Texas food stamp applications delayed

Now this is an article I can relate to! Not only is it worth reading because it's about other humans, but also because it's an example of bureaucratic injustice. The Statesman's article Texas food stamp applications delayed should be called State's inability to retain new employees cause families to starve to death!

There are 3.7 million Texans on public assistance (Medicaid, food stamps, etc.). The process goes something like this: a need is identified, resources located, appointment made, paperwork filled out, meeting with caseworker, information turned in, verification process, case number assigned, data entry, benefits approved or denied. The best one can hope for when they find themselves in this situation is seamless execution. But what if there are not enough employees to process the applications? Such is the case in Texas, where 676 out of 800 new workers hired since September 2007, have left. The consequence of this is twofold. First, families have to get emergency food from places like SafePlace, Texas Food Bank and churches. Second, available funds to feed deserving hungry families are sitting in the bank! We are paying twice, once with our tax money to fund social services like the food stamp program, and again when we participate in can food drives through the mailman, local scouts and clubs, or donate money to our churches.

The issue addressed in the Statesman glazes over the agencies attrition issue and goes in depth about the ups and downs of the new computer system, TIERS. The state's solution to retain workers? Give 6,000 employees raises and promotions. Ummm, wait a minute. How about incremental raises throughout the year, or wages based on the number of applications processed?

Thankfully, the federal government has standards in place to hold states accountable for timeliness. 95 percent of applications must be processed in 30 days. Right now the data shows that less than half - 48 percent- of Texas applications are being completed within that time requirement.

The Department of Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner, Albert Hawkins, states that benefits are retroactive to the date the person applied. Great. To which Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, replied: "How do you go back and feed a hungry child last month."

While I was enlightened by learning about the old and new computer systems and their efficiency or inefficiency to facilitate benefits for low-income families, this article was found under Public Services, not in the Technology section of the Statesman. I look forward to hearing more on this topic and the progress of public assistance programs to administer help to those in need.

Texas drafts bill of rights for foster children

TheTexas state government is responsible for approximately 17,000 foster children . More specifically, the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (DPRS)—is charged with protecting these children from abuse and neglect. Last year a bill of rights for these young citizens of Texas failed to pass the legislature, so now the agency charged with protecting them is bypassing the politicians in order to guarantee these children some rights.
SB 805 passed during the last legislative session but in the House (HB 1752) the identical bill was left pending in committee. And there it died. House State Representative Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, herself a foster parent, took issue with two of the provisions in the bill and it was derailed.
It's great that the agency is taking matters into their own hands to ensure their clients are granted rights, but shouldn't the entity that created the agency ensure the rights of its own citizens/future voters? According to State Representative Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, and the author of the House bill, the bill of rights would have been stronger as a law than just a rule from a state agency.
These poor children have had everything taken from them, their homes, families, and now we want to keep from gauranteeing rights? This should have been a no-brainer for legislators.
This article is worth reading because these kids matter. What they are entitled to is no more or less than you would expect for yourself and/or your own children. They need a voice, a set of expectations for their care and some recourse if they are not cared for properly. Afterall, our tax money pays for these children's foster care.
Texas drafts bill of rights for foster children
For the provisions of the bill of rights see:
Texas Legislature