Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509070071
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
The committee held what could have been its last meeting before Oct. 1, when 1,000 welfare recipients in a six-locality central Virginia region will be required to work for welfare benefits.
While there were congratulatory pats on the back, some committee members said they felt frustrated with the tight timetable.
"I don't want to be negative, but it's a major frustration to put in place the kinds of things they want us to put in place," said Belle Wheelan, president of Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg. "With a little more thought and time, we could have done a better job. That kind of time was not built into the process."
Bedford, Lynchburg and the counties of Bedford, Campbell, Appomattox and Amherst are second in line to phase in the welfare plan's primary component - requiring recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children to work for their benefits within 90 days. Benefits will be cut off after two years.
The six localities have been given a combined $1.8 million to pay for day-care costs, job training and education and job-placement programs for recipients who are required to work. Bedford and Bedford County will receive $330,093. The localities are eligible for another $50,000 for planning purposes.
Among the committees' recommendations:
That client assessment/career counseling, job readiness, job development and job placement be provided regionally by one or more contracted agencies.
That localities amend their zoning ordinances to mirror the state code's definition of in-home child care, if they do not already.
That some of the money allocated to the six localities be used to hire additional case managers. The existing number may not be able to handle the caseload, committee members said.
by CNB