Dear John,
In case you missed it...this week the Voices for Human Needs blog explains why an antiquated SSI policy cruelly prevents beneficiaries from saving money -- either for emergencies or for their retirement -- and what is being done about it. And we detail how improving the count of low-literacy adults in the U.S. Census would improve the count of children -- a critical goal as the allocation of $1 trillion in federal funds over a decade is implicated. Please share!
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This week on the blog...
Bipartisan legislation could elevate SSI into the 21st century, encourage savings, and help people with disabilities
December 9
Eddie felt he had met the love of his life after meeting Jen, becoming her boyfriend, and eventually proposing marriage – she said yes. But then reality – in the form of America’s antiquated SSI system – intruded. Eddie, who lives in an adult foster home, has an Intellectual and Developmental Disorder. Jen has a spinal condition that requires 24-hour medical assistance. Both receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. Both say they could lose benefits, including SSI, if they got married because of punitive rules that disqualify single people or married couples if they earn too much or save too much. READ MORE »
To count all kids, Census Bureau should improve the count of adults with low literacy
December 7
Ensuring a fair and accurate Census is important for a variety of reasons. First, political entities from school boards and city councils to state legislatures use the decennial Census count to draw political districts, all the way up to Congress. Second, Census numbers drive funding decisions – if a particular community or neighborhood is undercounted, that geographic entity can miss out on funding, not just for a year or two but for an entire decade until the next count occurs. READ MORE »
Save the date! Next week, CHN is hosting a webinar entitled Making Your Case: The Advocate’s Guide to Using American Community Survey Data. The webinar will be 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, December 13.
The webinar will explain how advocates can use American Community Survey data to make their case for supporting human needs programs. It will focus on how to find the state and local data advocates need, and how advocates have used the data effectively to defend and promote key programs. It will also describe threats by some in Congress to undermine the American Community Survey.
Speakers will include Deborah Stein, Senior Consultant at CHN; Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director at CHN; and Kelly Hoffman, Vice President of Data and Strategy at PA Partnerships for Children. Meeta Anand, Senior Director, Census & Data Equity at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, will moderate the forum.
You can register for the webinar here.
Coalition on Human Needs
www.chn.org
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