Today at its annual Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) meeting, Woodstock Institute announced its “Commitment to Action,” which will further our work to strengthen retirement security.
CGI is an initiative of the Clinton Foundation founded by former President Bill Clinton to “turn ideas into action.” The Commitment to Action represents the key feature of the Initiative, lending the Foundation’s name to build awareness, identify partners, and share results for ideas that address some of the world’s biggest problems in a new way. Through Commitments to Action, the initiative has impacted more than 400 million individuals worldwide since 2005.
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6/14/2013
5/31/2013
Illinois Poverty News: Weekly Update
Here's the latest roundup of news articles highlighting issues related to our efforts to reduce poverty in Illinois.
Medicaid Expansion Approved
This week, the Illinois House of Representatives voted to approve SB26, the bill that will expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and provide health insurance to over 300,000 low-income Illinois residents. Specifically, the new law will expand Medicaid to Illinois residents ages 19-64 who have incomes below the 138% percent of the federal poverty line. Additionally, SB26 will save Illinois $953 million in uncompensated care costs over the next ten years and will bring in $4.6 billion in federal funding over the next three years. The bill is now headed to the desk of Governor Quinn where he is expected to sign it into law.- IL Legislature Passes Medicaid Expansion, 5/29/2013, Illinois Public Radio
- Medicaid Expansion Bill Passes Illinois House, 5/27/2013, Aids Foundation of Chicago
FY14 State Budget Update
This week, the Illinois House of Representatives began approving portions of the state budget. According to Representative Greg Harris, Chairman of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee, larger human services agencies will see a 2.5% reduction in funding allocations for the fiscal year. The Department of Children and Family Services is likely to see a $7 million cut. Fortunately, budgets for human services agencies have been maintained. This includes funding for mental health, substance abuse, community child-care, and homelessness prevention services. The Governor's budget office says that it finds the House-approved budget plan acceptable.- House Begins Approving New Budget, 5/28/2013, Doug Fink, The State Journal Register
Unemployment Insurance Cut
As a result of the federal sequester cuts, the long term unemployed in Illinois - those who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more - will soon see their weekly unemployment insurance payments cut by an average of $51. Payments will begin to be reduced on June 10th for the 80,000 Illinoisans who collect federal emergency unemployment compensation. According to Chad Stone from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, these cuts take "purchasing power out of the economy ... so it’s hard on the communities where there’s concentrations of unemployed." According to the Department of Labor, there were 4.4 million long-term unemployed Americans counted in April. Nationally, the sequester cut $5.1 million from the federal emergency unemployment compensation program.- Sequester Cuts Deal a Blow to the Long-Term Unemployed, 5/30, Ellyn Fortino, Progress Illinois
5/28/2013
Illinois Poverty News: Weekly Update
Illinois Poverty News: Weekly Update
Here's the latest roundup of news articles highlighting issues related to our efforts to reduce poverty in Illinois.
A recently released report shed light on the shifting
demographics of poverty. This new analysis discovered that the number of poor
people living in the suburbs grew by 64% during the 2000s. This shift has
happened in Chicago suburbs, where the number of residents living in poverty
has increased by 99% in the last decade. Similar trends have been documented in
Los Angeles and New York City. Heartland Alliance research associate Jennifer
Clary was briefly quoted
in the Chicago Tribune this week, explaining these shifts: "It's
really clear that lower incomes that combined with the rising cost of pretty
much everything in life are really crushing people in the suburbs.’ Links to
associated articles from other major US cities can be found below.
