I know - it's terrible, isn't it? I had one worker who at least had the decency to act sheepish and say "This isn't even enough for daycare, is it?" But there was nothing she could do about it.

We don't get anything. So for us it would be better than nothing. But I can understand the frustration.

I submitted a post on 9/11 regardinig TANF site. Check iti out and be sure you are filing under right status. Don't know that it w/change anything but worth a try. TANF has a record of low paying. If you qualify for TANF have you concerned contacting your local township to see if they had additional aid?

Daisy,
I went to both of my counties that I deal with regarding the TANF and neither of them had even heard the term. I did find online that kinship in our state is paid thru TANF but could not find out about healthcare for gs. Couldn't find out because noone even knows where the monies come from. They only know one way to file and that's all there is to it.

I even went to the financial services in both counties.

One gal was going to check into it for me, but hasn't gotten back to me (almost a week now)

It's pretty impossible to talk to people when they don't have a clue what you are talking about! They just dismiss you as not knowing what you are saying - but I DID find the site where it says that our kinship in this state comes through TANF monies. I'm thinking that's probably all that does, since I couldn't find reference to anything else, including healthcare.

But you'd think they'd know SOMETHING about it, wouldn't you???

Check your Department of Human Services. They should have it.

They are incompetent.I had to explain it to them when I finally got it done the first time.
TANF is listed under AFDC
Aid to FamiliesWith Dependent Children.
You have to tell them they have Temporary Aid to Needy Families. When they finally figured it out, they then wanted My birth certificate, biomom birth certificate and grandson birth certificate, all long forms, to show I was related to him...
wouldn't it be great if the people who work for the department of social services, knew their jobs?

Then I had to go to the Medicaid office, and sign him up on Medicaid, writing on the form, child recives TANF, AFDC. That put him on medicaid. People who work in the Medicaid office had told me before that it was based on my income, but when it's written on there he gets TANF, and I didnt fill out my income, they got it straight. More people who don't have enough training.

Daisy, that IS where I went, in TWO different counties!

scgramma, you have it absolutely correct! And I can't find a job!!!

My gs is under free healthcare, but under BadgerCare, which is not Medicaid. I'm not sure I want to rock that boat right now, because the state Badgercare is much better - they cover pretty much everything, including prescriptions with no copay. My income does not count for him UNTIL I apply for BadgerCare myself, even if it is the new one our state has where people with lower income can pay a premium for the insurance. PLUS, even though I have to PAY for him, evidently he does not count as a member of my family! Neither does my daughter who is in college, but still lives here (residency) and will be here during holidays and summer. I just can't figure how they do this stuff!

Maybe I should talk to the Medicaide office. I just went through all of that with my elderly uncle as his guardian. Thanks for that information. I'm not looking forward to it, because I even had trouble applying for HIS Medicaid and he's in a nursing home. I had people telling me 3 different ways to apply! Go figure.

Daisy, living in IL, I don't think you realize how messed up these offices are in our rural areas. I know many, and I mean quite a few people I PERSONALLY know - professional people who work with the elderly and day care - who won't work with our county services, they are so incompetent. It is a very sad situation. You know those old TV shows about the counties run by the sherrif's and supervisers? They honestly still exist, only in more underhanded, covered-up form. I am not being cynical. It is absolute truth.

I do understand your frustrations. I got excited back when I found out about TANF until I found out what hoops I had to go through for a lousy $107 a month! I decided to work harder at my business and took on additional hours at my part time job to make ends meed. I transferred calls from my business to home at the end of each school day so I didn't have to worry about daycare. I know all too well it's not easy. As an advocate for Grans raising gc, I research a lot and share what I can. Lack of knowledge has been the biggest problem for most of us. I can tell you in Chicago you can get all sorts of benefits, but if you live in the suburbs, you get in line behind minorities and god forbid you own a home or work because you definitely won't get anything then. Been there, done that. And the changes they want to make in Washington are to start all over again and who will suffer why the workers become educated then??? Why can't they come up with a plan to fix things. Just imagine if they get a government run healthcare system that they will have to develop a new system with new codes and update computer programs, educate workers and the public to even know what "code" your diagnosis might be. Think they're ignorant now? Wait.....we will pay the price for their "changes". What a mess!

WOW! I would write them a letter and ask them how they suggest you spend it first.

When I get frustrated I get angry and after having so many doors slammed in my face, I put my energies into what I could do myself. I am middle class white and only after losing our home did we get assistance with gs's multiple ear surgeries. I still had to carry private insurance and they paid what insurance wouldn't. It is not racial or prejudicial but when you live in or near a big city, you have heavily populated areas of the same ethnic background. Those pockets are full of poverty level families so that is where Government puts their efforts. Truth be told, I have not met a minority grandparent who could not get health care and private school scholarships for their grandchildren while living on welfare (which is TANF). In the suburbs there are no programs for middle class families. Washington looks at middle class as earning $250,000. Most of us earn far less than that.

Well, in WI the limit for a single person for health care assistance, even the kind you pay a premium for is 1805 per month. Granted, not quite poverty level, but for anyone raising a child on a single income, and who DOES own a home and care, it is pretty low. Between my car payment and ins, house payment(which is low for this area) and ins, I have little left over for other things. To qualify for any of the "help" programs the income limit is 1375. Try living on that if you own a home with a mortgage. Just no way. Especially with a child. Federal poverty limit right now is 905. That means that a person would have to be working at miniimum wage if working full time to qualify. I don't know about where you people live, but around here many of the jobs only pay minimum, and there is NO WAY a person can live on that!

I don't think the answer is in reformed welfare or other programs, but moreso in reformed employment and this out-of-control consumer market.

Daisy, I sure agree about the gov't healthcare system. That isn't going to help anything. Now, a non-profit healthcare system might, and definitely torte reform, but there just isn't enuf support for those sensible steps!

Get this. When we finally sold our house which was over mortgaged, we made $6,000 and gave half of that to pay back people we owed. We moved into rental and my care was old and paid off. We were then told our social security payments were too high for us to get benefits! Go figure. Ten years ago when gs was young I just took on extra jobs but my disabled husband needs more care now and physically I am not what I was 10 years ago. I sure wish the good Lord would send some blessings our way instead fo constant problems. I know we have blessings but the problems tend to ourweigh them on so many days. If they take away our Medicare Advantage, I don't know what we will do. Even if they just make changes, there will be so much confusion. Yadayadayada.

I can certainly feel for you, DD. My uncle was in much the same situation. And he didn't have anyone depending upon him.

People work their entire lives, pay into the system, and get next to nothing out. I have some elderly friends who are also in the same boat. It stinks.

Fortunately for me, I will get to draw on my ex-husbands as well as my own soc sec, but that is IF it is still in operation! Who knows what life will be in 10 years. The winds are not blowing well for the elderly and the disabled. They keep backing up the soc sec age, yet there are no jobs available. This country is in a huge mess, that's for sure.