House Panel Takes on Community Service for Welfare Benefits, Lottery, and Ombudsman

The House Families, Children, and Seniors Committee took up a bill on Wednesday that would allow the Department of Human Services to use community service as a work requirement for receiving benefits through the Family Independence Program.

The bill, SB 276, would allow those who are not exempt from the Partnership Accountability Training Hope (PATH) program to perform community service in order to meet work requirements according to sponsor Senator Joe Hune’s (R-Hamburg) office.

The sponsor’s office also said those receiving public assistance will be able to give back to the communities that support them, stating it could lead to self-sufficiency if the person were offered a job in the process, which has happened before. The practice has already been adopted by the Department of Human Services (DHS), but SB 276 would codify its use.

State Representatives Marcia Hovey-Wright (D-Muskegon) and Dian Slaven (D-Canton) inquired as to whether or not mothers of young children would have to volunteer.

The sponsor’s office said the bill simply allows the Department to continue what it has been doing and does not address child care or minimum hour requirements. He said under the Social Welfare Act, work requirements can be met by attending to children.

However, the two Democrats said they are concerned if the person watching the children while their parent is providing community service would have credentials or licensing. Senator Hune’s office said the person would probably be required to hold some sort of credential. The committee did not act on the bill. The measure passed the Senate last September.

Lottery & Ombudsman

The Committee did act to report two bills unanimously: HB 4855, which would allow lottery winnings to be obtained to pay any debt owed to the DHS, and HB 5039, which would amend the responsibilities of the children’s ombudsman.

HB 5039 would require the ombudsman’s office to notify the DHS as soon as possible of any immediate safety concerns regarding a child who is part of an active or open protective services or foster care case. The requirement would be within one business day after knowing.

Other changes include allowing the ombudsman to specify its authority in the course of a child fatality investigation to request and be permitted access to any records from the court of jurisdiction, attorney general, prosecuting attorney, or any attorney retained by the DHS, as well as reports from a county child fatality review team. This would then allow the ombudsman to investigate all child fatality cases that occurred or have allegedly occurred due to child abuse or neglect.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, February 21, 2014 11:18 AM
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