BEFORE THE DEPRESSION THERE WAS ONLY GENERAL ASSISTANCE
(THEN KNOWN AS “POOR RELIEF” OR PAUPER RELIEF”)
- Counties fiscally responsible for and tax for General Assistance
- Township Supervisors ex officio “overseers of the poor” (since 1867) (i.e., have authority to admit someone to the “county poor farm”)
- If you need assistance, you go to the Township Supervisor – there is no where else to go
DEPRESSION (STATE)
- Fiscal responsibility for (1931) and authority to levy taxes for (1933) General Assistance shifted to townships – done because of constitutional limitation upon taxing authority of counties
DEPRESSION (FEDERAL GOVERNMENT)
- Federal Government (Fed Gov’t) decides to get involved in welfare – but Fed Gov’t didn’t want to administer programs and on wanted to help the “worthy” poor, those who had some justification for not being self-sufficient – the “worthy” poor fell into 3 generic “categories”: (1) “dependent” children (dependent meaning without a breadwinner in a family unit). (2) aged, and (3) blind
- Social Security Act of 1935 – establishment of Fed Govt participation in welfare
1935
Dependent Children (ADC) – Aged – Blind
Fed Govt provides funds to states to establish these programs; states administer programs and set financial eligibility criteria and payment levels
- States to establish and administer programs, including establishing standards of need and benefits levels – Fed Gov’t helps pay for programs on a percentage participatory basis which may vary state by state (for Illinois, because it is a ‘rich” state, Fed Gov’t pays for only one-half of ADC costs; in poorer states, such as Mississippi, Fed Gov’t picks up 80% of tab)
- 1935 – Illinois elects to provide assistance to aged – Illinois Department of Public Aid (IDPA) established to administer program through office in each county at county seat
- 1941 – Illinois elects to provide ADC (IDPA administered)
- 1943 – Illinois elects to provide assistance to Blind (IDPA administered)
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 1935 – 1950 AMENDMENT – 4TH “CATEGORY” ADDED
- Fed Gov’t adds “Disabled” to categories of “worthy” poor for which it will assist states in funding programs
- 1950 – Illinois elects to provide assistance to Disabled (IDPA administered)
1950
Disabled
Illinois (through IDPA) now administers and sets financial eligibility criteria and payment levels for ADC (later to become AFDC), and OABD (Old Age, Blind and Disabled Assistance, later to become known as AABD)
BECAUSE “CATEGORICAL” PROGRAMS GENERATE PARTICIPATORY FEDERAL FUNDS, GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROVIDES THAT IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE A PERSON MUST BE INELIGIBLE FOR CATEGORICAL ASSISTANCE
THUS BY 1950
- IDPA (pesently known as the Department of Human Services or “DHS”) administers the “categorical” programs through county offices
- Must be ineligible for these types of assistance to be eligible for General Assistance
- Townships and Counties provide General Assistance to those ineligible for Categorical Assistance (the “unworthy” poor) – in counties divided into townships (85), townships administer and provide General Assistance – in counties not divided into townships (17), counties administer and provide General Assistance (county-wide Supervisor of General Assistance appointed by county board)
- DHS administers General Assistance in the City of Chicago (although Cook County is a township county, there are no townships within the City of Chicago) and in “receiving” townships and counties (hence, a DHS General Assistance Manual)
Dependent Children (AFDC) – Aged (AABD) – Blind (AABD) – Disabled (AABD)
IDPA administers “categorical” programs through county offices in each county; programs jointly funded by Illinois and Fed Gov’t must be ineligible for “categorical” assistance to be eligible for GA
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 1935 – 1965 AMENDMENT – MEDICAID
- Established on same bases as Categorical Programs – administered by IDPA – persons receiving Categorical Assistance and other specified “categories” of persons (e.g., children in households with incomes below a certain percentage of the poverty level) eligible
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 1935 -1972 AMENDMENT
FED GOV’T “FEDERALIZES ADULT PROGRAMS
- Over the years the Fed Gov’t became concerned about benefit disparities in the adult programs (AABD) – in order to create a uniform, national program, in 1972 the Fed Gov’t “federalized” the adult programs – henceforth, Fed Gov’t would solely fund and administer programs – adult programs renamed “Supplemental Security Income” (“SSI”) and administration of SSI turned over to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) – states could continue “vestigial” AABD programs, but primarily solely to supplement persons receiving SSI (e.g., AABD-A; AABD-B; AABD-D)
- Person cannot receive SSI and General Assistance at the same time – but because of possible length of time for approval of SSI application, a person presumptively eligible (“PE”) for SSI and/or with an SSI application pending may receive General Assistance
1972
Aged – Blind – Disabled SSI
The “adult” programs “federalized” and taken completely over by Fed Gov’t and renamed Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI to be administered by Social Security Administration.
Dependent Children (AFDC)
Administration retained by state (IDPA). Still jointly funded by Illinois and Fed Gov’t
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE (STATE) – 1991
- State law permitting GA units to provide Emergency Assistance once in any consecutive 12-month period to alleviate a life-threatening circumstance or assist in attaining self-sufficiency – significantly, units which are AFDC-PE (presumptively eligible for AFDC) eligible for Emergency Assistance
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF 1935 – 1996 AMENDMENT – “WELFARE REFORM”
- Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (“PRWORA” OR “PRA”)
- AFDC renamed “Temporary Assistance to Needy Families” (“TANF”) – emphasis on “temporary” – federal funds may not be used to fund a TANF unit beyond 60 months
- Fed Gov’t no longer agrees to help pay for TANF on a percentage participatory bases- Fed Gov’t will provides states only a predetermined annual amount for TANF (“block grant”), any excess costs to be borne by states – also, Federal TANF funds come with certain restrictions (60 month limit)
1996 – AFDC > TANF
RESIDENCY
As used with respect to applicant or recipient eligibility, residency has two (2) components: (a) physical presence; and (b) the absence of an intention to leave the geographical area served by the General Assistance Office. An applicant or recipient is a resident for purposes of General Assistance eligibility if these two (2) criteria are satisfied.
If you meet the residence guidelines for Roscoe Township and would like to apply for general assistance please go to the download center under General Assistance and fill out form GA IL444-0040(N-5-98)
Other items to bring with you when you return the completed General Assistance form
- Driver’s License
- All eligible recipients Social Security Cards
- Rental Agreement/Proof of Address
- Illinois Job Service Card
- Unemployment Decision/stubs
- Il Dept of Human Services (DHS) decision
- TANF decision
- Last pay stub if applicable
- Application fully completed
- Consent to release information (download from the download center under general assistance)