Michigan Catholics point out impact of welfare cuts on children

The Michigan Catholic Conference is slamming the Legislature for passing a 48-month lifetime cash assistance limit without considering the impact on the 25,000 kids whose already destitute families will be kicked off aid Oct. 1.

“The impact of the bills that passed the Legislature today will be felt by poor and vulnerable Michigan residents and children for years to come,” said Tom Hickson, Vice President of the Michigan Catholic Conference. “It is unfortunate that the House chose to ship these bills to the Governor rather than send them to conference committee in order for elected officials and the public to engage in a much-needed conversation of how the legislation will affect destitute persons — most critically the thousands of children whose parents rely on state benefits.”

The Conference warned that the new welfare limits run counter to Gov. Rick Snyder’s stated goal of reducing the number of Michigan children living in poverty.

According to the “Economic Strength” listing on the governor’s MiDashboard system of measuring state performance, “Children who live in poverty are more likely to have low academic achievement and health, behavioral and emotional problems.”

The most recent Kids Count survey found that child poverty has increased by 64 percent over the last decade in Michigan and a third of the kids here now live in homes where no one has a stable full-time job.

“It is highly unfortunate and counter-productive to the state’s future economy for the Legislature to casually dismiss the economic reality of thousands of Michigan children,” Hickson said.