- More poor in U.S. suburbs than cities, report says: The landscape of poverty in America has changed, Vikki Ortiz and Matthew Walberg, The Chicago Tribune, 5/21/2013
- More poor live in suburbs than in urban areas, research shows, Emily Alpert, Los Angeles Times, 5/19/2013
Infographic found here
This week, the Illinois Senate passed legislation that will
save the state almost $1 million annually and will remove a significant barrier
that prevents Illinois’ poorest families from saving money. This bill, HB2262,
removes the ‘asset test’ in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
program. This test is part of the eligibility requirements for the program and
prohibits families seeking TANF assistance from having more than $3,000 in
savings. This rule effectively prevented the poorest Illinoisans from building
a base of savings that could help them weather unexpected financial
emergencies. Additionally, this rule made it difficult for families to gain
financial independence and rise above poverty. The Illinois Asset Building Group and Heartland Alliance acted as chief
advocates of this bill and the Senate and House sponsors were Senator
Hunter and Representative
Gabel. The bill is now headed to Governor Quinn’s desk for his final
signature.
- Illinois Votes to Eliminate the TANF Asset Test, Press Release, Illinois Asset Building Group, 5/12/2013
This week, Chicago's public radio station featured an interesting and enlightening article that intimately explored the question of what it's like to work for and live on minimum wage. Titled 'Getting by on $8.25 an Hour,' this piece provided a comprehensive picture of the lives of the working poor who struggle to make ends meet despite often working more than one job at a time. A 2009 report by Heartland Alliance's Social IMPACT Research Center was cited and suggested that full-time Illinois workers would need to make $23.22 an hour in order to independently provide for all basic needs (housing, childcare, transportation, healthcare, and food). Unfortunately, the current minimum remains at $8.25. To listen to WBEZ's full report, click here.
5/21/2013
Press Release: ILLINOIS SENATE PASSES BILL TO HELP POOR FAMILIES SAVE
CONTACT:
Lucy Mullany
Coordinator, IABG & Senior Policy Associate, Heartland Alliance
lmullany@heartlandalliance.org
312.498.8614
Lucy Mullany
Coordinator, IABG & Senior Policy Associate, Heartland Alliance
lmullany@heartlandalliance.org
312.498.8614
ILLINOIS SENATE PASSES BILL TO HELP POOR FAMILIES SAVE
SAVINGS TO STATE NEARLY $1M EACH YEAR
CHICAGO – Today
the Illinois Senate passed legislation that saves our state nearly $1
million annually, while removing a significant barrier that prevents
Illinois’ poorest families from saving money. HB2262,
which passed out of the House with bipartisan support last month, will
eliminate the “asset test” in the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program, commonly known as “welfare.”
5/17/2013
Illinois Poverty News: Weekly Update
This week, Illinois residents and local advocates rallied in
Chicago for increased state government funding for mental health services. Advocates pointed to Governor Quinn’s budget in which there is an
increase in funding for Medicaid mental health services, but a reduction in
funding for other categories and services of mental health. Those in attendance – many of
whom identified as living with a mental illness – argued that state support of
mental health programs was important not just to those living with mental illness,
but relatives, communities, and taxpayers. The rally was organized and attended
by advocate groups such as Next Steps, the National Alliance of Mental Illness
of Greater Chicago, and the Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership. - Mental Health Service Advocates Rally for More Government Funding, Mandy Niad and Neil Holt, Medil Reports, 5/15/2013
Late last week, Governor Quinn announced a $10 million
investment in community based supportive housing, made available through the
Rental Housing Support Program. As
a result of the law, up to $10 million in rental housing subsidies may be made
available over 15 years to eligible landlords to help up to 150 households
headed by a person with a disability. With this new funding, applications will
be available for landlords at www.ihda.org through
June 10 and tenants for the newly subsidized units will be chosen through the State Referral Network.
- Governor Quinn Announces $10 Million for Community-Based Supportive Housing, Press Release, 5/10/2013
New Healthcare Reform Interactive Tool
Last week, Illinois Health Matters launched a new
interactive tool, the Visualizing Healthcare Reform Tool. This tool provides
informative infographics that visually show the impact of the Affordable Care
Act on both insured and uninsured Illinoisans, allowing the data to be broken
down by the community, region, or state level. The tool can also show
information by gender, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, and age.
- You can find and use the tool on Illinois Health Matters website, found here.
