Here are facts and figures for Washington’s General Assistance Unemployable and related programs. Gov. Chris Gregoire has targeted the GAU program for elimination in the 2009-11 budget cycle. That would drop about 16,000 from its rolls. Here’s where those people lived in 2008, on a monthly average.
County Number Percent of total
King 5,106 31.8
Pierce 1,894 11.8
Snohomish 1,396 8.7
Thurston 480 3
Kitsap 444 2.8
Spokane 1,398 8.7
Yakima 614 3.8
Whatcom 519 3.2
Clark 492 3.1
Benton 378 2.4
What do GAU clients get?
Cash benefits of $339 per month for individuals, $428 per month for a couple if both are incapacitated, or $173 per month if living with family. They also get medical coverage.
Who gets GAU?
People between 18 and 64 years of age who cannot work for more than 90 days but less than one year because of a qualifying physical or mental disability. Physical ailments would include a broken arm, uncontrolled diabetes and arthritis. Mental disabilities would include bipolar disorder or depression. Most recipients, 53 percent, have a physical disability; 44 percent have mental health problems.
How many people would lose benefits under the governor’s proposal?
The program has three components. The governor would eliminate General Assistance Unemployable, which had an average monthly enrollment of 16,042 last year. She would keep the General Assistance Expedited program, which has average monthly enrollment of 11,842 in 2008. She also would keep General Assistance for the Aged, Blind, Disabled, which had 3,288 on its rolls.
What’s the difference between GAU and GAX?
GAX is mainly for people with permanent, or at least longer-term, disabilities whom the state believes eventually will be approved for assistance from federal programs such as Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income.
How much money does the governor hope to save?
Overall, the state would save $415 million between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2011. That includes about $255 million in medical costs for those enrolled in the GAU and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Support Act programs combined.
The balance, $160 million in savings, would come from eliminating benefit checks and living stipends for both groups.
However, the net savings would be $355 million because the governor wants to spend $20 million more on homeless shelters and $40 million more on community health clinics.
What is ADATSA?
ADATSA is an offshoot of the General Assistance programs. It’s for people whose primary disability or reason for not working is their addiction to alcohol or drugs. They are sent to drug treatment. They get medical coverage while they’re waiting for treatment, but no cash benefit. Their living stipend after treatment can rise to $339 a month, which generally is paid directly to landlords of “clean and sober” housing.
How many people would lose benefits?
According to the state Department of Social and Health Services, the total is 22,000 – 16,000 on GAU and 6,000 on ADATSA.
Joseph Turner, The News Tribune
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