Iām vehemently opposed to drug testing the poor who need food stamps, Medicaid, or temporary cash assistance to get day to day. Were it required to take a pre-employment drug test for any and ALL potential employment, testing when applying for unemployment benefits, testing for employer sponsored disability, random testing while on the job, etc, then, yeah, drug test the poor when applying for food stamps, Medicaid, or cash assistance. But itās not.
From where I stand, It seems the outcry to require drug testing as a requirement for public benefits is the very uninformed, angry voice of those who have motivated by a sense of vengeance. This serves only to single out and further shame the poor.
Consider a family I just made up comprised of mother, Maureen, who has been raising her two children alone since her husband, Jack, fled the scene two months ago. Heās not been heard from since and is not paying child support. Maureen has a high school diploma and was home full time caring for their children and home until Jack split.
She and her two children now qualify for $474 cash assistance monthly while Maureen takes free office skills classes at a local pro-woman, pro-life organization. The family has every possible subsidy for non-food items and each month pays rent of $275, electric is $89, heating fuel is $74, water is $45, trash is $12 for a total of $495. Hmmm. How long will that work? Even if one isnāt the brightest crayon in the box, the Ohio cash assistance programās math is simple. $473 income doesnāt cover $495 due out each month.
The car.
Did I mention their only car was Jackās and he took it when he split? So Maureen bought a car for $1000 with an interest rate of 24.4% APR at a Buy Here/Pay Here lot. Whatās she going to pay for it with? The lot didnāt ask. Sheās praying she gets a check before they come after the car. The family also qualifies for the maximum $511 in food benefits.
The total benefit in cash and food is $985. In order to receive those benefits she must participate in whatās been aptly labeled āWorkfareā for 30 hours per week. The 8 hours weekly sheās in office skills class count towards that leaving just 22 more hours weekly to do busy work for the county to āearnā her familyās benefits. She may be shredding paper, picking up litter, applying for jobs on welfare computers, learning interview skills, babysitting for the children of other mothers who receive benefits, etc.
That works out to $7.63 per hour to collect welfare. Less than minimum wage for those who arenāt up on these things. In addition, she must come up with money for gas, car payment, childcare co-pay, and nice clothes suitable for interviewing which she really hopes give her the edge. Several family members have offered small, short term loans should the need arise.
Maureen is offered a full time job beginning as soon as her classes end. Even though she will only make minimum wage, she will still gross $1,401.00 per month. Thatās a cash gain of $927 so sheāll be able to pay off the car, put gas in it, and buy basic clothing for her family and herself. Unfortunately she will also lose some of the subsidies she received once she starts bringing in more money. Thankfully they will still receive $510 in food benefits because her income is so pitifully low. Sheāll also be newly eligible for Title XX day care.
Ironically, the amount the state will pay for two caregivers at two separate locations to care for Maureenās children while she works is more money than Maureen will make working. With it being a known fact that parents (with rare exceptions) are the best people to parent their own children, one would think for the sake of the kids, if not the public funds saved, Maureen could be paid Title XX funds to stay home and care for her own children. Iāll ride that pony another day.
Time flies and Maureen is doing great in her classes and looking forward to starting her new job. There are still āWorkfareā activities to complete. The first week she reports sheās assigned ditch litter pickup. For her duties sheās handed a large litter bag, a claw on a stick, safety gloves and a translucent cup with a lid. The supervisor points toward the porta John and tells Maureen to pee in a cup and wait for the results before beginning work.
WHAT?
Itās a requirement. If she wants to receive benefits to house and feed her children and pick up litter out of the ditches along the highway she must pass a drug test.
ARE YOU SH!TTING ME?