Social Safety Net
- Posted by NETWORK on July 9th, 2008 filed in Issues, NETWORK, Social Safety Net
No individual or family should face hunger, homelessness or economic hardship due to pregnancy, old age, injury, disability, unemployment or any other factor. The risk of economic insecurity must be shared communally.
The increasing sense of economic insecurity brought on by the rapidly changing global economy highlights the critical importance of a sturdy social safety net. For the 35 million Americans living in poverty, and the 13 million low-income working families facing economic uncertainty[1], the need for a strong social safety net is apparent now more than ever.
There must be adequate funding and support for safety net programs such as welfare, Unemployment Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security to make them effective. We seek a social safety net that provides for the most vulnerable in our society without imposing punitive provisions on recipients.
Since 1995, a movement began to shrink and transfer responsibility for the country’s largest social service programs to the states. An array of conflicting state and federal governmental regulations resulted. This devolution of federal responsibility will lead to a loss in revenue over time and threatens needed services such as housing assistance, health care, nutritional foods, and child care.
Families USA
Families USA is a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization working at the national, state, and community levels to achieve high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Research areas include Medicaid, Medicare, SCHIP, and Healthcare Reform.
Economic Policy Institute
Detailed studies, briefings, and analysis on Social Security, Welfare, and Unemployment with an emphasis on the conditions of low- and middle-income Americans. The EPI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy.
The Urban Institute
The Urban Institute gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues - to foster sound public policy and effective government. Research areas include Healthcare, Welfare, Employment, and Income.
[1] Who Are Low-Income Working Families? The Urban Institute, 2005
