New reforms will save $25 million

The demand for government services in our state has been on the rise, but we currently have fewer resources coming in to meet those demands. Since the 1930’s, our state has provided income and medical support to childless adults who cannot work due to a disability.

This program, now called Disability Lifeline, was meant to provide temporary assistance while helping people get on track to rehabilitation and re-entry into the workforce, as well as provide a bridge to permanent Social Security Income (SSI) benefits for those who qualified. The number of people receiving these benefits has grown by nearly 50 percent within the last four years. A third of these people are homeless, and most of the rest are near-homeless. More than a third of those helped—including many veterans—are mentally ill.

At the start of this year’s Legislative session, Disability Lifeline, previously referred to as the General Assistance Unemployable program, was in jeopardy, putting approximately 17,000 people with disabilities at risk of losing their basic financial and medical needs. Fortunately, the Legislature protected Disability Lifeline and implemented reforms that are expected to save approximately $25 million.

With Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson’s House Bill 2782, Disability Lifeline will continue to serve some of the most vulnerable populations in our state. Signed into law yesterday, HB 2782 creates new time limits and emphasizes faster transitions to employability or federally-funded SSI benefits within the Disability Lifeline program.

With the new time limits in the Disability Lifeline reforms, benefits are limited to 24 months in a 5-year period-begin Sept. 1 and will be retroactive. Now Disability Lifeline recipients must also participate in substance-abuse treatment or vocational rehabilitation, when appropriate. They will also have to accept housing vouchers in lieu of cash grants, when suitable housing is available. Expedited case reviews will hasten transitions to employability or SSI.