State Budget Cuts May Force Homeless Numbers To Skyrocket
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Hundreds of the state’s neediest residents will find themselves in a position where they may be unable to afford to live in assisted living centers thanks to state budget cuts to a waiver for those receiving a Supplemental Security Income (SSI), GoLocalProv has learned.
The cuts could affect more than 700 patients at assisted living centers in Rhode Island and may force nearly 200 residents who are not eligible for long-term care through Medicaid on to the streets at least temporarily, if not longer.
In its Fiscal Year 2012 budget, the General Assembly agreed to cut $206 per person, per month to a state-backed program that provides additional income for those receiving SSI money. The extra money often goes to assisted living centers to help subsidize the costs of housing these residents.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAssisted Centers May Close
The cuts are set to take effect Oct. 1, which could immediately cause some assisted living centers to go broke and ultimately close. According to Kate Sherlock, a lawyer for the Rhode Island Disability Law Center, some assisted living centers are already in jeopardy of closing because of the cuts and another has moved forward with its decision to close.
Sherlock said two centers - Better Day and Colonial Manor – are on the verge of closing and Donella’s Manor in Pawtucket is already closed. She said the homes hope to stay open long enough to find a place for people to go, but the problem is that some residents may struggle to find a place that is affordable and meets their needs.
But Sherlock’s group is fighting to at least freeze the cuts in the short-term. Last week, the Rhode Island Disability Law Center filed a lawsuit against the Department of Human Services on behalf of the Rhode Island Assisted Living Association in an attempt to block the cuts, which Sherlock says could put hundreds of needy Rhode Islanders on the streets.
SSI-Only Residents At Risk
But timing isn’t on their side. With the cuts set to occur in just a couple of weeks, the caretakers of residents receiving an SSI are scrambling to figure out how to withstand a slash to the resident’s income.
SSI is a federal cash assistance program for people who have severe disabilities or are over the age of 65. In addition to the $674 coming from the federal program, some states, including Rhode Island, supplements some of the income with additional assistance.
According to Linda Katz, Policy Director at the Poverty Institute, the state is obligated to help Rhode Islanders who are eligible for long-term care through Medicaid find housing and continue to be supported. However, those receiving a SSI check in each month that are not eligible for long-term care may find themselves in a position where they may not receive the help they need.
Blindsided By State Budget
Katz said the cuts were part of a last minute package at the General Assembly this summer and did not receive the attention they would have received had the House Finance Committee actually held a hearing with public comment on the matter.
She said unlike some of the other groups that protested budget cuts at the State House this year, folks who depend on SSI were made invisible. She said the cuts were not a part of Governor Chafee’s original proposal.
“The first time I saw this was the Friday the House Finance Committee popped their budget,” Katz said. “Not having a hearing on this was part of problem. This wasn’t part of the Governor’s proposal. We didn’t know about it. I think this was a decision made in the dark.”
Worst Time Of The Year
And the decision could have a dangerous impact on Rhode Islanders, according to Jim Ryczek, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless.
“Our big worry is that with a loss of income and support, those relying on support will fall into our system,” he said. “Our system has no room. It’s also an added burden because it’s not just sheltering they need and we’re just not equipped.”
On any given night in Rhode Island, Ryczek estimates that between 1,200 and 1,400 Rhode Islanders are using the shelter system; another 150 to 200 are living on the streets; and there is no way of counting the number of people in “double up” situations, meaning they are without a home, but they are couch surfing or finding a place to stay night to night.
The problem with the cuts coming in a few weeks, according to Ryczek, is that his group is preparing for the most dangerous time of the year: winter.
“It’s mid-September and we’re gearing up for winter where nighttime becomes a life and death situation for people.”
If you valued this article, please LIKE GoLocalProv.com on Facebook by clicking HERE.