5/13/2013
Illinois Poverty News: Weekly Update
Illinois Poverty News: Weekly Update
Here's the latest roundup of news articles highlighting issues related to our efforts to reduce poverty in Illinois.Platform to Employment (P2E), a new job assistance program for veterans and the long-term unemployed, has come to Chicago and began accepting applications last month. P2E is a five week course which offers interviewing techniques, networking development, resume building assistance, financial education, and behavioral health services. Classes are being offered at Chicago's DeVry University located at 225 West Washington St., and additional information on the program can be found here.
- Job Assistance For Veterans And Long-Term Unemployed Comes to Chicago, Ashlee Rezin, Progress Illinois, 5/1/2013
This October, almost 260,000 Illinois immigrants will be eligible for government subsidized health insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Unfortunately, a report by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights reveals that many of these individuals are fearful to seek insurance because of the immigration status of a family member, or simply unaware of the benefits they are eligible to receive through the ACA. To help combat this, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and it's Immigrant Family Resource Center have begun a statewide awareness campaign aimed at educating immigrant families and answer questions about the ACA.
- Campaign Will Teach Immigrants About Healthcare Overhaul, Antonio Olivo, Chicago Tribune, 5/10/2013
Last Thursday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would be making available $6 million dollars for more than 40 Illinois health centers to apply for and use to hire new staff, train existing staff, and engage in community outreach events. In addition to these funds, the federal government plans to spend approximately $115 million in Illinois on education and outreach efforts related to the Affordable Care Act.
- Illinois Health Centers to get $6M to Help Enroll Uninsured, Associated Press, The State-Journal Register, 5/10/2013
How much do you know about poverty in Illinois?
Heartland Alliance Policy and Advocacy Team, in collaboration with the Social IMPACT Research Center, recently put together a 'Illinois Poverty Quiz' that tests one's knowledge about poverty, employment, and health insurance statistics in Illinois.Test your knowledge and click here to take the quiz!
5/08/2013
The ACA Is Coming - How Can I Help Enroll People?
**This blogpost comes to us from the Illinois Health Matters (IHM) blog.
The past few weeks have brought a flurry of activity from the federal and state government agencies who are reaching out to community-based entities to solicit their assistance in Affordable Care Act outreach, education and enrollment. In Illinois, it’s even more confusing because there are three possible “helper” groups: Navigators, In Person Counselors and Certified Application Counselors.
This blog is intended to answer some of your frequently asked questions about these enrollment helpers and how you can get involved.
What’s a Navigator and How Can I Be One?
“Navigator” is the term that has been given to people or organizations charged with providing guidance to individuals enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Many of you have been wondering how you can become one of these entities. Unfortunately, there are no actual “navigator positions” right now. This is because various entities have to apply for funding (grant application due June 7) to become navigators and receive training.
What do you mean by “entity”?
Many types of groups/entities can be Navigators. Self-employed persons and public or private organizations are eligible to apply for funding to operate as Navigators (see the FAQ here). In each Marketplace there must be at least two sub-sets of entities and at least one will be a community and consumer-focused nonprofit. There are some restrictions, however: navigators cannot have conflicts of interest. Therefore, navigators cannot be health insurers, have affiliations with health insurers, or accept any form of payment from insurers that is related to enrollment inside or outside of the marketplaces.
What if I don’t want to or am not eligible to apply for these Navigator grants?
If you don't think you or your organization would qualify for this funding alone, you could consider reaching out to another organization in your area that might be applying. Check out this consumer assistance matchmaking spreadsheet to meet up with other groups. Another option would be to wait until the grants have been decided upon and then reach out to see if the recipient organizations need any additional staff.
What is the In-Person Counselor (IPC) Program?
In-Person Counselors (IPCs) are the same as Navigators, in that they will educate people about the new system, help them understand their health plan choices, and facilitate their selection of the plan that is right for them. They are different than Navigators because funding for these entities comes from the state instead of the federal government and they will receive training directly from the state.
