...Welfare Regulation/Reform/Solutions Tonya McKenzie Strayer University Professor Wooden ENG215 NOV 22, 2013 Welfare Regulation/Reform “Beginning in the 1930s, the U.S. welfare system started out as a program to help families and individuals who had little or no income. Fearing that Americans were abusing the welfare system by not looking for jobs and having more children, to increase aid, in 1996, President Clinton signed a reform law giving control of welfare. Each state sets guidelines for determining eligibility for welfare benefits. For example, in Virginia, welfare recipients between the ages of five and 18 must attend school regularly. Georgia requires students ages six through 17 to attend school regularly. Common factors that determine benefits include gross income, family size, medical needs, unemployment, homelessness and pregnancy. Each individual or family that receives welfare has a caseworker. Each caseworker determines the benefits the family or individual receives (ehow.com (p1).” With a growing unemployment rate in America. American citizens are focused on survival by any means necessary. Even at the added cost to American tax payers fraud continues to rise across the country. Welfare regulations must constantly evolve to uncover different ways to discourage attempts of fraud on our welfare programs. These action of fraud are contributing to the financial rape and pelage of American assets that are there to help the needy. While the rush to address...
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...this is my second quarter interning, I was tasked with more responsibilities which included more interaction with clients in the form of interviews in order to determine the need. Like every program there are always pros and cons. The interaction with clients and their cases allowed me to see one of the ongoing issues the County as well as state and federal government are faced with which is welfare fraud. In my internship review will explain the type of fraud that is committed, what the counties procedures are to minimize fraud, and my suggestions on how to eliminate fraud even further. The basic definition of welfare fraud is when people collect state welfare benefits while they don't qualify for them. People do things to try to get extra money, such as claiming to have dependant children that do not exist, or not reporting income. Buying, selling, or trading benefits is also a violation of the program. Although the county has safeguards in place in an attempt to prevent this from occurring; my internship allowed me to see that these safeguards are not full proof. Welfare fraud may be committed by someone just do to their ignorance about the rules and regulations on being eligible to the benefits. But I have found during my internship that most people are aware of the rules and intentionally violate the regulations. Theses clients are called IPV’s (Intentional Program Violators).I had the opportunity to here the story of one of the clients that I served during my internship...
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...For a majority of Americans this topic is the deficit. Everyone has an idea of who should get less money and who is spending frivolously, but there is no concrete plan to save money and decrease debt. One area that could use a little face lift is the welfare system. This past fiscal year it was reported that the government spent $75 billion dollars on the food stamp program and over $700 million was lost in fraudulent activity (Pianin 2012). Fraud, waste, and abuse are rampant in the food stamp program; therefore, the US government should overhaul the current system utilizing a more efficient biometric pin in chip card system. Tackling problems in the welfare system can be daunting without a clear vision. There are many theories about what changes would be more beneficial. It is evident that fraud in the system causes a great loss. To understand just how the food stamp program can be improved, an understanding of the program must be established. Currently the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) no longer issues out paper “food stamps” but has moved on to a program called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP (USDA 2012). When a U.S. citizen is enrolled into the SNAP program the local welfare office issues out an Electronic Benefits Transfer card or EBT card. These cards are used as pin activated debit cards which are loaded up monthly with a fixed amount of funds. The benefits holder can then go to a local vendor that accepts the EBT card...
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...| Public Welfare Fraud | | | | 12/13/2011 | | Public Welfare Fraud The Declaration of Independence provides Americans with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When our fore fathers created this nation they knew that there would be need for amending and adding to the constitution to suit changing and sometimes challenging times. As a society we have always looked for ways to advance and prosper; from the inception of our government we have had a successful blueprint in creating a country that most would try to emulate. Somewhere in our quest for superiority and perfection we have overlooked the fundamental values that we were built on. In recent years our economic system has been damaged to the extent that we are seeing some of the worst unemployment rates since the great depression. With the population growing by leaps and bounds and a low amount of jobs being created, a large portion of our society is looking to the government for help. That help has proven to be a blessing for some, a hurdle for others and a free ride for the dishonest. In 1930, the United States Welfare Program was enacted in response to the financial effect of the great depression and to help individuals who had lost their jobs, homes, income and health insurance. After the great depression was over, the government maintained the program and continues to help people that are having difficulties supporting themselves and their families. Throughout...
