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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987 11-18 HRRMJ MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESOURCES COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION NOVEMBER 18, 1987 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Human Rights and Resources Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Commissioner Stoderl at 7:29 p.m. ROLL CALL Commissioners Larsen, Eckman, McCumber, Stoderl, and Sullivan. Also present were Recording Secretary Geralyn Barone and guest speaker John Winkelman of Hennepin County's Department of Economic Assistance. Chairperson Kuhar and Commissioners Wallerstedt and Seburg were excused from this evening's meeting. Councilmember Lhotka was absent from the meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - OCTOBER 14,, 1987 There was a motion by Commissioner Sullivan and seconded by Commissioner Eckman to approve the minutes of the October 14, 1987, meeting as submitted. The motion passed. 40 SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES Commissioner Stoderl recognized Mr. Winkelman, who identified himself as Director of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program for Hennepin County. He noted he is a resident of Brooklyn Center and was a charter member of the Brooklyn Center Human Rights Commission. Mr. Winkelman said there have been major shifts in welfare starting with the Reagan administration. He noted the biggest shift has been the concept that if anyone has resources to help themselves, these should be used before using the system. In 1980, approximately one-third of the AFDC clients were working, and since the enactment of the 1980 law, the net result has been a reduction of approximately 3,000 clients. Mr. Winkelman noted there are approximately 50,000 AFDC families in Hennepin County. Many efforts have been made toward encouraging people to accept employment, although the work incentive program has had limited success. Mr. Winkelman pointed out that in the last year, "self sufficiency" has become the buzz word. To bring this self sufficiency about, federal legislation is being proposed and the state of Minnesota has passed legislation to reach the goal of self sufficiency. Mr. Winkelman said three categories of clients have been identified as potentially long-term clients, including those 11-18-87 -1- 16 under 21 years of age, those without a high school diploma or GED, and those who have been on AFDC for at least 24 of the last 36 months. Money has been targeted towards helping these people with the use of case management, where someone is assigned to work with the client to set up a plan on what it would take to make the client self sufficient. Mr. Winkelman said $1.9 million has been allocated for these efforts in Hennepin County for a two-year period. In addition, $1.7 million has been allocated for child care funds. He said child care is the key to getting people self sufficient because the cost of child care is prohibitive for anyone earning anything near the minimum wage. Finally, an additional $2.6 million has been allocated for training. Mr. Winkelman said a committee in Hennepin County has been working on a proposal to accomplish the self sufficiency goal. He noted there are agencies already in existence for employment counseling, and the two primary contractors for this are the City of Minneapolis and the Hennepin Training Center. Mr. Winkelman said these two agencies will subcontract to employment agencies already in existence. He noted the county commissioners and the City of Minneapolis have approved this plan and hope to launch the program by January 1988. Mr. Winkelman acknowledged that these new programs will not meet all the needs. He noted that 56 percent of those going on AFDC will be off of it within two years. The other 44 percent fall into this priority group. Mr. Winkelman noted that Hennepin County has 275 teenage mothers under the age of 18 who will be part of this program. As of July 1, 1988, these mothers will have to attend school in order to get their AFDC payments. Another group that will be required to participate in this program will be 429 refugees. For those AFDC clients who are not in the target groups, there will not be any ongoing incentives for them-to get off of AFDC. Mr. Winkelman proceeded to review several smaller programs providing assistance to AFDC clients, such as an entrepreneur program to help people start small businesses, assistance in subsidized housing, and a variety of other grant diversion programs. The overall message that is being put out is everyone who needs assistance should be working to be as self sufficient as they can be. Mr. Winkelman pointed out there is a growing recognition that times have changed and women are more likely to work, so more people feel clients should be working if they are to receive AFDC. He said the key to success of the whole program is adequate child care, which may require additional day care facilities. He noted in Hennepin County alone, over 1,000 AFDC mothers are waiting for subsidized day care so they may either go to school or go to work. 11-18-87 -2- is Commissioner Sullivan asked how live-in fathers affect the payments of AFDC clients. Mr. Winkelman said if the man of the household is not the father of the child, AFDC payments are not affected. Commissioner Sullivan asked if more than one child is supported if the second child is born out of wedlock. Mr. Winkelman said a grant is increased if there is more than one child, although the grant does not automatically double with the second child. Commissioner Sullivan asked how much a client can earn before being ineligible for AFDC, and Mr. Winkelman proceeded to review the gross income test and the net income test used for determining eligibility. Mr. Winkelman noted that an area being