Security Lifeline bill offers hope and opportunity for neighbors in need

Today, a bill that will reform Washington’s general assistance program (GAU) for people who are temporarily unemployable due to disabilities, came before the House Human Services Committee. Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson’s (D-Seattle) Security Lifeline bill, House Bill 2782, creates a reform program called “Disability Lifeline,” which would emphasize access to mental and physical health care, housing assistance in lieu of full cash grants, and quicker transitions from state to federal assistance for those who qualify for SSI benefits.

As Dickerson pointed out, “The Security Lifeline bill is an effort between philanthropy, community organizations, colleges and the state to offer hope and opportunity to some of our neediest neighbors during this time of economic crisis.”

A vital resource for more than 20,000 people with disabilities in Washington, GAU addresses one of the most critical needs of the mental health population. Witnesses told the committee that the Disability Lifeline helps communities by helping citizens struggling with poverty or temporary disabilities to avoid homelessness, or emergency rooms or jails. “This bill is actually a form of crime prevention,” Assistant Seattle Police Chief Nick Metz told the committee.