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...President Bill Clinton fulfilled his 1992 campaign to “end welfare as we know it.” (Endangered Welfare Reform, 2012) In today’s society, there are many programs available for people in need. An abundance of people who are participating in these programs view these as necessities verses privileges and continue to abuse them. Welfare fraud is an ongoing abuse, and new government regulations need to be put into effect to help alleviate the current and persistent welfare dilemma. Congress has implemented welfare reform legislations that simply have not helped or changed much. The question regarding the welfare system continues to remain the same; what is wrong with welfare and can it be fixed? A question that is not simple, nor does the question have a simple answer. However, one thing is very clear; welfare is not working and needs to change, desperately. The current welfare system is unfair to the taxpayers who are paying for the failed programs that the government, specifically the New York State legislators, have timelessly sat by and done little to nothing, as well as the poor who remain trapped in a system that takes away self-reliance and hope for the children of the recipients. Although current liberal systems want everyone to believe that aid is temporary and very few recipients receive welfare for an extended period of time, this is simply untrue. The public is lead to believe that the current welfare system does not promote long-term independence, this is so very...
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...Running Heading: Welfare Fraud Welfare System In America and Its Effects on Society February 22, 2013 Why does poverty exist and why do people end up being poor? Welfare in the United States is referred to the federal government welfare programs that have been put in place to assist the unemployed or underemployed. These social policies and public reform have been consistently at the forefront of American minds. Welfare reform has been a major controversy in the realm of social policy. This is very much debated by Americans as legislators are looking more closely at this topic. Many people agree with it and others don’t. How many really understand the purpose or the intentions of the welfare system? Welfare agencies across America have a goal to strengthen and support individuals and families by promoting cost effective and comprehensive services that foster independent and healthy families. INTRODUCTION Welfare was first introduced in 1935. When the Great Depression hit, many families suffered. It is estimated that one-fourth of the labor force was unemployed during the the Great Depression era. With many families suffering financial difficulties, the government stepped in to solve the problem and that is where the history of welfare as we know it really began. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Social Security Act was enacted in 1935. Welfare in America has become a debatable subject since its formation. What is welfare? Welfare is when an individual receives government...
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...this is my second quarter interning, I was tasked with more responsibilities which included more interaction with clients in the form of interviews in order to determine the need. Like every program there are always pros and cons. The interaction with clients and their cases allowed me to see one of the ongoing issues the County as well as state and federal government are faced with which is welfare fraud. In my internship review will explain the type of fraud that is committed, what the counties procedures are to minimize fraud, and my suggestions on how to eliminate fraud even further. The basic definition of welfare fraud is when people collect state welfare benefits while they don't qualify for them. People do things to try to get extra money, such as claiming to have dependant children that do not exist, or not reporting income. Buying, selling, or trading benefits is also a violation of the program. Although the county has safeguards in place in an attempt to prevent this from occurring; my internship allowed me to see that these safeguards are not full proof. Welfare fraud may be committed by someone just do to their ignorance about the rules and regulations on being eligible to the benefits. But I have found during my internship that most people are aware of the rules and intentionally violate the regulations. Theses clients are called IPV’s (Intentional Program Violators).I had the opportunity to here the story of one of the clients that I served during my internship...
