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INCOME & WORK SUPPORTS UPDATE
JANUARY 2024
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CLASP Responds to Proposed Rule Strengthening TANF as a Safety Net and Work Program
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The Department of Health and Human Services proposed a new rule on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, focusing on TANF spending requirements. CLASP supports the proposed rule; we believe it is well-formulated to curtail misuse of TANF funds on services and programs that are not reaching “needy” individuals or that do not accomplish one of TANF’s statutory purposes. The proposed rule will also prevent states from shifting their responsibility to provide for “needy” residents onto non-governmental third parties and provide several valuable clarifications to ease administrative burdens on states.
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| Eliminating Asset Limits: Creating Savings for Families and State Governments |
| People need savings and assets to weather temporary setbacks and to save for the future. Yet most means-tested programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and TANF have asset limits, which deny eligibility to applicants and recipients with more than “modest” amounts of cash savings, vehicles, or other property. States should use the flexibility they have to eliminate asset limits in their SNAP and TANF programs, and the federal government must eliminate them in the SSI program. |
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| One Year After Improved Public Charge Rule, Biden Administration Must Do More for Immigrant Families |
| The Biden Administration’s public charge rule went into effect in December 2022. The rule clarified that only receiving, not just applying for, public cash assistance for income maintenance or long-term institutionalization at government expense could negatively affect an immigrant’s public charge determination. However, one year later, most immigrants are not aware of the rule. The Biden Administration must be more vocal in its outreach to the immigrant community. |
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IWS Updates
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We are proud to announce that two members of the Income and Work Supports Team were promoted in 2023. Jesse Fairbanks was promoted to Policy Analyst and Suzanne Wikle was promoted to Associate Director for State Health Policy and Advocacy. Congratulations to both on this well-deserved recognition!
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National, State, and Local Spotlights
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CLASP Co-Hosts Guaranteed Income Panel on the Hill + Documentary Screening
In collaboration with the Economic Security Project and the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, CLASP hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill in November. The briefing focused on a guaranteed income pilot program implemented in Chelsea, Massachusetts and included a screening of the documentary Raising the Floor and a panel discussion moderated by CLASP Executive Director Indivar Dutta-Gupta. Panel participants included Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7), and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) among other speakers.
Medicaid Expansion Succeeds in North Carolina
North Carolina is the latest state to implement Medicaid expansion, opening eligibility for Medicaid to 600,000 North Carolinians. Medicaid expansion allows adults earning up to 138 percent of the poverty level to qualify for affordable health insurance. Evidence from other states shows numerous benefits from Medicaid expansion, including decreased medical debt, reduced stress about unmet health needs, better management of chronic conditions, and increased ease of getting and staying employed.
Voters Secure New Protections for Renters in Washington Cities
In November, cities across the United States considered ballot measures to increase funding for affordable housing and strengthen tenant protections. Voters in both Bellingham, WA and Tacoma, WA passed exciting measures that require landlords who raise rent over a certain percent to reimburse tenants up to three months’ rent if they must relocate. Such a financial consequence for landlords will hopefully act as important safeguards for people with low incomes who are trying to stay housed in the private rental market. In addition, the Tacoma measure grants renters some protection from evictions during the winter, as well as during the school year for students and their guardians.
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Key Blog Posts and Publications
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JANUARY 3, 2024 | ASHLEY BURNSIDE
CLASP Responds to Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Expanding the Definition of a Public Assistance Household
Under current regulations, if a Social Security Income (SSI) applicant or recipient lives in a “public assistance household,” they are not considered to be receiving support from other people in their household, which can reduce their monthly payment. This proposed rule would add SNAP to the list of programs that qualify someone to be in a public assistance household. CLASP supports adding SNAP to this list of programs because this expansion would reduce complexity within the SSI program for people experiencing poverty.
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JANUARY 3, 2024 | SUZANNE WIKLE
Medicaid Unwinding Leads to Churn, Backlogs, and Delayed Services in Many States
Medicaid “unwinding” has effects beyond the number of people who have lost Medicaid coverage. Increased workload from churn and the impact on other human service programs are part of the whole story of Medicaid unwinding.
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JANUARY 1, 2023 | SAPNA MEHTA & ELIZABETH LOWER-BASCH
Putting the Pieces Together for Families with Young Children: Aligning State Health and Human Services, Nutrition, Child Care, and Paid Family and Medical Leave
The prenatal period through the first three years of a child’s life is a critical developmental moment. Yet many families—especially families of color and families with low income—face systemic barriers and economic hardship when their children are young. To improve economic, social, and health outcomes for our country’s youngest children, public policies must integrate or align programs that support families with infants and toddlers.
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DECEMBER 1, 2023 | SRIRAM SRIDHARAN & PARKER GILKESSON DAVIS
CLASP Responds to Notice of Proposed Rule Making Regarding SNAP Quality Control (QC) System
CLASP submitted a comment to highlight that a recently proposed rule would entrench a biased QC system for measuring improper SNAP payments. The system significantly understates the magnitude of underpayments, while establishing more sophisticated measures for overpayments. The proposed rule would continue to produce skewed payment error rates, leading legislators, rulemakers, and states to ignore households improperly denied SNAP benefits and instead pay disproportionate attention to overpayments. This rule also undermines SNAP’s crucial role as a fiscal stabilizer at times of high unemployment and low economic growth.
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