Transcript Neighbors Helping Neighbors to Sustainably Move out of Poverty

Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Out of Poverty
Texas Panhandle Regional
Community Asset Building Forum
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Presented by:
Camille D. Miller – Texas Health Institute (TBB State Affiliate)
Leslie Winder – Solutions for Progress
Ralph Gildehaus - MDC
Texas Health Institute
Mission:
To improve the health of
Texans and their communities.
THI: 501(c)(3) statewide nonprofit
since 1964
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The Beginning
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
• Study “access to care” for
kids in Texas
• 2 Casey Fellows
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Texas Unclaimed Federal Dollars Per Year*
SNAP (food stamps)
$ 4.8 Billion
EITC (tax credit)
$ 700.5 Million
SCHIP (children’s health)
$ 537.5 Million
Children’s Medicaid (children’s health)
$ 955.2 Million
Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy
(prescriptions)
$ 763.6 Million
Pell Grants (college tuition)
$ 583.7 Million
Total
$ 8.3 Billion
*Represents most recent data available: SNAP–2010, EITC-TY2009, SCHIP-2009, Medicaid-2007,
Medicare-2009-10, Pell Grants-2007
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A Solution
A tool that:
• Supports workers
• Stabilizes families
• Strengthens communities
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The Benefit Bank of Texas
 A counselor-assisted one-stop service
 An eligibility calculator
 An application completion tool
 A free income tax assistance program
 Offered where people live, learn, work, play,
and pray
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The Benefit Bank of Texas
Vision:
To build a diverse network of volunteer and
professional counselors at:
• community organizations
• businesses
• churches
• health care
• social service providers
United in helping the 17.1%* of Texans in
need.
*US Census Bureau 2009, Poverty Population Numbers
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The Benefit Bank of Texas
Current Programs:
• SNAP (Food Stamps)
• Medicaid - CHIP, Perinatal CHIP, Medicaid for Children, Medicaid for
Pregnant women, Medicaid for parents/caretakers of Medicaid children
with income below TANF needs limit, Retroactive Medicaid and Spend
down Medicaid
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
• Federal Taxes - Earned Income Tax Credit, Childcare Credits
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• Voter’s Registration
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Family Budget on Low Wages Alone
(1 adult in college with 2 children)
INCOME
Wages
Total
EXPENSES
$ 15,080
$ 15,080
Rent & Utilities
$
7,608
Food
$
4,032
Transportation
$
3,108
Health care
$
3,288
Child care
$
5,064
Taxes
$
4,416
Miscellaneous
$
1,940
College expenses
$
1,720
Total
$
31,176
Expenses exceed income by:
$ 16,096
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Family Budget with Probable Work Supports
(1 adult in college with 2 children)
INCOME
EXPENSES
Wages
$ 15,080
Rent & Utilities
$
7,608
EITC
$
3,595
Food
$
4,032
SNAP
$
4,500
Transportation
$
3,108
Medicaid
$
2,788
Health care
$
3,288
Child Care Subsidy
Additional Child Tax
Credit
Pell Grant
$
3,764
Child care
$
5,064
$
$
1,000
3,350
Taxes
Miscellaneous
$
$
4,416
1,940
College expenses
$
1,720
Total
$
31,176
Total
$ 34,077
Work Supports raise income by:
$18,997
Income exceeds basic expenses by:
$ 2,901
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2011 Milestones
• May, 2011 - Legislative Rider included in 2011 Texas
Appropriations Bill
• May, 2011 - The Don and Sybil Harrington
Foundation funds the upper 26 counties of Region 1
• June, 2011 - The Wal-Mart Foundation funds the
lower 15 counties of Region 1
• July 2011 - Region 1 Advisory Leadership Committee
formed
• November 2011 - The Meadows Foundation funds
statewide implementation
• November 2011 - State Director hired
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2012 Milestones
• January 2012 - Federal Income Tax electronically
submitted
• January 2012 - TBB-TX electronic submission Pilot
Project launched in Amarillo
• February 2012 - THI Board approved sites
membership/recruitment statewide
• March 2012 - MOU signed with HHSC for electronic
submission
• March 2012 - Electronic submission to HHSC
launched
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Making Headway
Amarillo in Region 1,
has launched TBB-TX
in 25 sites with 73
counselors trained and
helping people in need.
Austin in Region 7, we have
8 sites and others pending.
Dallas/Fort Worth in Region 3,
we have 11 sites and others
pending.
Houston/Gulf Coast area
in Region 6, we have 13
sites and are working
with Children’s Defense
Fund on a project
utilizing TBB-TX in high
schools in Houston and 6
other independent school
districts (17 schools).