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...American Scavengers Antonio Felix English 102 Section #27058 May 11, 2015 “This empire, unlike any other in the history of the world, has been built primarily through economic manipulation, through cheating, through fraud, through seducing people into our way of life, through the economic hit men. I was very much a part of that” John Perkins. In the past decade the government has been pushing for a welfare reform time and time again. This reform is disliked by many politician, complaining that federal law is overly prescriptive and are willing to take less federal money in return for more flexibility. The public thinks that the current reform is anti-work and anti-family and is keeping the public under poverty line. However welfare programs are set in place by the government in order to ensure a certain quality and standard of living for everyone in the country. These programs are mainly focused on children, making sure that their parents are able to feed and clothe them properly. The truth is that in today’s society The Welfare system creates more problems than it solves, creating a sense of welfare dependency, a feature of advanced industrial societies with developed welfare states, whose citizens enjoy specific “social” rights (e.g., to social security, health care, social support, and education). Bill Clinton said: “I used to get up in the morning and watch my mother get ready to go to work. And we had a lot of trouble in my home when I was a kid, and she still...
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...Introduction Does an individual have the right to superfluous gratification of needs before a fellow citizen has satisfied his/her most basic (human) need? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, superfluous is defined as unnecessary or being more than enough. Also, gratification is the act of gratifying-which has several definitions including to satisfy, give what is desired, indulge, and to reward. With a more concise understanding of the question, I believe it is not right for one to partake in unnecessary indulgence when there are people in America and other countries that are lacking the most basic (human) needs, such as food, water, clothing and shelter. At the same time I have a different belief about the issue depending on one’s situation. It is not fair that wealthy individuals can live in the same countries, states, cities or communities as people who are struggling to find their next meal, clothes to keep them warm or even a place to keep them safe. These questions that will guide this paper include 1. How does one find themselves rich/poor in America? 2. Is it wrong for one to be rich/poor in America? 3. When the issues of being unfortunate individuals began to get attention? 4. What has been done about the poverty issue in America? 5. Should the government be responsible to take care of all of these individuals? 6. Who is ultimately responsible for taking care of the less fortunate citizens of America? Case Now in America, it is so easy...
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...What Is Human Services? Kimberly Zapalac BSHS 301 March 29, 2012 Larita Pendergraft Abstract There are many subjects that can be covered within the human service profession. This paper will be covering a brief look at the following: the goal of the human service provider along with a look at its history from the middle ages until modern times. It will look at what is means to be in generalist practice, and the theoretical framework of human service. Common interventions within the human service profession will be explored; as well as ethical considerations within the profession. What Is Human Services? Human Services is a term used that describes and defines a wide variety of jobs and positions that serve a population of people who for whatever reason cannot help themselves. The National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) defines the human services profession in this way: “The Human Services profession in one which promotes improved service delivery systems by addressing not only the quality of direct services, but also seeking to improve accessibility, accountability, and coordination among professionals and agencies in service delivery” (Martin, 2007, p. 5). The goal of the human...
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...Should people on welfare be force to work? In my personal opinion, I think welfare is good for people whom really need it, yet people on welfare should work. The reason being is I think some people become dependent on the system and welfare was created to assist people whom would like help, what I mean by,” like help,” I have watched a close friend of mine really struggle in the past and has not relied on welfare at all. Sure, with her being a single parent of four children she could have, yet she has chosen not to do so and is currently working three jobs not only to feed her four kids, but to also help herself get out of debt and pay bills. Currently, the system will give you a fish and feed you for the night, but the welfare system should do is also teach one how to fish so they are fed forever, so the welfare system should promote independence. Welfare is necessary for those individuals truly in temporary need, and those people truly in need are out there. However, there are just as many, if not significantly more individuals out there that manipulate and take advantage of the system. I think the welfare system should assist people on attending either a college or a trade school, or showing up at some type of job to be able to collect their welfare. there is no good way to control the problem of welfare fraud, but having to show up for a class or a job would may be help eliminate some of the fraud and It possibly would also discourage...
