The Change in Welfare From Generation to Generation

Aired July 22, 1999

This is INFOhio After Nine, I'm David C. Barnett, a good Thursday morning to you, on this 22nd day of July, 1999. We continue our examination of "The Changing Face of Welfare" with some reports of people who are living and working with the system every day. Cleveland's Catholic Charities serves nearly 4.5 million meals each year to the hungry in the area. We'll hear about how that mission is continuing and how they're coping in an era of changing regulations in a couple minutes. Preventive health care, getting a doctor, getting to a doctor, and getting good service have often been challenges facing those on welfare. Yesterday on 90.3, we told you about the various procedures people are faced with, but how has health care for this population changed, one generation to the next? Today, correspondent Harry Boomer asked that question of a mother and daughter, both of whom have a history in the welfare system.

Harry Boomer–Nola Woolridge used to be on welfare years ago, when her five children were young. Just talking about those hard times brings back painful memories for her, especially as it relates to health care.

Nola Woolridge–It's stressful. It creates a lot of stress when, like with me, when my kids were young, when I didn't have anything for them or for myself, and I knew that if something happened to me, I'm going to be able to take care of my kids, and it's the same way with her or anyone. It puts a lot of stress on people, when they're worried about their kids getting sick or they need dental care or anything else, you know, what are you supposed to do, and you might say, "well, I'm not worried," but you are, and it has a domino effect. It will affect, it will affect your home life, it will affect your work, your performance, all the way around.

HB–Welfare today is different from the way it was when Nola first got on public assistance.

Sheila Woolridge–I remember, I mean when I was younger, I don't remember everything, but I remember some stuff, and I know how hard my mom's had it with welfare and medical coverages and working and stuff like that, I mean, sure, it was hard.

HB–Now her 25-year old daughter, Sheila, is on the system, at least for another 17 months. That's when her three-year, lifetime Ohio eligibility runs out. Sheila has two children, 9-year old Heather and 4-year old Alex. For her, the generational cycle continues. Sheila's mom, Nola, talks about how stressful it was for her, worrying about getting her kids to the doctor. Sheila's situation is better, now that she's found an HMO she likes.

SW–When my kids were sick, I couldn't just take them to the doctor. I had to call and ask their permission first, and I feel that if my kids are sick, I'm taking them to the doctor, I don't feel I should have to call anybody and ask their permission. Now, compared to what it was then, I think it's better now. This HMO thing they have, I think it's better. I've got that, and I haven't had no problems with them. My kids still see the same doctors, and it covers all the prescriptions and the eye care, the dental care, things like that, so I really haven't had a problem with them so far.

HB–Interestingly, Sheila's mother has a problem with it in a sense. She works full time, and pays for health care coverage for herself and her grandchild by another of her daughters.

NW–It's kind of ironic, really. It's good that, OK, she's got this complete medical coverage for her kids, but it's like, I look and I say, here I'm working, I'm busting my rear end and I'm making six bucks an hour, I'm not just talking about me, OK, listen to this. I've got to fork out $100 a moth to get some coverage for my child, you understand what I'm saying, and these people are getting complete, free coverage, they're getting everything, and my child-I'm working here and I still can't get good coverage-

SW–But, let me tell you, I think that's the reason why a lot of people are on welfare, though, is for the medical benefits, because, I don't know how it is with you, but with me and a lot of my friends, the medical bills are outrageous, especially when you've got little kids, and the want to go running and falling, and you never know, like my son, he wasn't even a year old when he busted his head open playing-had to have stitches. They can hurt themselves any time, really bad or not even bad, and think that's why a lot of people are staying on welfare, keep having kids to get welfare it's for the medical. I don't really think it's all about the money, I think it's for the medical.

HB–Sheila, who doesn't work, has had a few short-term jobs over the years, but, she has found, without a high school diploma nor a GED, getting a good job is tough. Health care is a big issue in the Woolridge household. Now they're trying to get health care through welfare for Nola's granddaughter. Nola says she could use the economic relief. They say they've been getting conflicting advice about medical coverage for the child.

SW–My worker told me that my mom has to have him as a worker in order to get my niece on Healthy Start, and my mom hasn't been on welfare for a long time. She ain't going to get back on welfare just to get, see what I'm talking about, and he's like, well she has to go through us to get her on it, but my worker kept putting us through this stuff by saying, well when you live in the same house with somebody on welfare, then you have to have the same worker. I said my mom is on welfare, why does she even need a worker, then trying to put somebody on medical coverage and she has to be on welfare, OK, so you're trying to get people off of welfare, but you're telling them you have to be on welfare in order to get medical coverage. That's more or less what he was saying, so I don't agree with them.

HB–Again, They have scheduled a session with a caseworker to try and figure out how to get the child covered without Nola having to go back on welfare. For INFOhio, I'm Harry Boomer in Cleveland.