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TBB-TX Staff
Camille D. Miller
President and CEO
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
Connie Chavez
Region 1 Coordinator
The Benefit Bank of Texas
806-337-1700, Ext. 222
[email protected]
Sherry Wilkie-Conway
COO
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
Diana Maldonado
State Director of The Benefit Bank of
Texas
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
Amanda Royston
Vice President
Events, Education, Marketing and
Communication
Texas Health Institute
(512) 279-3910
[email protected]
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Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Out of Poverty
Texas Panhandle Regional Community
Asset Building Forum: A Call to Action
Amarillo, Texas
Thursday, April 19, 2012
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Solutions for Progress
Mission-driven private-sector company
committed to assisting low- and
moderate-income individuals and families
to sustainably move out of poverty
through the practical application of
innovative technology and public policy.
The challenge of our work:
Overcoming vs. Managing Poverty
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What We Do
• Actionable anti-poverty research
– Analysis of federal & state policy
implementation
– Comparisons of need vs. delivery
• Usable technology solutions
– Expert systems made simple to use
– Secure, rapidly responsive to change
• Practical civic engagement approaches
– Local public-private partnerships
– Supported by experienced national
partners
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Work and Income Supports Underutilized
• Nationally, only 7.2% of households
eligible for EITC, SNAP, health insurance,
and child care subsidies claim all four
• $70 billion in critical work supports
unclaimed by Americans annually
Provides an opportunity to move families
out of poverty and toward self-sufficiency
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The Challenge
Many stops, long lines, time missed from work
Medical
Benefits
FAFSA
Help with
Federal/State
Taxes
SNAP
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Civic Engagement
Self-Service
Client
Mobile
Assistance
Caseworker
State
Affiliate
• Capacity building
• Outreach
• Multiple access
approaches
FBCO/Independent Sector
Volunteer/Worker
• Faith congregations
• Health & social service
organizations
• Food and nutrition organizations
• Community-based organizations
• Prisoner reentry programs
• Homeless shelters
• Public agencies
• Home ownership programs
• Asset building programs
Where People Live, Work, Play, Pray & Learn
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Civic Engagement + Expert Technology
Self-Service
Client
Mobile
Assistance
Caseworker
State
Self
Service
State
Affiliate
• Capacity building
• Outreach
• Multiple access
approaches
Common
link to
back-end
TBB™
Online
Service
FBCO/Independent Sector
Volunteer/Worker
The Benefit Bank is Client-Centered
for Applications to Multiple
Program-Centered Government Systems
State/County Workers
•Eligibility
determination
•Payment
•Case control
DORevenue
DOCorrections
Federal
IRS
SSA
DoEd
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The Benefit Bank Online Service
• Service free to clients & sites
• Work & income supports including tax
preparation on a single platform
• An expert system supporting
– Eligibility assessment
– Application form completion
– Electronic and paper application filing
• Volunteer-Counselor, Professional,
and Self-Service
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How TBB Works
• Client chooses/enters
own access password
• Simple questions/answers
• Explanatory help pop ups
• Expertise is in the service
• Electronic filing with
printed copy for client
• Detailed follow up
instructions for client
• No information retained
on local computer
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Reporting
• Sophisticated aggregated-data
reports
• May include any client data
including demographic factors,
income, expenses categories
• Available both as:
– Automated reports
delivered on weekly,
monthly, quarterly, annual
basis
– On demand
reports/charts/graphs
including GIS-mapped
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Service Operations
• Centralized & secure service operation
– Fully hosted operations at secure location
– HIPAA compliant
• Federal & state rule changes
– Tracked by in-house lawyers & public policy
analysts through direct involvement with
advocates, agencies & outside experts
– Implemented by experienced technology staff
using custom development environment
• Affiliate & counselor support
– Site services
– Counselor training (Train the Trainer)
– Live Help desk
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TBB SSI/SSDI
• Serves: Adult SSI/SSDI
claimants living with disabilities,
particularly those with serious
mental illness
• Assists: Trained representatives
develop and submit initial
application and/or reinstatement
• Supports: Extensive document
management & coordination
requirements
• Incorporates: Best aspects of
advocacy and agency approaches
© Solutions for Progress, Inc
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Unprecedented Resource for Vets
• A trusted service providing unbiased and
accurate eligibility assessment
• Complete application filing
• Referral to additional Vets resources
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TBB Veterans Education Benefits
• Military Records
– Request records with TBB completed form
– Input records for eligibility assessment
• Supported Programs (Eligibility and Application)
– Yellow Ribbon
– Post-9/11 GI Bill
– Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty
– Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve
– Reserve Education Assistance
– Veterans Education Assistance Program
– Non-Contributory VEAP
– Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
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Growth of TBB Online Service
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Proven Success in Multiple States
PA
IN
Ohio
KS
NC
AR
SC
MI
TX
FL
Ohio Benefit Bank
• Recognized as
most successful
outreach program
in US
• 5,000+
counselors at
over 1,200 sites
helped families
claim $534
million in
supports since
2006
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Study on the Impact of the
Ohio Benefit Bank
OBB Increases Access
to Benefits
• 51% of respondents said they
would have been unlikely or
very unlikely to apply for
benefits without OBB.
