Stop the Cuts to Pennsylvania’s Poorest of the Poor!
Stop the Cuts to Pennsylvania’s Poorest of the Poor!
Disabled and elderly poor face cuts of 19% - 24% in their State Supplemental Payments (SSP) unless the Legislature acts now.
Who receives the SSP?
As of December 31, 2009, 345,000 very low income elderly and those with severe disabilities and who receive the SSP. This includes 67,000 children.
How much is the SSP?
To qualify for the SSP, individuals must receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a federal benefit for the very poor administered by the Social Security Administration. The maximum SSI grant for an individual is $674/month. For a couple, it's $1011/month. Until the new cut, the SSP grant provided an additional $27.40/month for an individual and $43.70/month for a couple. In combination, this is well below the poverty level.
How much is the planned state cut to the SSP?
The Department of Public Welfare intends to reduce the SSP for an individual by $5.30/month (down 19%) and by $10.40/month for a couple (down 24%).
When will the SSP cuts take place?
The DPW intends to cut the SSP effective February 2010.
Why is the planned cut so harmful and unfair?
Individuals living on SSI are among the poorest of PA's poor. They are unable to work because of their disability or because they are elderly. Their total SSI grants only pay 77.7% of the federal poverty line so every dollar counts. And this year, SSI grants did not receive a cost-of-living allowance. A reduction of $5.30 per month is a missed meal, a medical co-pay that cannot be met, or a paratransit ride that cannot be taken.
How much does Pennsylvania expect to "save" by making these cuts?
"Savings" is estimated at $9.4 million this fiscal year; $22.9 million in FY 2010-2011.
Who opposes these cuts?
These cuts were first announced on Jan. 16th. A rapidly growing state-wide coalition has come together to advocate for the prompt reinstatement of the SSP benefit. Individuals with disabilities on SSI are afraid they cannot survive another financial cut and they are joined in this coalition by:
PA AARP
Action Alliance of Senior Citizens of Gr. Phila
PA Alliance for Retired Americans
PA Budget & Policy Center
PA Catholic Conference
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of PA
PA Council of Churches
PA Jewish Coalition
Disability Rights Network of PA
Mental Health Associations of PA and of Southeastern PA
Nat'l Federation of the Blind of PA
PA Council of the Blind
Just Harvest
Project HOME
Homeless Advocacy Project
United Cerebral Palsy
Mon Valley Unemployed Comm
Nat'l Ass'n of Social Workers of PA
Community Legal Services
Women's Law Project
Pathways PA
CARIE
Community Justice Project and others.
What can you do?
Contact your Senator and Representatives and tell them they cannot do this to people with disabilities receiving SSI. Shame on the PA Department of Public Welfare!
For more information, please contact Michael Froehlich at mfroehlich@clsphila.org OR Linda Anthony a lanthony@drnpa.org.