Mississippi legislators are looking for ways to fix what they called the broken safety net that is supposed to help the state’s poorest people.Democratic lawmakers held a legislative hearing Tuesday on Mississippi’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program at the State Capitol building. The hearing was billed as “fixing a corrupt system” and “helping Mississippi families in need.””All of us here today are committed to getting to the bottom of that and holding people accountable for all the misuse of funds,” said State Sen. David Blount. The TANF program is at the center of the state’s massive welfare scandal. It’s also the first time any legislative group has met to publicly scrutinize the scandal.Five people, including the former head of the state’s welfare agency, have pleaded guilty to federal and state charges of fraud, embezzlement and theft.Former Gov. Phil Bryant and Mississippi native and NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre have been named in a civil lawsuit but have not been criminally charged. Former TANF recipient Brandy Nichols told lawmakers the system needs to be reformed to better help families who need assistance the most. After five years, recipients can no longer receive TANF dollars.”My hope is that the tragedy of the scandal behind this program leads to changes, how much money families receive to help with everyday expenses,” Nichols said.Lawmakers want to know how millions of welfare dollars are being spent and who’s watching where the money is going. Mississippi Department of Human Services Director Bob Anderson said since he took over more than two years ago, he hired the agency’s first-ever compliance officer.”And put in place internal controls to make sure the same thing didn’t happen in the future,” Anderson said. Ninety percent of all TANF applicants are denied assistance. Right now, there are 2,100 recipients, and the average family of three receives $270 a month.”Our job as legislators is just to make sure this program works; we have a responsibility to that. Those punitive measures that are in place to keep people from receiving those funds or make it hard for them to apply for it. The Legislature did that,” said State Rep. Robert Johnson, House minority leader.Lawmakers said they want to get rid of the drug test and job search requirement for TANF recipients. Unless Republicans agree to it, those changes may not happen.
Mississippi legislators are looking for ways to fix what they called the broken safety net that is supposed to help the state’s poorest people.
Democratic lawmakers held a legislative hearing Tuesday on Mississippi’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program at the State Capitol building. The hearing was billed as “fixing a corrupt system” and “helping Mississippi families in need.”
“All of us here today are committed to getting to the bottom of that and holding people accountable for all the misuse of funds,” said State Sen. David Blount.
The TANF program is at the center of the state’s massive welfare scandal. It’s also the first time any legislative group has met to publicly scrutinize the scandal.
Five people, including the former head of the state’s welfare agency, have pleaded guilty to federal and state charges of fraud, embezzlement and theft.
Former Gov. Phil Bryant and Mississippi native and NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre have been named in a civil lawsuit but have not been criminally charged.
Former TANF recipient Brandy Nichols told lawmakers the system needs to be reformed to better help families who need assistance the most. After five years, recipients can no longer receive TANF dollars.
“My hope is that the tragedy of the scandal behind this program leads to changes, how much money families receive to help with everyday expenses,” Nichols said.
Lawmakers want to know how millions of welfare dollars are being spent and who’s watching where the money is going. Mississippi Department of Human Services Director Bob Anderson said since he took over more than two years ago, he hired the agency’s first-ever compliance officer.
“And put in place internal controls to make sure the same thing didn’t happen in the future,” Anderson said.
Ninety percent of all TANF applicants are denied assistance. Right now, there are 2,100 recipients, and the average family of three receives $270 a month.
“Our job as legislators is just to make sure this program works; we have a responsibility to that. Those punitive measures that are in place to keep people from receiving those funds or make it hard for them to apply for it. The Legislature did that,” said State Rep. Robert Johnson, House minority leader.
Lawmakers said they want to get rid of the drug test and job search requirement for TANF recipients. Unless Republicans agree to it, those changes may not happen.
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