The US needs to standardize their assistance for needy families.

I don't know much about public assistance. Is it federal or state granted? If it is the state who generates the funds to pay for assistance then that could be why your sister gets more than you. I would guess that New Jersey residents generate more funds than Colorado residents. If it is federal then it should be standardized with more restictions. Such as you get assistance for one child. I know some scumbags who have 8 kids just for the money. It has to be restricted. If it were not for people like that you would probably be able to go to school for free.

I know what you mean. My father in law can't work because he was in an accident and it messed his legs up. He had to get some of the bone cut off one leg so now his legs aren't even. He has to have his shoes built up so he can stand even. And he can't hardly sleep at night because his legs hurt him so bad. He finally got put on disability but it doesn't pay a lot. His wife (my step mother in law) works as a cook at a restaurant. They are having a hard time right now with money and they still have a 19 year old living at home. They can't get help with food stamps because they say she makes 5 cent an hour too much. They don't have a vehicle so she has to have people take her to work and pick her up. They rent their house cause they can't afford to buy a house. Now Medicare or Medicaid (I believe that's who it was, I could be wrong, I'm not sure) came in and decreased my father in law's money that he gets because they said my brother in law graduated high school. And now my father in law can't hardly even pay for his medicines. I just don't understand why the government is like that. Sometimes they don't help the people that really need it.

I know exaclty what you mean..and whats even sadder is that where i live in Pa..in our town they pick and choose themselves who gets what..just depending on if they like you or not,i know from experience..like my friend and i went threw the same thing with no fathers in the picture..she wasnt working and i was waiting for Social security..i got $176 a mth in cash for bills..hell my rent is 560..and 100 in food..she made more money than me and she got $300 in food..both have one kid..same exact circumstances..how is that right? and there have been other exapmles i have been toldand its wrong..but we do however have a place that helps people get jobs and also train them for work..which is good for everyone..but..the system is a joke most of the time..the more kids u have, and not ever working a day in there life.. the more help they get and more surprises and hidden help..instead of those that really need it..and it just angers me..they system really only works for very few that need it..there just is no justice is there hun? great topic btw! take care!

Some of the assistance may vary from state to state or even from county to county, but from what I have seen, your worker may also have a lot to do with it. One young family I know had a worker who told them that they could not get any help with a heat shut-off, food or any of the other necessities. They moved to a neighboring county for about a month, and were able to get the assistance they needed there. When they transferred back to the original county they got a new worker who was able to get them the assistance they needed in their original county as well. It wasn't that they didn't qualify. The other worker could have gotten these benefits for them too if she had wanted to.

It would be nice if your government could make assistance a federal thing where all states have the same standards. Here in Canada I have in the past been on assistance and I tell you it is a big hole that is so hard to get out of. I would love to see them put more money into getting us off the system then making every personal effort you make a punishment basically. I see many people here who abuse the system and I used to feel anger about it because I was so honest and even kids would make fun of my poor kids. But now I understand that our system is very messed up and does not give any incentives to people to get off the system and people do what they have to in order to survive. Good luck! I hope things will get better for you! Vicki

They don't need to standardize it. They need to abolish it. I think it is a shame that people would use their child as an excuse not to work. Welfare rats act like they didn't know that they needed money to raise a child. Contraceptives are less expensive than raising a child. I bet if there was no welfare there would be less children in the USA. Why do they get money for free and I have to work and pay taxes so these parasites can suck from the system. It isn't my fault they had a child they were not willing to support. So why should I have to pay?

One thing they do in Kansas is cut off cash assistance after 60 months. Cant ever get it again as far as i have been told. The paper trail isnt as long here as it is in some places but it is long enough. Now days you have phone interviews which also helps. I read in tbhe discussion that some states vary by county . And I think that one worker should be investigated it is wrong to choose case to case.

I know exactly what you mean.I've seen people who really needed help passed over and others get it that didn't need or deserve it.When my sister needed assistance she was denied because she owned property.They allowed she wasn't too bad off or she'd sell it.Now what kind of B.S is that? My mother had a massive heart attack and had to have her left leg amputated at the knee as a result of poor circulation.She was denied disablity.They told her she was still able to hold a desk job! On the other hand I know a family here in town that gets all kinds of assistance:housing,utility,food stamps etc.Which would be fine except that both the husband and wife work 'off the books' for cash.They've been investigated several times because people have turned them in but always manage to get out of it somehow.It's a screwed up system at best and really needs a overhaul.

