct services to clients.
No matter what we do, whether pumping gas
or selling stocks and bonds, all of our activities and work are connected
to greater whole. If we can be mindful that all our contributions
can increase the value of human experience for everyone, we are all better
off. We can then go beyond the philosophical, and experience our
work with joy, humor and fun. That is part of how I try to approach every
day.
I have always been in the business of trying to help
others because that is what I value. I want to be of service to human beings
and human life. I feel very strongly that, as a community we could grow
much closer. Certainly, as there are less and less resources, we are being
forced to group closer together. The times demand that we stay open and
do as much as we can even when we are threatened. This is difficult to
do, but it is the only way. If we pay attention to how we are being in
the world, we will progress.
We have to!
In order for a person to get Medi-Cal or food stamps, the government
requires them to provide actual pieces of paper to document everything
from residency to income. That can feel onerous to anyone. "Why don't you
just believe me?" Well, unfortunately, government doesn't run that way.
To a lot of people that feels like a lot of hoops to jump through.
The strings attached to the money that supports services
precludes staff from being as responsive as they would like. Also, government
is not always fully staffed. Although delay is hard for people in an anxious
state, thank God for our quick-turn-around food banks, hot meals at Plowshares,
emergency shelter and other assistance.
It can be extremely difficult and frustrating for someone feeling devastated
by life circumstances to go into an office and have to try to answer a
lot of questions that will determine how they can plug into available assistance
programs.
If you need something, go to Social Services
or other agencies and check it out. You can call, but being seen
in person will often stimulate discussions about other programs that can
help. When seeking out a service, it is very important to be as clear as
possible and advocate for yourself and your family. You are part of a partnership
whose purpose is to get you what you need so you can get on with your life
and make it better. When you are stressed, depressed and feeling down,
it is difficult to look at your life and think you have anything going
for yourself--yet everyone does have skills and assets.
With less money available, we have to find
better and more efficient ways to serve people. Fortunately, government
is becoming more customer-friendly, which includes more attention to providing
a pleasant and positive environment. The new Job Alliance sites throughout
the county reflect this user-freindly philosophy. Our offices have the
advantage of being co-located with other agency partners and have the benefit
of a one-stop-shop kind of approach that makes it easier to access services.
Government at the state and federal levels is always behind the times.
Vice-president Gore may be trying to reduce paperwork and streamline the
federal government, but more effective delivery of services is possible
when we creatively satisfy rules and regulations locally.
This also means stimulating people to not only get what they need from
the system but to see themselves as part of this system--having resources
and assets they can build on as partners with those providing services.
Funding sources for the many service agencies and
county offices mandate separate rules and regulations including specific
information and the way that information has to be displayed for processing.
Although several community agencies may do case management for the same
family and are considering the design of a single enrollment form,
the complexity of getting one form approved beyond the local level is a
long process--one that has already been worked on for several years.
I saw a demonstration several months ago of
an automated case-management system from enrollment forward that multiple
providers could use in a computerized network. Although it is already in
existence it has not been approved by the state and federal funding sources.
Government is like the Titanic. People hate to hear me say that, but it
is like a huge boat. You can turn it from the wheelhouse, but to get the
ship to avoid obstacles takes time--more time than most of us think it should.
It is not always apparent on the surface--the complexity of connections
and ramifications of one thing with another--but everything has to fit in
place.
Once we have learned a system, we don't like a lot of changes. A new form
or computer may pull our time and energy away from the human focus and
interaction with clients. Yet, we do need responsive, non-duplicative,
streamlined and user-friendly systems to get people the services they need
more quickly, cost-effectively and efficiently. It's one thing to say this
and another to actualize it. The system change must span from the local
level to the far reaches of government, and must be accompanied by a cultural
change as well. I hope I can see some of these changes in my lifetime!
ANA MAHONEY considers herself a change-agent. She has thirty-five
years professional background in health and human services--working as a
Peace Corps volunteer in the mid 1960s and in various administrative positions
and management consultation jobs since then. Her loves include animals,
gardening, nature-walks, camping, creative projects, and helping people.
After retirement in the next year, Ana plans to continue part-time
contulting work.
Ain't
I A Woman? ~ Cover Artist: Joanie Mitchell
Dreamstream ~From the Publishers ~ Public
Service
Voice of the Infinite in the
Small ~ Welfare Reform
Wild2K ~ Y2K
Citizen's Action Guide
Y2K Task Forces in Rural
Northern California
All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 1999 Sojourn Magazine