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...68). Understanding the history of human services is necessary to gain a complete understanding of human services. American human services practice was greatly influenced by the English social welfare system; thus, it is important to understand the history of English social welfare to understand American human services (Martin, 2011). The history of English social welfare systems begin with the feudal system of the Middle Ages. Under the feudal system, landowners would allow serfs to live on and farm the land (Martin, 2011). The landowners were expected to care for the needs of their serfs. During this era, the church emphasized charity, and individuals felt that poverty was necessary to be charitable as demanded by God (Martin, 2011). After the decline of the feudal system, England introduced the poor laws. The poor laws stated that poverty would be dealt with in the community and changed the perspective of poverty (Martin, 2011). Only those who were determined to be worthy poor were allowed to beg or receive other benefits, and the unworthy were punishable by law. The Elizabethan Poor Laws of 1601 organized the previous poor laws and served as a model for American human service laws (Martin,2011). These laws had three basic principles, greatest responsibility of providing for one’s needs is one’s family, poverty issues are a local matter, and those who cannot support themselves must remain in their hometown (Martin, 2011). The ideals and laws of England’s social welfare system...
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...9 chapter current controversies and issues Introduction The Clash of Values in Social Policies Welfare Euthanasia Government: How Much Support for the Needy? Target Populations: The Struggle for Support The AIDS Epidemic The Homeless Welfare Recipients Professionalism in the Human Services The Role of Human Services Workers Whom Do Human Services Workers Serve? A Basic Reading and Thinking Skill Ranking American Values References 324 Human Services in Contemporary America - © Cengage Learning c u r r e n t c o n t r ov e r s i e s a n d i s s u e s 325 INTRODUCTION You may have gathered by now that the human services field is quite complex. Complete agreement regarding philosophies, methods, goals, services, funding, or anything else just does not exist nor, from our point of view, should it. There are times when controversies and differences are stimulating, healthy, and valid and lead to creative solutions. At other times, they are repetitious, meaningless, and destructive. Too frequently they consume time, energy, and resources that might better be used providing needed services. To this end, we highly recommend that students become familiar with the books in the Opposing Viewpoints series, published by the Greenhaven Press, that deal with issues of concern to human services workers. The purpose of this chapter is to present a sampling of basic controversies and issues in the field of human services that have not yet been resolved and may never be resolved...
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...Ways to fight against Welfare Fraud Joshua Eyler Eng/147 July 27, 2015 Elsie Walker Due to the overwhelming amount of welfare fraud that goes on across the United States, I’d like to share a few ways to help diminish this kind of fraud. Welfare fraud on any scale is wrong and something needs to be done about it being reduced. Some states have already put into affect mandatory drug testing, with other states to follow. This should help sift through the people who are breaking the law for one, and quite possibly committing fraud upon the welfare system. However, more could be done with random residential checks and cutting down the time they have to collect. Welfare fraud could be reduced by governing who is eligible for mandatory drug testing, home visits, and having shorter benefit collection periods. Mandatory drug testing should be implemented to be qualified for welfare assistance. There are just too many applicants who are under the influence of some kind of drug that they do not have a prescription for. (Pollack, n.d.) “Almost 20 percent of welfare recipients report recent use of some illicit drug during the year”. (para. 1) Drug testing would cut down on the applicants that use drugs on a daily basis, and also help eliminate a portion of the fraud. This is a route that all states should put into effect, and they should make penalties for those that break this rule. Another way to cut down on welfare fraud is to make unscheduled home visits. According...
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...delivery systems by addressing not only the quality of direct services, but by also seeking to improve accessibility, accountability, and coordination among professionals and agencies in service delivery” (Martin, 2007, p. 4). This essay will examine the history and goals of Human Services. As well as discuss common intervention strategies and ethical considerations that Human Service professionals come into contact with when dealing with individuals of all ages, races, gender, and cultures. One can research the practice of providing assistance to individuals in need back to biblical times. However, “The development of social welfare system in the United States was very much influenced by England’s social welfare system, therefore it is important to understand the evolution of how the poor were treated in England to truly understand how the social welfare policy has developed within this country” (Martin, 2007, p. 18). Feudalism was England’s primary approach to providing for the poor. Under this system, the rich landowners would divide their land into small portions and allow serfs to farm the land. In this period people believed that working poor was a necessary evil to society and was virtually inevitable for some. With this mind set the wealthy thought this was a noble opportunity to give charity to individuals less fortunate. The...
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