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INCOME & WORK SUPPORTS UPDATE
MAY 2022
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The Expanded Child Tax Credit is Helping Families, But National Survey Shows Continued Outreach Remains Essential
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The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided monthly payments to nearly 9 in 10 children in the United States, dramatically reducing child poverty and improving the wellbeing of millions of families. According to an October survey of over 1,000 parents with children, parents reported spending their CTC payments on necessities like food, rent, and clothing. At the same time, some parents surveyed reported that they were not receiving the payments, did not understand why, and struggled to use the tool available for “non-filers” to access the credit. For the CTC to have its full impact, lawmakers, government agencies, and community organizations must do more to ensure that all eligible families are able to access it.
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| What the End of the Public Health Emergency Means for People with Low Incomes |
| When the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) officially decides to end the public health emergency (PHE), its expiration will halt pandemic-era provisions that have strengthened our system of basic needs programs. Continuous coverage for Medicaid recipients, Emergency Allotments (EAs) that increase benefits for many SNAP recipients, and extended eligibility for people experiencing job losses and college students will all be rolled back once the PHE ends. Now is the time for providers and advocates to make plans to ensure that this ending does not leave people with low incomes stranded. |
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| Supporting Student Basic Needs with Emergency Assistance Funds: Recommendations for Higher |
| On January 20, the Biden Administration announced $198 million in additional funding through the Supplemental Support under American Rescue Plan (SSARP) program to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog offers best practices schools should follow to meet student needs during the pandemic and beyond, as students of color, student-parents, and students with lower incomes make up an increasing proportion of degree seekers. Recommendations include not relying too heavily on FAFSA information to target need-based support, reducing administrative burden, and supporting student-led initiatives like mutual aid. |
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This week's news report of a leaked draft Supreme Court majority opinion indicated that the high court is prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade and end the constitutional right to abortion. The right to abortion is fundamental to economic security, bodily autonomy, and health care access for all people who want to end a pregnancy. There is no doubt that a decision in this direction would deeply worsen gender and racial inequities. We also cannot overstate what the draft opinion signals for other fundamental and constitutionally protected civil and human rights. The IWS team is committed to working with our partners to stand up for reproductive rights and the constitutional rights of all individuals. We call on lawmakers at all levels--in state legislatures and in Congress--to heed the warning and codify abortion access immediately.
On April 22, 2022, CLASP submitted a public comment responding to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would regulate how DHS applies the public charge ground of inadmissibility. CLASP also joined the organizational sign-on comment from the Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign (PIF), which brought together 1,074 organizations representing every U.S. state and the District of Columbia to push for quick action on a responsible public charge policy. CLASP's immigration and immigrant families team also submitted a child-focused coalition comment with the Children Thrive Action Network, along with 110 national, state, and local children’s advocacy organizations.
Last month, CLASP joined the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative, an initiative bringing together two-dozen disability advocacy organizations, think tanks, and research organizations. The collaborative is committed to breaking the persistent intersection between disability and poverty, and to finally achieving economic justice and disability justice. We are excited to collaborate with other organizations to fight for economic justice for people with disabilities. You can read the press release for the launch of the collaborative here.
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