LAWMAKERS DISCUSS PLANS FOR WELFARE REFORM AT CONFERENCE

Participants in the fifth annual Community Caring Conference were advised Friday that serious efforts are under way to reform the welfare system at both the federal and state levels.

But four legislators participating in a forum all agreed that reform will not be easy because issues are complicated.

"Welfare reform is not going to be accomplished in one fell swoop," said U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson. "It is the most complex problem facing our country today. We have something like 125 different federal programs that really don't fit together very well."

Emerson said whatever reforms are made in the welfare system, a plan needs to be devised that makes it more profitable for people to work than to remain on welfare.

"I don't know what the formula is, but that's the bottom line," said the congressman.

Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, said welfare benefits in many instances are the equivalent of $7.34 an hour, which requires a pretty high paying job to make up for.

Kinder explained the efforts of an interim joint committee that traveled the state holding hearings and seeking data for a comprehensive welfare reform bill being considered in the General Assembly.

The senator said whatever is done in welfare reform, "We want to approach this in a non-punitive manner."

Kinder explained that the bill requires self-sufficiency plans be developed to establish an agreement of up to 48 months to help move a family from welfare to work. Programs would be customized at the local levels.

The bill would also require that, whenever possible, teen mothers live at home with their parents rather than establishing housekeeping on their own.

Another provision makes fathers more accountable for financial responsibility of children.

A big part of welfare reform is cutting costs of Medicaid, which Kinder described as "the PAC Man eating the state budget." Medicaid now accounts for about $3 billion of the state's $11 billion budget. An effort is under way to seek a waiver from the federal government to allow the state to set up its own guidelines for use of Medicaid money in an attempt to improve services and cut costs.

Kinder said he is optimistic about getting a good bill passed this year. "This is a consensus effort, a bipartisan effort to enact welfare reform in Missouri. I think we will be successful," he said.

Also participating in the panel were state Reps. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, and David Schwab, R-Jackson.

Kasten explained some details of a bill she is sponsoring in the House, which is a Republican approach to welfare reform and contains some of the features of the joint committee's bill.

"We will work with Peter's bill, and I think there are a lot of points we all agree on," said Kasten. "We are trying to require responsibility ... we have robbed some people of their self respect with our current system."

Kasten said some may believe her bill is too "punitive" but she maintained the bill is more of an attempt to make welfare recipients more responsible. She said many people are simply getting tired of those who can work not doing so.

Kasten offered a "simple formula" for addressing welfare: "Work is what works; we need to re-work the system; we need to work together."

She and many other participants in the conference agreed that more control in administering programs needs to be at the local level.

Schwab said he agrees with the goal of helping people get off welfare as soon as possible. "We need to move people through the system and yet provide a safety net for them," he said.

There was some discussion about the team concept of dealing with people on welfare so that benefits can be sought at a "one-stop shop." There was general agreement that such an arrangement is a desirable goal.

In response to a question about the need for additional case workers, Emerson said many of the workers he has talked with say they want the freedom to do their jobs and not be tied up with excessive paperwork and bureaucracy.

Emerson suggested that welfare offices need technology to help in sharing information and speeding up help. "We need one-stop shopping in detecting problems," said Emerson, adding that he believes Delaware has a model system worth looking at.

He said that many times when people ask for assistance with food they have other problems in the family that need to be addressed.

Kasten suggested programs like Parents As Teachers help provide a more personal touch for families, and argued that a real key is working together in the way Cape Girardeau's caring council does.

"We need collective and collaborative working together with families and need to take away all the piecemeal directions of the past," said Kasten.