National Council of the United States-Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

1st Quarter 2012 (Vol. 1) 


Ozanam Writing

Fr�d�ric's Papers

A look at major social policy  issues from the

  National Council of the  

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

 

 

 

 

Seeking Charity and Justice 

Greetings!    

In the last several issues, we explored some more detailed and clearer definitions of poverty, and the opportunities that market-based approaches could offer to bring a better life to those living in poverty.  In this issue, we want to  talk about a better service delivery system that will help bring about those kinds of changes.

 

As with everything we do, we should always remember that our processes should always serve people, not the other way around.

 

Thanks and God bless,
Roger's Signature (first name)
Roger Playwin
National Executive Director  

Building a Service Delivery System Around People

It may come as a surprise to some that as a country we've never really made a systematic effort to reduce the incidence of poverty. Yes, as a nation -- and as taxpayers -- we have committed substantial resources to assisting the poor, but on the whole, our federal safety net programs are not designed to reduce poverty, only to alleviate it. The programs we now have (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, and others) came about largely as reactions to dire human conditions that lawmakers and the public observed throughout our nation, and were designed to ensure that people did not fall below a minimal level of subsistence. From poorhouses and county farms to food stamps and subsidized housing, programs were put in place to ensure that people didn't starve, become homeless, or suffer because of a lack of medical care. These programs have been successful in reducing the hardship of poverty, but they have not significantly reduced the amount of poverty.

 

As the current recession has demonstrated, we still need to commit resources to alleviating the suffering of poverty, but we also need a systematic strategy for helping people move out of poverty and achieve sustainable independence, whether they have lived in poverty their whole lives or fallen into poverty due to an unexpected life circumstance. The policy ideas being advanced by the National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act (NOCR) outline a bold and innovative strategy for reducing poverty. One of the key components of this strategy is to re-engineer our nation's safety net service delivery system so that it better meets people's immediate needs and helps put them on the pathway to sustainable independence.

As mentioned above, numerous federal programs exist today to alleviate the hardship of Americans living in poverty. While well-intentioned and effective in fulfilling their respective purposes, these programs make up a program-centered service delivery system that does not always work well in meeting people's needs. First of all, the existing programs may not meet a person's specific need. Second,with different eligibility requirements for different programs, some people may end up being ineligible for the assistance they need and eligible for assistance they don't need. Third, some people in need may not be eligible for any programs, and therefore cannot get any assistance. Fourth, with programs being funded in different ways and at different levels, people may not be able to get assistance when program resources are low, as has been the case with the economic downturn and the drive by elected officials to reduce the funding for those resources. 

A Central Role for Case Management

Government administration of today's safety net programs centers largely on determining people's eligibility for benefits and making sure benefits are paid out or received. When a person -- a "consumer" -- seeks assistance at a government agency, the agency gathers information, such as annual income and employment status, to determine eligibility and file the paperwork to initiate benefits. The process operates on a "deficit" model -- in other words, determining what the person lacks and what can be provided to make up that shortcoming.

Many nonprofits organizations that provide social services are beginning to take a different approach to assisting people in need, one centered on engaging with people. Generally, when a person comes to a nonprofit for assistance, especially a faith-based nonprofit, a case manager or other advocate meets with the person, learns about his or her life, discovers the person's needs by listening to his or her story, and discusses with that person the circumstances that have led to the need for assistance. The case manager and the person then develop an individualized plan that helps the person not only with the immediate crisis, but also resolves the problems that have created that need. The case manager may help the person enroll in public benefit programs, but will also coordinate a number of services that will assist the person in building personal and financial assets, and accessing opportunities that will help him or her move out of poverty. From that initial point of contact, the relationship between the case manager and the person continues as they work together in accomplishing the goals of the plan that will help the person move toward sustainable independence.

This "people-centered" model has proven to be the most efficient and effective way of helping people overcome poverty. Case managers or advocates take on a mentoring role, jointly determine with the person in need the type and level of services, and focus on the person's strengths -- all of which enable and support the person in reaching his or her full potential.  Almost all the people who were in need agree that the most important thing that helped them overcome poverty was the fact that someone was there to listen to them and walk with them in making positive steps in their lives.  And doesn't that sound like a true Vincentian?

