Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 18, 1993 TAG: 9304160055
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: F-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAROL KLEIMAN CHICAGO TRIBUNE
DATELINE: CHICAGO LENGTH: Medium
DISPLACED HOMEMAKERS ARE LOSING OUT
For 12 years, little federal attention has been paid to displaced homemakers.Displaced homemakers have spent years caring for families and suddenly lose their primary source of income - usually because of divorce or death of a spouse. They need training and other professional assistance to re-enter the paid labor force.
While the federal government wasn't looking, the number of displaced homemakers increased: In 1990, there were 15.6 million displaced homemakers, 12 percent more than in 1980, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
In that same period, important federal displaced-homemaker bills were passed, but they weren't funded.
While the number of federally funded programs serving displaced homemakers has increased to 1,200 from 300 in 1984, most of the programs are underfunded, with average budgets of $50,000 to $60,000 annually, and small staffs. As a result, local programs serve only 400,000 displaced homemakers a year.
The plight of these dislocated workers, mostly women, is the prime concern of the National Displaced Homemakers Network, a nonprofit group based in Washington.
Its 1993 budget from the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor to provide technical assistance to displaced homemakers was cut by the Bush administration to $485,000 from $650,000 in 1992.
The Displaced Homemakers Network was galvanized into action last year when President Bush announced his new job-training program for the year 2000 - without mentioning needs of displaced homemakers. Almost immediately, the Displaced Homemakers Network and 27 other women's employment groups formed the Coalition on Women and Job Training.
"Though half of the states have legislation to use state revenues to fund displaced-homemakers programs, we see a need for federal legislation to establish a more aggressive plan to train and place women of all ages," said Jill Miller, executive director of the Displaced Homemakers Network.
At least 10 percent of new dis- placed homemakers, Miller points out, have previous work experience, unlike their predecessors of a decade ago. "But their skills are minimal, and they are just as likely to be poor or near poor when they become displaced homemakers," she said.
Displaced homemakers have specific needs, said Miller, whose background is in nontraditional job training and apprenticeships for women.
The Coalition on Women and Job Training has issued recommendations for the economic development of displaced homemakers in federally funded training programs.
Some of its suggestions:
"Self-sufficiency" should be a part of performance standards used by job-training programs. It includes the quality of the job, economic needs of the trainee and possibility of career advancement - not just placement in any job available.
Program content should include basic and advanced academic skills, skills in all aspects of the industry they are entering, a range of pre-vocational services and exposure to nontraditional jobs.
Support services, especially fully subsidized dependent care and transportation, are essential for success and should be available to all displaced homemakers, not just welfare recipients.
Measures to evaluate progress of displaced homemakers should be free of biases that create barriers.
The coalition also asks for money for unfunded programs, such as the 1990 Displaced Homemakers Self-Sufficiency Assistance Act ($35 million) and the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Act ($1 million).