Sept. 17, 2009

View Director Ahmed on this topic at DHS' YouTube Channel.
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Michigan Department of Human Services Director Ismael Ahmed today called on Michigan residents to ask their legislators to keep the state's safety net intact.

Legislators are considering a proposal that cuts $169 million from the DHS budget, including slashing the number of foster care workers and DHS staff who directly provide services to residents when they've lost their job, need help getting health care through Medicaid or assistance paying their electricity bills.

"These cuts are too large, too deep, too damaging, and undermine the safety net needed to protect so many vulnerable children, adults and families," Ahmed said.

The proposed cuts would also:

• Eliminate the program that helps low-income parents pay for childcare.
• Eliminate the Early Childhood Investment Corp. and its programs that foster school readiness and life success for young children.
• Make a $10 per person, per month cut in the Family Independence Program, which helps families with living expenses such as rent, utilities, clothing and personal care items.
• Reduce the State Disability Assistance program grant which helps people who are disabled and the elderly.

"Every single one of the proposed cuts will hurt somebody," Ahmed said. "No one knows better about hurting than the people coming to our Michigan Department of Human Services offices."

DHS offices are seeing unprecedented numbers of people seeking help. In August, for example, almost 1.6 million people obtained food assistance; more than 1.7 million received Medicaid benefits; and Child Protective Services workers investigated 5,814 allegations of abuse.

The proposed cuts currently before the Legislature would severely affect the department's ability to meet these needs.

"Our offices are full of families ? including children and the elderly ? needing assistance," Ahmed said. "Our workers' caseloads are steadily increasing and processing time is steadily increasing as well. We do not need fewer workers, we need more workers to ensure the safety net and protect vulnerable children, adults and families."

To obtain video footage of Director Ismael Ahmed on this topic, please visit the DHS Online Newsroom.

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