Flexibility in Using Safety Net Resources

Even with a people-focused case management model, nonprofits often encounter problems in helping people achieve sustainable independence because our service delivery system and programs are not designed to address the issues that have led to poverty. They do not allow much flexibility or a targeted strategy in helping people meet specific needs, so case managers or advocates often have to patch programs and resources together to help families make progress, even though it results in a less-than-ideal solution. For example, a family might be struggling because the breadwinners do not have reliable transportation. They may live in a rural area, where there is no public transportation and if they had a car, they would be able to perform better in their jobs, perhaps get more hours, or maybe even earn a promotion. What they need is some assistance in getting a second-hand car. Instead, they are enrolled in SNAP (food stamps) because there is no program to help them buy a car or there are no remaining funds in a general transportation assistance program. The hope is that with monthly food assistance the family will be able to save money over time to buy a car. While this strategy might work, however, it could very well prolong the family's need and delay their ability to access opportunities and begin building financial assets. And it is likely, that over a year's time, the amount of federal dollars that will have been spent on food stamps for this family will be equal to -- or higher than -- the amount that would have been used to help the family purchase a used car.

An Efficient and Streamlined System

The current service delivery system can be difficult to navigate, both for the case manager and the person needing assistance. Programs are administered by different federal, state, and local government agencies, have different eligibility requirements, and may have different application procedures. This often requires people to go to several different agencies to get assistance and to go through several application processes. Further, the "one size fits all" structure of our current system can be inflexible in meeting unique community needs.  This not only makes things more difficult for the people needing help, but also creates many layers of government bureaucracy, which is more costly than it needs to be. 

 

A better service delivery system would:

  • allow communities to design their own local service delivery systems to meet the unique needs of their respective communities;
  • enable individuals to more easily access services and opportunities;
  • create a single point of entry into the service delivery system and a single set of eligibility requirements; and
  • provide a case manager or client advocate the ability to engage the person in need as he or she moves through the locally designed system.

Such a service delivery system is not just good for consumers and communities, but also for governments that fund the services. A system that understands the value and the need to pair available resources with case management will begin to reduce the incidence of poverty in this country.  A system that has the flexibility to target specific needs will result in people moving to sustainable independence more quickly and accessing opportunities that will enable them to contribute more to their communities and nation. And locally designed service delivery systems with a single point of entry and a single set of eligibility requirements will reduce government bureaucracy and allow government funding to be used more effectively.

NOCRA supports authorization for a pilot project that would test this proposed service delivery model in 10 communities nationwide.  As Congress continues the wrestle with significant budget decisions, a new approach that maximizes efficiency and focuses on reducing poverty will appeal to lawmakers who are looking to reduce waste and create more effective programs. 

A Case Manager Becomes a Mentor

One case manager spoke about  a "favorite" person in need who came in angry, depressed, and out of work.  She demanded to know what the case manager was going to "give" her.  The case manager replied, "Nothing," but quickly added: "Together, however, we -- you and I -- are going to formulate a plan of tasks and goals to address your barriers and needs."  The person  didn't react well, and the case manager thought it would be the last time she would see the woman.  The case manager tried to follow up, but the woman wasn't really interested in that approach.  Then, about a month later, the woman called the case manager and said she was ready to try again.  She had been hired for a job, made some new friends, and was in a better state -- financially, emotionally and physically. In effect, the woman had to internalize what the case manager had told her before she was ready to pursue real change.  "I was thrilled for her," the case manager said, "and in the end I got many hugs and thanks for 'being real' with her, sharing my own experiences, and not letting her negative attitude affect the way we interacted."

When it comes to situations like this, the more effective approach for us is to be mentors rather than case managers.  As a mentor, you have to be several things: personable, ethical, sensitive, empathetic, open-minded, non-judgmental, and most of all "real."  You also have to be candid and firm, yet professional and personable.  It is not always easy to be all of these things at once, but, as Vincentians, we must try our best. 

The Challenge Ahead
Poverty is one of the most pressing problems in our country, and generational poverty is one of the most difficult issues to address effectively.  From city to town to the country, we need to adapt ourselves, communicate effectively, and make those one-on-one connections that foster success, especially when the people we serve are at different levels of readiness to do what's necessary.  We live in a society of instant gratification and a sense of entitlement, so it may be a challenge to those we serve if we are to say to them, "Budget your expenses and start a savings plan." Instead, like the case manager in the previous story, we'll find more receptivity and success when we say: "We will work on this together.  We will identify practical ways to help address the barriers you've encountered, get you back on your feet, and start to build -- or re-build -- your life."   
 
Adapted from Charities USA, Fall 2001, Volume 28, Number 3.  Used with permissionof from Catholic Charities USA.