This document summarizes key points from a meeting held by Advocates for Ohio's Future (AOF) to discuss state policy decisions that can support employment and working Ohioans. It outlines AOF's policy objectives of ensuring all Ohioans can afford basic needs and pursue higher quality of life while also supporting them through health and human services programs. Specific policy opportunities discussed include person-centered case management, improving compensation and support for direct service workers, and programs that support working families through benefits like childcare assistance and Medicaid. Presenters provided details on these topics and their importance for improving employment and quality of life for Ohioans.
2. a statewide coalition of over 475
organizations working together to promote
health and human service budget and policy
solutions so that all Ohioans live better lives.
Advocates for Ohio’s Future is…
4. Wendy Patton
Senior Project Director
Policy Matters Ohio
Beth Kowalczyk
Chief Policy Officer
Ohio Association of
Area Agencies on Aging (o4a)
Joel Potts
Executive Director
Ohio Job and Family
Services Directors’
Association (JFSDA)
5. Median income in
Ohio has declined 13%
to $46,873
50% of households in
Ohio have an income
$46k or less
8. AOF OVERALL POLICY OBJECTIVES
AOF believes all Ohioans should have the opportunity to
participate in the economy, afford the basics, and pursue
higher quality of life
Work should allow workers to lift themselves out of
poverty, but not all jobs mean a living
Health & human services can play a critical role in
supporting Ohioans
11. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
1930’s – Social Security Act
Income Maintenance
Stay at home
Development of income-qualifying programs
12. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
1960’s – “War on Poverty”
Strengthened safety net
Significantly expanded safety net programs – including
Medicaid and food stamps
13. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
1980’s – State Innovation encouraged through waivers
Shift to focus on work
Expansion of work and training programs
New focus on job placement
14. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
1990’s – State Block Grants/TANF
Employment becomes a clear goal
Family stability goals (2-parents, marriage,
reduce out-of-wedlock births) become more
prominent
Job retention emerges as a key strategy
Flexible funding through TANF allows for
investments for job retention
15. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
1990’s – State Block Grants/TANF – Cont.
Broader focus on low-income families,
recognizing that work supports for non-welfare
families are key prevention tools and further
support for the strengthening of families and
workforce/economic development
Allowed greater efforts and investments in
prevention strategies
16. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
2015 and Beyond – Comprehensive Case Management and
Employment
Job placement, job retention, and job advancement achieve equal
importance
Welfare reform makes a stronger link to child welfare services,
recognizing the value of early childhood interventions in
preventing later us of public resources, including but not limited to
welfare, and recognizing that independence from welfare cannot
be truly achieved without addressing family issues – including
behavioral health, domestic violence, education, and other
significant barriers to full employment
17. THE EVOLUTION OF WELFARE REFORM
2015 and Beyond – Cont.
Strategies to reduce public assistance dependency for
all means-tested programs
Shift from serving primarily “welfare-eligible” families
to “low-income” families
Tie public assistance benefits to work supports and
economic development
Focus on young adults and youth aging our of foster
care
18. PERSON-CENTERED CASE MANAGEMENT -
OUTLINE
Who would be eligible for the program?
Who would administer the program?
What services would be provided?
What performance measures would be used?
What is the role for TANF/WIOA administering
agencies?
19. BUILDING ON EXISTING STRUCTURES
This is not a new concept
Successful TANF models throughout 1990’s and early
2000’s
Consolidation of TANF and WIOA programs already
occurs in 63 counties
Blending of TANF and WIOA funding in place in the
majority of Ohio counties
20. LESSONS LEARNED AND MOVING
FORWARD
Computer infrastructure and
sharing of information a must
It’s going to be expensive
Success will take time and
require a long-term
commitment
Must not “cream” the system
Reform cannot start or finish at
JFS doors
Requires a strong,
comprehensive, upfront
assessment
Must build community
infrastructure to support
comprehensive needs of the
client
24. DIRECT SERVICE WORKFORCE: WHO?
Aging
Developmental Disabilities
Physical Disabilities
Behavioral Health
25. DIRECT SERVICE WORKFORCE: PURPOSE
Improve direct service workers’ pay,
benefits, training, supervision, work
environment and impact on people they
support
Better outcomes of care
Improve employment opportunities
27. DIRECT SERVICE WORKFORCE: STATUS OF
STATE BUDGET
6% wage increase for direct service workers
in Developmental Disabilities programs
introduced by the Governor – removed by
the House, being reconsidered by the Senate
10% rate increase for agency home care
aide rates for Medicaid and Aging waivers in
House version of budget
28. DIRECT SERVICE WORKFORCE
Currently we are on hold for any new clients and do not have
any PASSPORT clients that we are serving. After much analysis
we have determined that we cannot continue to provide
services through the PASSPORT program. The rate we are
paying our caregivers has increased significantly over the past
year in order to hire and retain quality individuals. Our other
business costs have continued to increase and will again next
year with the mandatory health insurance for
employees….[T]he cost of doing business has surpassed the
increases in reimbursement.
