2008 Woodie Awards
Welfare students to get stipend Oct. 1
By: Laura Danielson
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: News
College students who receive welfare assistance soon will be given a little more help to get back on their feet.
Starting Oct. 1, a college student can use one full year of college enrollment to supplement work hours as required through welfare.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, commonly known as welfare, replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program in 1996. These reforms added a work requirement so that after two years of receiving assistance, welfare recipients have to work a certain number of hours to continue getting that assistance.
Under the new rule, students would not have to work while they are attending one year of vocational school or college. Reforms of TANF in 2006 allowed students to count supervised homework time for their work requirement, but the program was never implemented.
"Working 20 to 30 hours a week, taking care of a child and going to school full time is nearly impossible," said Susan Grettenberger, a sociology assistant professor, chairwoman and social work program director.
Central Michigan University alumna Kittie Tuinstra knows how hard that can be.
Tuinstra got married before her junior year at CMU and had a daughter the week before spring final exams.
Both Centralis scholars, Tuinstra and her husband used a combination of subsidized housing, Medicaid and food stamps to survive financially while attending school full-time so they would not lose their scholarships. While Tuinstra did not receive welfare assistance, she understands how important any help can be.
"My husband and I are both working in our fields. We would not have been able to get there if we didn't have that assistance," Tuinstra said.
Tuinstra is the client services coordinator at Oceana's home partnership, where she works with people who need housing assistance.
She said the rule should be changed so that people can use two to four years and complete their education before they have to start working.
Starting Oct. 1, a college student can use one full year of college enrollment to supplement work hours as required through welfare.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, commonly known as welfare, replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program in 1996. These reforms added a work requirement so that after two years of receiving assistance, welfare recipients have to work a certain number of hours to continue getting that assistance.
Under the new rule, students would not have to work while they are attending one year of vocational school or college. Reforms of TANF in 2006 allowed students to count supervised homework time for their work requirement, but the program was never implemented.
"Working 20 to 30 hours a week, taking care of a child and going to school full time is nearly impossible," said Susan Grettenberger, a sociology assistant professor, chairwoman and social work program director.
Central Michigan University alumna Kittie Tuinstra knows how hard that can be.
Tuinstra got married before her junior year at CMU and had a daughter the week before spring final exams.
Both Centralis scholars, Tuinstra and her husband used a combination of subsidized housing, Medicaid and food stamps to survive financially while attending school full-time so they would not lose their scholarships. While Tuinstra did not receive welfare assistance, she understands how important any help can be.
"My husband and I are both working in our fields. We would not have been able to get there if we didn't have that assistance," Tuinstra said.
Tuinstra is the client services coordinator at Oceana's home partnership, where she works with people who need housing assistance.
She said the rule should be changed so that people can use two to four years and complete their education before they have to start working.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 5
Patty Davis
posted 3/26/08 @ 4:58 PM EST
As an employee of the Michigan Department of Human Services, I am disappointed that the article continually referred to assistance as "welfare". The word "welfare" has not been commonly used for many years and does not demonstrate a high level of informed reporting. (Continued…)
michmediaperson
posted 3/27/08 @ 7:59 PM EST
I'd say Laura got this story correct.
Checkout the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Administration for Children & Families website.
Under: Office of Family Assistance
Second paragraph--TANF provides assistance and work opportunities to needy families by granting states the federal funds and wide flexibility to develop and implement their own welfare programs. (Continued…)
chipskeptic
posted 3/27/08 @ 11:15 PM EST
The whole rationale of the need for "welfare" is the root cause of the problem.
1) You are a college student, that is hard enough.
2) If you in the "traditional" college age group of 18 to 22 and you were single when you entered college, you should wait on marriage until after you graduate simply because of the financial issues. (Continued…)
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