Poverty Dispatch - December 18, 2008

IRP compiles and distributes Poverty Dispatches, links to Web-based news items dealing with poverty, welfare reform, and related topics twice a week. Each Dispatch lists links to current news in popular print media. Persons wishing to receive Poverty Dispatches by e-mail should send a request to irppubs@ssc.wisc.edu.

Note: The next edition of the Poverty Dispatch will be posted on January 5, 2009.

Today's Topics in the News:

• Increased TANF Enrollment
• Trends in Poverty Rates
• Homelessness and Housing
• Housing Subsidies - Washington, D.C.
• Medicaid Coverage, Costs, and Funding
• Healthy Families Program - California
• Food Assistance Programs
• Home Energy Assistance Programs
• Report: Basic Needs - Rhode Island
• Home Foreclosures and Renters
• The Economy and State Budgets
• Commentary: Poverty Measurement
• Opinions: TANF Assistance Amounts - New York, Illinois

Today's Articles:

Note: All links are external; some links may require a free registration at the host site (e.g., New York Times, Chicago Tribune).
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Increased TANF Enrollment

Welfare rolls see first climb in years. Read Article
By Amy Goldstein, Washington Post. December 17, 2008.
 

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Trends in Poverty Rates

Poverty is rising in affluent suburbs. (OHIO) Read Article
By Ken McCall, Dayton Daily News. December 18, 2008.
 

Public school poverty on rise. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Jennifer Torres, Stockton Record. December 17, 2008.
 

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Homelessness and Housing

Los Angeles County shelters brim with families. (LOS ANGELES, CA) Read Article
By Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times. December 18, 2008.
 

The city bolsters its effort to shelter homeless veterans. (NEW YORK CITY) Read Article
By Leslie Kaufman, New York Times. December 15, 2008.
 

24% cut in city funding triggers alarm. (DENVER, CO) Read Article
By Mike McPhee, Denver Post. December 18, 2008.
 

Advocates: Cuts will cost lives of homeless. (COLORADO) Read Article
By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News. December 17, 2008.
 

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Housing Subsidies - Washington, D.C.

In D.C., trying to curb 10-year wait for housing. (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Read Article
By Darryl Fears, Washington Post. December 16, 2008.
 

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Medicaid Coverage, Costs, and Funding

After losing Medicaid coverage, many patients land in hospitals. Read Article
By Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times. December 16, 2008.
 

Budget shortfall hits hardest on Medicaid. (LOUISIANA) Read Article
By Marsha Shuler, Baton Rouge Advocate. December 16, 2008.
 

Budget crisis threatens health care for poor. (FLORIDA) Read Article
By Lloyd Dunkelberger, Lakeland Ledger. December 16, 2008.
 

Medicaid cuts will be severe. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Jill Coley, Charleston Post and Courier. December 18, 2008.
 

SC Medicaid agency cuts services for health care. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Jim Davenport (Associated Press), The State. December 17, 2008.
 

Ohio may get $1.4 billion in federal funds for Medicaid. (OHIO) Read Article
By Joan Mazzolini, Cleveland Plain Dealer. December 16, 2008.
 

Report: NC could gain $1.12B for Medicaid. (NORTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Leslie Boyd, Asheville Citizen-Times. December 16, 2008.
 

WV may get extra Medicaid money. (WEST VIRGINIA) Read Article
By Erica Peterson, West Virginia Public Broadcasting. December 17, 2008.
 

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Healthy Families Program - California

Healthcare plan for poor children saved. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Kathleen Wilson, Ventura County Star. December 18, 2008.
 

Grant keeps enrollment open for California kids insurance program. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Aurelio Rojas, Sacramento Bee. December 18, 2008.
 

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Food Assistance Programs

From canned goods to fresh, food banks adapt. Read Article
By Katie Zezima, New York Times. December 9, 2008.
 

Food stamps aid hits state record. (OREGON) Read Article
By Michelle Cole, The Oregonian. December 17, 2008.
 

Record number in state on food stamps. (WASHINGTON) Read Article
By John Iwasaki, Seattle Post-Intelligencer. December 17, 2008.
 

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Home Energy Assistance Programs

Energy assistance plentiful this winter. (PENNSYLVANIA) Read Article
By Jeff Gelles, Philadelphia Inquirer. December 17, 2008.
 

Upstate needy to get more heating assistance. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Liv Osby, Greenville News. December 16, 2008.
 

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Report: Basic Needs - Rhode Island

Budget gap widens for R.I. families. (RHODE ISLAND) Read Article
By Susan A. Baird, Providence Business Journal. December 17, 2008.
 

Many find it harder to make ends meet. (RHODE ISLAND) Read Article
By Karen Lee Ziner, Providence Journal. December 17, 2008.
 

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Home Foreclosures and Renters

Renters not immune to foreclosure. Read Article
By Deirdre Conner, Florida Times-Union. December 18, 2008.
 

Foreclosure crisis creates unique hardships for apartment renters. Read Article
By Monica Hatcher, Miami Herald. December 18, 2008.
 

Are laws protecting tenants in foreclosure working? Read Article
By Jessica Mador, Minnesota Public Radio. December 17, 2008.
 

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The Economy and State Budgets

Budget gap could widen to $200 billion. Read Article
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org. December 15, 2008.
 

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Commentary: Poverty Measurement

Fighting poverty in the land of opportunity. (Commentary) Read Article
By Rebecca Blank, McClatchy Newspapers. December 16, 2008.
 

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Opinions: TANF Assistance Amounts - New York, Illinois

Welfare, in the fast lane. (Editorial) Read Article
Editorial, Albany Times Union. December 16, 2008.
 

Success, of a fashion, with welfare reform. (Column) Read Article
By Pam Adams, Peoria Journal Star. December 17, 2008.
 

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Note: All links are external; some links may require a free registration at the host site (e.g., New York Times, Chicago Tribune).