-PASSPORT Home Care Provider
31. 75% OF THE LARGEST CATEGORIES OF JOBS IN
OHIO LEAVE FAMILIES WITH KIDS IN POVERTY
32. THE COST OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS HIGHER
THAN WAGES FOR MANY FAMILIES WITH KIDS.
33. WORK SUPPORTS = PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT
HELP LOW-INCOME WORKERS STAY IN JOBS
Public Childcare Assistance – Helps parents work,
employers have a stable workforce.
34. WORK SUPPORTS = PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT
HELP LOW-INCOME WORKERS STAY IN JOBS
Public Childcare Assistance – Helps parents work,
employers have a stable workforce.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – Rewards work, helps
families weather a rough patch like job loss or death in the
family, that lowers family income.
35. WORK SUPPORTS = PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT
HELP LOW-INCOME WORKERS STAY IN JOBS
Public Childcare Assistance – Helps parents work,
employers have a stable workforce.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – Rewards work, helps
families weather a rough patch like job loss or death in the
family, that lowers family income.
Health care (Medicaid)– Makes people healthier, less sick
days, less crisis, and more productive.
36. WORK SUPPORTS = PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT
HELP LOW-INCOME WORKERS STAY IN JOBS
Public Childcare Assistance – Helps parents work,
employers have a stable workforce.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – Rewards work, helps
families weather a rough patch like job loss or death in the
family, that lowers family income.
Health care (Medicaid)– Makes people healthier, less sick
days, less crisis, and more productive.
Food stamps (SNAP) – Critical to health, productivity of
workers and children.
37. WORK SUPPORT: PUBLIC CHILD CARE
ASSISTANCE
Major concern for employers – factor in stabilizing
a low income work force.
38. WORK SUPPORT: PUBLIC CHILD CARE
ASSISTANCE
Major concern for employers – factor in stabilizing
a low income work force.
Ohio has the 2nd lowest initial eligibility for
childcare assistance in the nation.
39. WORK SUPPORT: PUBLIC CHILD CARE
ASSISTANCE
Major concern for employers – factor in stabilizing
a low income work force.
Ohio has the 2nd lowest initial eligibility for
childcare assistance in the nation.
Rules are built for 9 to 5 jobs, but the low wage
labor market doesn’t work that way.
40. WORK SUPPORT: PUBLIC CHILD CARE
ASSISTANCE
Major concern for employers – factor in stabilizing
a low income work force.
Ohio has the 2nd lowest initial eligibility for
childcare assistance in the nation.
Rules are built for 9 to 5 jobs, but the low wage
labor market doesn’t work that way.
Need higher eligibility, continuous eligibility.
42. HEALTH CARE: A BASIC HUMAN NEED
AND A WORK SUPPORT
Prior to the Affordable Care Act, low income
working adults had no access to care.
This caused personal and societal economic crisis:
for example, studies found Medical crisis was a
leading cause of foreclosure.
Medicaid expansion provides health care to low
income working adults up to 138 percent of
poverty, helping people manage chronic diseases
before they become crisis
43. WORK SUPPORT: FOOD AID, FOOD
STAMPS
Advocates for Ohio’s Future supports the Ohio Association of
Foodbanks request for $20 million per year
Demand for emergency food assistance is up 40 percent across the
state since 2010.
Food stamp cuts eliminated 258 million meals since the end of 2013 in
spite of rising demand.
This request reflects an increase of $5.5 million per year and a mere
83¢ per person, per meal served by Ohio’s hunger relief network.
Nearly half of families using food aid are seniors or children.
Half of the households are working families. Adults without kids must
work in order to get food aid.
46. UPDATE ON THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS
The Senate
Conference committee
Timeline
47. YOUR CALLS & EMAILS
INFLUENCE POLICY
Join AOF in upcoming days of action.
Watch for “Act Now” emails & posts
online.
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