I totally agree with you about standardization. The state I live in (NC) has regulations that sound a lot like yours. Like, I was unemployed and about to get evicted. I spent half a day there trying to get some kind of help, only to be told they had already spent their entire budget for that month and no more would be available until the first of the next month.

yea the us really need to do something, they should make alot of things standarder, ever seem the movie " bowling for columbin?" the story is sad but very true. take flint michiagn for exsample, it used to be a great town, but after the ford company left there the whole town went to also a third country there, not much assisants from the govement, the place went horrible crime rate, way up and no one there to help. too sad

Mmm-mmm you have struck a good point there!!! In Hamilton county Ohio, you only get three years to be on cash assistance, and then the only way that you can recieve any further cash assistance is to have a "hardship" case, which will be determined my your caseworker and however nasty she feels like being!!! Or you can have more children so you will have four kids under the age of 13 and they will give you cash assistance. Why would you reward those who are milking the system by continually having kids, while the parents who are out there struggling with their two or three kids are kicked in the booty while their down Another thing I can't stand is the paperwork. My nickname for the Job and Family Services here is the papermill. I receive food stamps and medical assistance for myself and my two children. I dread having to go to a recertification appointment (which I have to do this Thursday, oy!!!) Here is the scenario for paperwork. First, they send me a letter that states that around the 17th of the month that they will send me another letter with my appointment date. Why don't you just send me the appointment. Then before I get that letter, they send another letter, the front saying that I should have received my appointment letter (which at this point I haven't) and telling me how to reschedule. This letter has a household verification form and an employment verification form for me to get filled out to bring with me. Then, about a week before my appointment (hopefully) I get my appointment letter. This is only after I have called my caseworker about 50 times to find out when my appointment is, and her never returning my messages because she never answers the phone. I get the forms filled out, plus get a typed up statement from my grandmother to state that she charges me rent for living here. (She can't just fill out the household verification, because she is a relative and lives in the same house, despite her being my landlord as well) Finally, the day comes for me to go to the appointment. I get there an hour early just in case there is a cancellation and I can get there early. I sit there for an hour and a half, and after realizing that my appointment time has past, I go to the receptionist to see what is the problem. She e-mails my caseworker, and she replies that she called me five minutes like she was supposed to (*Note: My mother is there with me, and was there during the one time I got up. I also have a pager, which is supposed to go off when I am called. This pager never went off.) so then she tells me that I may have to reschedule because it is so late. She says she will be right out, but never comes. I leave, angry, not only because I wasn't called, but because if I want to continue receiving food stamps and medical, I have to go through this process all over again!!! What is it about caseworkers that makes them act as though they are giving the assistance out of their own pocket? Before I get too far off subject I will end this post by saying a lot of the problems in welfare would be solved if they would have a universal way of doing their services. The only thing that would have to vary is the amount of cash assistance by each state's cost of living, because it would be unfair for everyone to go by the lowest states cost of living, and unfair to the taxpayers to go by the highest.

You are lucky that you live in a country where assistance is given to those who are in need... in my country even if you are like paralyze with no means of earning a living and no family to take care of you... the only option is to beg in the streets... Although this assistance thing can be abused by some... still that is not an excuse for assisting other who are really in need... this program may vary from state to state but still... i admire your government for taking this initiative...

Thank you sop much for starting this discussion. I am a single Mom of 2. I lost my job in January My 1yr old just had heart surgery and I was unable to work until this month because of her condition. I receive food stamps, and medical assistance, and help during winter months. I live of Child Support payments because my expected Child support payments are more than what it would be if I was collecting cash payments from welfare. My apartment was ruled unhealthy per the Health Department. I do not get any rental assistance from the State so I cannot get any help with getting a healthy place to live. If I were on cash assistance already I would qualify for a onetime rental assistance payment to find a new home, I do not have good credit because I have not been working nor have I been getting consistant support payment like I was suppose to so I have bad credit so I can get a home, and I have no money for 1st months rent or security deposit so I am stuck until place is condemned landlord has until tomorrow to fix all problems but landlord has done nothing so I am screwed. If I was on section 8 or substidized housing I could just transfer to a new home but I am not so I am on my own and I do not know what to do. Section 8 list are closed ( no new apps are being accepted) I would qualify now before when list were open my income was too high. I the system is messed up because I have alot of friends who are on all programs public assistance has to offer and they are not at all struggling and nor are they motivated to get off. I have 1 friend who told Me that she is better off working part time than working full time and struggling for nothing. I was in shocked but when I took a good look at her situation she was right she works part time and still gets food stamps, low cost quality housing, free utilities, free medical, free childcare, free lunches, free clothing allowances, free transportation (bus passes and free car program), free furniture, free braces on her kids teeth, and tuition free schooling... Imagine that. If she worked full time she would have to pay for everything income would be too high for help.