For Immediate Release
Contact:
Judith Whitmarsh
Director of Public Policy
judy_whitmarsh@ccab.org
Administration rescinds plans to cut TAFDC to children of disabled parents
(Boston)- January 6, 2010-- Governor Patrick today announced that the SSI benefits given to the most vulnerable children and families in the state will remain intact for the current fiscal year. The cut was scheduled to go into effect February 1st and would have eliminated or drastically reduced Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) benefits for children whose parents are too disabled to work.
TAFDC serves 50,000 families in Massachusetts, providing a subsistence benefit of $500 a month on average, a benefit that is worth only 20% of its 1988 value. Parents are required to work unless they are too disabled or caring for young children or a disabled family member. More than 9,000 families would lose all or most of their benefits under the Administration’s plan. Download the fact sheet
Join Catholic Charities and other sponsoring organizations at the State House on January 12th as we thank the legislators and advocates for their work in preserving this support and to protect TAFDC for FY11.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
11:00-12:00 Guest Speakers
12:00-1:00 State House Visits
State House, Boston,
Nurses Hall, 2nd Floor
Call to Action Sponsors: Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL), Catholic Charities of Boston, Catholic Charities of Springfield, Coalition Against Poverty, Coalition for Social Justice, Disability Policy Consortium (DPC), Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), Homes for Families, Live Well Springfield, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Massachusetts Welfare Rights Union, Metro-West Center for Independent Living, National Association of Social Workers/MA Chapter, Survivors, Inc.