Drug users kicked off welfare.

[F34R]

http://www.kten.com/story/19980885/n...rs-off-welfare

DURANT, OK -- Welfare recipients in Oklahoma have a new set of guidelines. Under a new law that takes effect today, anyone caught using drugs will be kicked out of the program. The original bill was passed by lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Mary Fallin back in May, and the Department of Human Services is working to implement it.
Many people we talked to in Bryan County say the law is a good idea. Durant resident Sabrina Hudson says she works as a maid, but raising a baby daughter by herself, she still finds it hard to make ends meet.
"I only make $500 a month so that's why I'm getting Food Stamps, because I don't have money to pay my rent and get food," Hudson says.
On Thursday, Hudson went to apply for welfare benefits, called Temporary Assistance to Needy Families to help her get by. The new law would drop anyone on that program who is found to be using drugs.
"The difference now is that if an adult is screened to be positive for illegal drug use and substance abuse, then that adult would not be eligible for TANF benefits for six months," says Department of Human Services Bryan County interim director Lori Gray.
According to DHS, applicants for TANF benefits have already been taking drug tests, but up until now, they have not been able to deny benefits solely based on one positive drug test, instead referring people for counseling first.
"I know that when I applied in Pontotoc County, I had to take a written drug assessment," says Bokchito resident Mary Peterson.
Anyone found to be on drugs will still be referred for drug counseling with the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and can reapply after six months.
"We want to help them to overcome those issues so they can lead more independent and productive lives without us," says Gray.
Many recipients say they support the change, because they believe that some people just do not deserve the help. "They abuse the privilege, not for the kids but for whatever they want, so I think it's a good idea," says Achille resident Stephanie Denzer.
"Instead of trying to do something for themselves, they just want help through the government without trying," says Colbert resident Corey White.
Hudson says she is lucky to have her mother helping take care of her baby. As for the law, she supports the idea that those on drugs will not get benefits. "That way, they can't spend the money on drugs," Hudson says.
In Bryan County, there are a couple hundred households on this program and about 20,000 statewide, according to DHS.

I like it to a degree. The side affect is going to be the kids and elderly that don't receive help from parents and children respectively due to the drug habit. I hope the "social services" are able to get some kind of investigations or monitoring of families that have dependents that possibly won't receive any food, clothes, etc., due to a constant spending of money on drugs instead of the livelihood of their kids, or elderly parents, etc.

[DayWalker]

i support it- but I wonder what the cost associated with continuous testing is... #deficits

[Cybertox]

That may refer to a big amount of students who use Ritalin.

[claud3]

They could just go and get help

[F34R]

i support it- but I wonder what the cost associated with continuous testing is... #deficits

I think that if someone is found to be positive on the screen, then it saves them money. They already give the tests, which are costing money, without any benefit. This way, the costs are still there, but users will be removed, and money saved that way.

[DeviousOne]

My only concern would be the children that would be under the parents.

Hope social services has a hand in this.

[claud3]

Well it costs money to stop money. I mean

You need other ways to help them and that will cost money, checking for drugs so they do not get the money. Costs money

[Lethal_NFS]

I have always thought there should be random drug tests for welfare.

[F34R]

Well it costs money to stop money. I mean

You need other ways to help them and that will cost money, checking for drugs so they do not get the money. Costs money

It costs less money for a single drug test than it does to support an addict for a two year span. I know a lady that cost the State $57 for a dug analysis, while she received just under $9500 in foodstamps per year. That doesn't even count in the medicaid costs that she had. I think it'll save more money than it will cost.

[claud3]

Ok fair enough, just thinking it would though

[DeviousOne]

Drug testing people that are receiving free food is the right thing to do if u don't want to be tested get a job and do all the drugs u want after u pass the initial hire drug test and hope they don't do random test smh!

Any tax payer that doesn't support this is a moron

[DreDayDetox]

I support this fully. I wish Canada, or more specifically, the province of Ontario did this.

[mickice]

​Gosh $500 a month? Thats insane. I get more in a week.

[claud3]

Do what the Romans did, throw them into the arena with lion's. It seem to work on Christianity

[-Kwesnoth-]

I have always thought there should be random drug tests for welfare.

Always thought this.

But its good to see that steps are being made in the right direction towards people not abusing the welfare system.

[DeviousOne]

If you get any kind of assistance from government your ass should be tested 7 times a year randomly.

[vegan_mekey]

If you get any kind of assistance from government your ass should be tested 7 times a year randomly.

I have always thought there should be random drug tests for welfare.

Sources:

http://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-la...esting-welfare

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/us...ests.html?_r=0

[F34R]

When they KNOW they will be tested, they stop using. Win win in that respect. I don't see where the figures for the 178 million is coming from. The florida tests were only about 60,000 in losses. Only >4,100 people tested out of the millions on assistance.. puhlease. If I have to take a fucking drug test to support welfare with my job earnings, then these people should be getting tested to get free shit. Enough said.

[DeviousOne]

When they KNOW they will be tested, they stop using. Win win in that respect. I don't see where the figures for the 178 million is coming from. The florida tests were only about 60,000 in losses. Only >4,100 people tested out of the millions on assistance.. puhlease. If I have to take a fucking drug test to support welfare with my job earnings, then these people should be getting tested to get free shit. Enough said.

Agreed and it creates jobs at those drug testing companies keeping people working

[mankind]

I wish we had something like this over here. I know quite a few people who are on the dole, they just spend that money on drugs. It would need to be a blood sample and not a piss sample, as I have known someone who got a friend to pee for him into a tube so it wouldn't show he was on drugs. That was for social services.

[claud3]

accept it for what it is. And move on to the fear that disability people might be next and other people with either no ability to walk or are really sick

[Rekmon]

Good, I support this. Now they just need to find a way to make the testing random and cheap.

My wife's mother worked 4 days in her life, literally. Got a welfare check because of having two girls, and invariably the money got blown on dope and gambling...not a roof, clothes, and food for the three of them.

I know there are people who genuinely need these programs, but we need to start weeding out the abusers.

accept it for what it is. And move on to the fear that disability people might be next and other people with either no ability to walk or are really sick

I'd say being disabled or terminally ill are very different from being unemployed/between jobs and needing a helping hand.

[claud3]

Not here in the UK mate. They plan to take most of it soon

[DeviousOne]

Not here in the UK mate. They plan to take most of it soon

Take government assistance away??

[F34R]

I wouldn't necessarily be against taking gov't assistance away. Get a job, an education, do something other than make others pay for your life.