©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 1 Poverty and Homelessness in the U.S. Case Studies From California Jean E. Daniels, DSW,LCSW Professor of Social Work California State University, Northridge Northridge, CA (818)

Poverty Definitions A. Poverty refers to the state of not having sufficient money and resources to maintain the basic necessities of life: food, clothing and shelter. B. The state of being poor or deficient in money or means of subsistence. ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 2

Homelessness Definitions 1. an individual who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence 2. an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is * a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations * an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 3

Official Poverty Definition The U.S official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or non cash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid and food stamps). The Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) has gathered income and demographic information on households in over 30 industrialized nations and the U.S. poverty rates are the highest. (2008) ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 4

2004 U.S. Example Health & Human Services Guidelines No. in family Yearly Income 1 $9,574 2 $ 12,830 3 $ 16,090 4 $ 19,350 5 $ 22,610 Source: Federal Register, Vol. 70, No.33 Feb. 18,2005 ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 5

2007 U.S Census Report 1. The official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5%. 2. In million people were in poverty. 3. Poverty rates in 2007 were statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic Whites (8.2%), Blacks (24.5%) Asians (10.2 %), and Hispanics (21.5%) 4.The poverty rate increased for children under 18 years old (18% in 2007 up from 17.4% in 2006) ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 6

Current U.S. Homeless According to a report given to Congress in July, 2008 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) overall homeless numbers from a one day national count in January were down 12% from 2004 to 2007 to just 672,000. Chronic homelessness is down over more than 30% lower than 2005, from 175,00 to fewer than 125,00. ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 7

Programs for Homeless $1.5 Billion a year for Housing First program started in 2000 for government shelters and services to move to permanent housing National Coalition for the Homeless, a non-profit, advocacy organization ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 8

Programs for the Poor 1. TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) 2. SSI ( Supplemental Security Income) for the disabled, aged and low-income 3. Medicaid-health coverage for the poor 4. Food Stamps 5. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) 6. Earned Income Tax Credit ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 9

Case Study San Fernando Valley, California Latino Family Five family members, mother, father, and three kids under five years old Undocumented parents, children were born in the U.S. Father was injured in construction labor force with no health benefits Family is receiving free food from a local food pantry ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 10

Case Study (Two) Asian- American family in a domestic violence social situation Mother is Vietnamese with limited English and working skills and the father, abuser is a middle class Chinese business man Mother escape from the home with two latency aged children to local domestic violence shelter The mother and children have no income in the shelter for clothes and expenses ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 11

Case Study (Three) African-American 52 year old schizophrenic woman living on the streets in Van Nuys after the death of her elderly mother Ms. R. had stopped taking her medication and began to use illegal drugs on the streets She received a flyer from a local agency for the homeless mentally ill offering her help She is receiving food five days a week ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 12

The Social Work Profession The social work profession worldwide is committed to eliminating poverty and homelessness. In the U.S. our Code of Ethics says “the primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all People, with particular emphasis to the needs and empowerment of people are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty”. Source: NASW, Code Of Ethics, 1996 ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 13

References Fram, M., Miller-Cribbs, J. and Horn (2007) Poverty, race and the contexts of achievement: Examing educational experiences in the U.S. South Social Work 52 (4) Gilbert, N. and Terrell, P.(2005) Dimensions of Social Welfare Policy Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 14

References (Continue) Gingsberg, L. and Miller-Cribbs, J. (2005) Understanding Social Poblems, Policies and Programs. (Fourth Edition) Columbia, S.C.: USC Press. Rank, M. (2008) Poverty Encyclopedia of Social Work 20 th Ed. Vol U.S. Census (2006) Poverty ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 15