The IPC grant application just came out and applications are due May 30th. Entities in Illinois can apply for these funds and hire new personnel or use existing staff as In-Person Counselors in the community. Find more information and access to the application here. The Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace will be conducting a webinar for those interested in the IPC program on Thursday, May 9 at 10 am. You must register to participate.
But how is a Navigator and In Person Counselor different from a Certified Application Counselor (CAC)?
CAC's have been defined as “trusted community-based organizations, providers, or other organizations with expertise in social service programs.” CACs allow organizations that would likely aid consumers anyway (such as hospitals or clinics) be involved more formally in the process of finding health coverage. Unlike Navigators and IPCs, CACs are not eligible for public funding but the Marketplace will be required to certify CACs to help people apply for Medicaid and plans sold through the exchange.
So what should I do now if I want to be one of these helpers?
Stephani Becker & Alexa Herzog
Illinois Health Matters
The past few weeks have brought a flurry of activity from the federal and state government agencies who are reaching out to community-based entities to solicit their assistance in Affordable Care Act outreach, education and enrollment. In Illinois, it’s even more confusing because there are three possible “helper” groups: Navigators, In Person Counselors and Certified Application Counselors.
This blog is intended to answer some of your frequently asked questions about these enrollment helpers and how you can get involved.
What’s a Navigator and How Can I Be One?
“Navigator” is the term that has been given to people or organizations charged with providing guidance to individuals enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Many of you have been wondering how you can become one of these entities. Unfortunately, there are no actual “navigator positions” right now. This is because various entities have to apply for funding (grant application due June 7) to become navigators and receive training.
What do you mean by “entity”?
Many types of groups/entities can be Navigators. Self-employed persons and public or private organizations are eligible to apply for funding to operate as Navigators (see the FAQ here). In each Marketplace there must be at least two sub-sets of entities and at least one will be a community and consumer-focused nonprofit. There are some restrictions, however: navigators cannot have conflicts of interest. Therefore, navigators cannot be health insurers, have affiliations with health insurers, or accept any form of payment from insurers that is related to enrollment inside or outside of the marketplaces.
What if I don’t want to or am not eligible to apply for these Navigator grants?
If you don't think you or your organization would qualify for this funding alone, you could consider reaching out to another organization in your area that might be applying. Check out this consumer assistance matchmaking spreadsheet to meet up with other groups. Another option would be to wait until the grants have been decided upon and then reach out to see if the recipient organizations need any additional staff.
What is the In-Person Counselor (IPC) Program?
In-Person Counselors (IPCs) are the same as Navigators, in that they will educate people about the new system, help them understand their health plan choices, and facilitate their selection of the plan that is right for them. They are different than Navigators because funding for these entities comes from the state instead of the federal government and they will receive training directly from the state.
The IPC grant application just came out and applications are due May 30th. Entities in Illinois can apply for these funds and hire new personnel or use existing staff as In-Person Counselors in the community. Find more information and access to the application here. The Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace will be conducting a webinar for those interested in the IPC program on Thursday, May 9 at 10 am. You must register to participate.
But how is a Navigator and In Person Counselor different from a Certified Application Counselor (CAC)?
CAC's have been defined as “trusted community-based organizations, providers, or other organizations with expertise in social service programs.” CACs allow organizations that would likely aid consumers anyway (such as hospitals or clinics) be involved more formally in the process of finding health coverage. Unlike Navigators and IPCs, CACs are not eligible for public funding but the Marketplace will be required to certify CACs to help people apply for Medicaid and plans sold through the exchange.
So what should I do now if I want to be one of these helpers?
- Read the IPC application
- Look at the Illinois Consumer Assistance Matchmaking Spreadsheet to see who else wants to apply to be a Navigator or IPC
- Participate in the webinar on May 9th about the IPC program
- Stay tuned for more information about the CAC program in Illinois
Stephani Becker & Alexa Herzog
Illinois Health Matters
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