Minneapolis is that of teen pregnancy. AFDC have their first children while in much work experience, and probably do degree or GED. He noted prevention is pregnancy. targeted by the City of He said many clients on their teens, do not have not have a high school a major issue with teen Commissioner Stoderl asked Mr. Winkelman if he had any suggestions for the Human Rights and Resources Commission on what it might be able to do in dealing with the problems associated with single parent families. Mr. Winkelman said more may be needed in the area of subsidized and scattered site housing because housing is becoming a greater problem. Much of the affordable housing has been destroyed and it is becoming more difficult to find. He noted more and more welfare clients are moving into the suburbs and apartments are not being kept up as well as they should- be. Commissioner McCumber asked Mr. Winkelman if he ever expects to see the day when the man living with the AFDC client will have his income counted in the eligibility formula. Mr. Winkelman said he does not know. City Manager Gerald Splinter entered the meeting at this time, and the Commissioners introduced themselves to him. Commissioner Stoderl asked if AFDC is for single parents only, and Mr. Winkelman said AFDC is available for an unemployed parent. He said if there are two parents in a household and the primary income earner is out of work for at least 30 days when an application is filed, both parents and the children will be included on the grant. He noted many refugees receiving assistance are from two-parent households. Other cases include those with one disabled spouse. Mr. Winkelman noted approximately 95 percent of the households on AFDC are headed by a single parent, most of which are female. Commissioner Stoderl asked if AFDC grant money is for the child, would the parent receive medical assistance. Mr. Winkelman said when AFDC is received, medical, assistance is automatically provided and almost all client's also receive food stamps. Commissioner McCumber asked if ',Mr. Winkelman feels medical 11-18-87 -3- assistance is adequate, particularly where the client chooses her own doctor. Mr. Winkelman proceeded to explain a new program where clients must use a health maintenance organization, which on a per capita basis is cheaper. He noted the state has made this mandatory for all AFDC clients, but not enough health maintenance organizations are willing to take on the responsibility of these clients. Commissioner McCumber asked if there is still a well-child clinic in downtown Minneapolis and asked how it is used. Mr. Winkelman said the clinic is still there and is available for checkups, shots, and vouchers for nutritious foods. He noted in Hennepin County and greater Minnesota, with free choice of a medical vendor, clients have received good medical care. He added this is what frightens many AFDC clients, because if they are off of AFDC, they lose their ability to use medical assistance. Commissioner McCumber asked if it is possible for a person to get off AFDC but keep medical assistance. Mr. Winkelman said this is a good idea and there are some arrangements for this. He said a survey was done on 3,000 families taken off of welfare in 1980. He said few had medical care and proper child care and many were poorly nourished. Although these people were staying independent of AFDC, they did have problems associated with this lack of medical care. Mr. Winkelman warned that the whole thrust of what will be happening may be shortsighted. Mr. Winkelman told the commission he is available if any special information about AFDC is needed or an update is necessary. He added he was impressed with Brooklyn Center's long-range strategic plan outlined in the Year 2000 Report. Commissioner Stoderl said the commission's main concern is duplication of services. She said one issue, is teen pregnancy, and when talking with people at Brooklyn Center High School, it was suggested that transportation and child care are areas of need. However, it seems as though there are programs in existence to handle these, and Commissioner Stoderl wondered why they are not effective. Mr. Winkelman said perhaps there are not enough of the programs in existence to handle the demand. He noted additional GED programs will be offered by the schools, especially if this is made a factor of eligibility. The Recording Secretary asked who will pay for the GED programs, and Mr. Winkelman said some employment and training funds will be made available for GED programs. He added if nurseries are connected to the locations where GED programs are offered, this will be a positive thing. Commissioner Stoderl asked what can be done that will not repeat what is already in existence, and Mr. Winkelman said needs should be identified and organizations within the City that have clout could provide assistance. Commissioner Larsen asked if there is some way to coordinate information to find out where those individuals are who are slipping through the cracks of the programs offered. Mr. 11-18-87 -4- 9 Winkelman discussed the problems'', associated with those who do fall through the cracks and also noted there are those few people who create problems and spoil it for the many. NEXT MEETING The commission agreed to cancel the December 1987 commission meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for January 13, 1988. Commissioner Stoderl suggested this meeting begin at 7 p.m., and the commission concurred with this. Items to be discussed will include the Hopkins Ride Along Program and the final three issues related to single parent families. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner McCumber and seconded by Commissioner Larsen to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center Human Rights and Resources Commission adjourned at 8:55 p.m. Chairperson • 11-18-87 -5-