Poverty Dispatch - January 26, 2009

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.

Today's Topics in the News:

• Increasing Need for Assistance
• Privatization of Social Services - Indiana
• Joblessness and Unemployment
• Food Stamp Program Enrollment
• Medicaid Rules and Funding
• Children's Health Insurance Coverage
• Opinions: Health Care Coverage
• Wisconsin Covenant College Program
• Recession and State Budgets
• States and Prison Costs
• Prisoner Re-entry - Chattanooga, TN
• Child Care Subsidy Fraud Investigation - Wisconsin

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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Increasing Need for Assistance

Demand up for shelters, food, clothes for families. (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Read Article
By Donna St. George, Washington Post. January 22, 2009.
 

Economic downturn frays America's safety net. Read Article
By Jane Lampman, Christian Science Monitor. January 26, 2009.
 

Charities see more people on the edge. (PENNSYLVANIA) Read Article
By Diana Fishlock, Patriot-News. January 25, 2009.
 

Assistance recipients skyrocket in Oregon. (OREGON) Read Article
By Susan Palmer, Register-Guard. January 23, 2009.
 

More seek heating assistance this year. (OREGON) Read Article
By Stacey Barchenger, Statesman Journhal. January 23, 2009.
 

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Privatization of Social Services - Indiana

New Indiana FSSA secretary fields complaints in Evansville. (INDIANA) Read Article
By Rich Davis, Evansville Courier Press. January 23, 2009.
 

Public's privatized problems. (Opinion) Read Article
By Fran Quigley, Indianapolis Star. January 26, 2009.
 

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Joblessness and Unemployment

States' unemployment rates at highest levels in years. Read Article
By Samantha Young (Associated Press), Washington Post. January 24, 2009.
 

States hobbled by unemployment bills. Read Article
By Michelle Miller, CBS Evening News. January 24, 2009.
 

State jobless rate soars; benefits extension seen. (NEW YORK) Read Article
By Patrick McGeehan, New York Times. January 22, 2009.
 

Florida's unemployment hits 16-year high. (FLORIDA) Read Article
By Marcia Heroux Pounds, South Florida Sun Sentinel. January 23, 2009.
 

Mass. unemployment rate soars. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Robert Gavin, Boston Globe. January 22, 2009.
 

S.C. unemployment jobless benefits fund low again. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By John O'Connor, The State. January 23, 2009.
 

Jobless growth eats up loan. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Katy Stech, Charleston Post and Courier. January 23, 2009.
 

State jobless rate hits more than 25-year high. (NORTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Richard Craver, Winston-Salem Journal. January 23, 2009.
 

State's jobless rate up to 7.8%. (OHIO) Read Article
By Dan Gearino, Columbus Dispatch. January 24, 2009.
 

Nevada jobless rate climbs. (NEVADA) Read Article
By Brendan Riley (Associated Press), San Francisco Chronicle. January 26, 2009.
 

Oregon's jobless plunge through holes in safety net. (OREGON) Read Article
Editorial, The Oregonian. January 23, 2009.
 

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Food Stamp Program Enrollment

Demand for food stamps on the rise in Alabama. (ALABAMA) Read Article
By Roy Hoffman, Press-Register. January 25, 2009.
 

Thousands more get food stamps. (MISSISSIPPI) Read Article
By Roy Hoffman and Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press. January 25, 2009.
 

More Coloradans ask for food stamps. (COLORADO) Read Article
By Allison Sherry, Denver Post. January 26, 2009.
 

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Medicaid Rules and Funding

Change in Medicaid rules may pose stark choice for the chronically ill. (NEW YORK) Read Article
By Anemona Hartocollis, New York Times. January 23, 2009.
 

Ways to pay for Medicaid considered. (MISSISSIPPI) Read Article
By Natalie Chandler, Clarion-Ledger. January 25, 2009.
 

Legislator: Indiana Medicaid office ignoring law, costing state millions. (INDIANA) Read Article
By Tim Evans, Indianapolis Star. January 25, 2009.
 

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Children's Health Insurance Coverage

Federal cash could expand insurance program for poor children. (MAINE) Read Article
By Matt Wickenheiser, Portland Press Herald. January 25, 2009.
 

New dynamic in children's health debate. Read Article
By Kevin Freking (Associated Press), Washington Post. January 24, 2009.
 

SCHIP growth under study. (LOUISIANA) Read Article
By Marsha Shuler, Baton Rouge Advocate. January 25, 2009.
 

Legislators mull helping uninsured kids. (MISSOURI) Read Article
By Janese Heavin, Columbis Tribune. January 24, 2009.
 

Children's health should be priority. (Editorial) Read Article
Editorial, Sacramento Bee. January 24, 2009.
 

Working, yes. Poor, no. (Editorial) Read Article
Editorial, Daily Press. January 23, 2009.
 

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Opinions: Health Care Coverage

U.S. health care: Connect the dots. (Opinion) Read Article
By Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, Philadelphia Inquirer. January 26, 2009.
 

Building a healthy community, one child at a time. (Opinion) Read Article
By Pauline W. Chen, New York Times. January 22, 2009.
 

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Wisconsin Covenant College Program

State urged to fund Covenant. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Erica Perez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 23, 2009.
 

Study: Wisconsin Covenant should include state aid. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Ryan J. Foley (Associated Press), Chicago Tribune. January 21, 2009.
 

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Recession and State Budgets

State leaders struggle with tough cuts. Read Article
By Stephen C. Fehr, Stateline.org. January 23, 2009.
 

Tracking the recession: Gloom in Alaska. (ALASKA) Read Article
By Stephen C. Fehr, Stateline.org. January 25, 2009.
 

States to win big in stimulus sweepstakes. Read Article
By Peter Grier, Christian Science Monitor. January 25, 2009.
 

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States and Prison Costs

Strapped states eye prison savings. Read Article
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org. January 26, 2009.
 

Plan would cut Michigan prison costs. (MICHIGAN) Read Article
By Dawson Bell, Detroit Free Press. January 23, 2009.
 

Michigan can save millions on prison costs, group says. (MICHIGAN) Read Article
By Gary Heinlein and Charlie Cain, Detroit News. January 22, 2009.
 

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Prisoner Re-entry - Chattanooga, TN

Coming home. (CHATTANOOGA, TN) Read Article
By Lauren Gregory, Chattanooga Times Free Press. January 24, 2009.
 

Pendulum swinging back toward rehabilitation. (CHATTANOOGA, TN) Read Article
By Lauren Gregory, Chattanooga Times Free Press. January 25, 2009.
 

Existing resources already providing help. (CHATTANOOGA, TN) Read Article
By Lauren Gregory, Chattanooga Times Free Press. January 25, 2009.
 

A long road. (CHATTANOOGA, TN) Read Article
By Lauren Gregory, Chattanooga Times Free Press. January 25, 2009.
 

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Child Care Subsidy Fraud Investigation - Wisconsin

Child-care scams rake in thousands. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Raquel Rutledge, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 25, 2009.
 

Child care loopholes lead to easy money. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Raquel Rutledge, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 25, 2009.
 

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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).