Follow-through was
High
•
More than 48% of clients
participating had completed
the application process with
the county and an additional
40.5% planned to go within
12 – 35 days of visiting an
OBB site.
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Study on the Impact of the
Ohio Benefit Bank
Clients Obtain Needed
Benefits
• 72% who completed the process
reported being approved for
benefits.
• By Phase 2, 55% of respondents
who completed the process
reported their food situation as
much better or better.
Clients had a Positive
Experience
•
•
The OBB experience was
positive, helpful, and easy to
access.
83% of OBB client respondents
rated their OBB experience as
excellent or good.
“The Benefit Bank provided
a wonderful service.
Very convenient and the lady was really
respectful and compassionate.”
- Ohio Benefit Bank Client 32
TBB is Different
• Tax returns and benefit applications
prepared on and filed from single platform
• Wide range of benefits supported
• Maintained at all times in conformance with
up-to-date federal and state regulations
• Electronic filing of tax returns and benefit
applications
• Volunteer counselor, professional and
self-service access to single service
• Breadth of field experience available to
states, statewide affiliates and sites
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Learnings
• Right technology tightly coupled with civic
engagement is critical
• Partnership between Affiliate and State &
County agencies key to maximizing access
• Social sector partners drive new areas of
focus (FAFSA, Veterans, Disability)
This model works
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Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Out of Poverty
Leslie Winder
Director of Strategic Partnerships
[email protected]
215-701-6123
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Replicating and Expanding Outreach
Using The Benefit Bank® in Texas
and Other States
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Work Supports Initiative: Collaboration
between experienced organizations
• 44-year-old national nonprofit that
demonstrates & incubates social
innovations
• Helps organizations and communities
close the gaps that separate people
from opportunity
• Developer/operator of The Benefit
Bank online service
• Policy focus on overcoming poverty
and unequal access
• Statewide Affiliates manage and
implement outreach using The
Benefit Bank
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TBB-SC Regional Coordinators:
County Assignments 2012
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Active TBB-SC Sites
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TBB-SC Completed Applications
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TBB-SC Milestones Since 2009
 Estimated return of over $52 million in
benefits to SC citizens
 Filed over $3 million in state and federal tax
returns
 Completed over 20,000 applications estimated
worth $2 million/month
 Since 2010, served over 23,000 family
members
 Awarded a grant to build SC DSS eGateway
 Received CHIPRA technology grant to build SC
DHHS eGateway
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Assets for Education and
Employment
• Train and provide technical assistance to Success
Coaches placed at community colleges. These coaches
provide three elements of an integrated service
delivery model:
– Employment and career advancement
– Financial coaching and asset building
– Connect students with work and income supports
• Based upon Centers for Working Families in
community colleges approach
– MDC manages a network of community college
sites for the Annie E. Casey Foundation
– Community-based organizations extend reach and
impact of outreach efforts to low-income
communities
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Supports Increase Stability
1
2
3
Connect eligible
students with supports
Increase students’
financial stability and
career readiness
Increase college
retention and
graduation rates
•Improve economic
and educational
capabilities of
applicants and
incoming students
•Provide financial
literacy & career
advice
•Increase income
to colleges
•Strengthen
relationships with
employers in
region
•Improve economic
capabilities of
students and their
families
•Support special
outreach to
veterans and
mature students
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Integrated Support Services Model
Guilford Technical Community College
• Enrollment numbers were up by 10% following the
Great Recession
• Center for Working Families integrated support
services, including counseling using The Benefit
Bank, provided to eligible students
• Retention rate increased by 25% among
participating students
Increased tuition revenues fund the work of
Success Coaches
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Contact information
Ralph Gildehaus
Senior Fellow
(919) 381-5834
[email protected]
MDC
307 West Main Street
Durham, NC 27701-3215
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Thank You
Questions?
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