Heartland Alliance Seeks to Improve Illinois’ Safety Net

April 15, 2008

Cynthia Nobles, a Chicago resident and mother of six, is well versed in survival techniques. While she is now employed full-time as a preschool teacher, Ms. Nobles spent years relying on a patchwork of public benefits that were her family's economic safety net. In her journey to become financial stable, benefits such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and food stamps were essential, allowing her to cover expenses such as food for her children while she looked for steady work.

Safety net programs are a critical public benefit for Nobles and others trying to escape poverty. But many of these programs are in need of significant reform to better help those trying to move from crisis to stability.

Heartland Alliance's daily interactions with people participating in our programs has provided a first-hand view of how the safety net should be improved. Our 2002 Report on Illinois Poverty highlighted many of the reforms needed, noting that many eligible and working poor families "are not receiving these supports because of barriers of information and access" to key services.

"Current policy requires people to submit their application for support at the local Illinois Department of Human Services office assigned to the applicant's home address," Gina Guillemette, director of policy and advocacy for Heartland Alliance, explains. "That creates a huge burden on someone who is trying to succeed at work or school or who is coordinating child care while shuttling back home to Illinois Department of Human Services appointments. And while public transportation helps, it's often difficult and costly to get back and forth on a timely, efficient basis."

Heartland Alliance is playing a lead role in working with policymakers to address challenges like these, helping thousands get improved access to the safety net system. In the past year, Heartland Alliance co-chaired a task force of 30 organizations and representatives from

Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop recommendations for policy change.

One change the group seeks will allow people to submit applications for food stamps, medical support, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance to any Illinois Department of Human Services location. The task force also is working to revise program guidelines so that applicants can pick the Illinois Department of Human Services office where they want to have their case housed and managed. While the changes may seem modest, their impact will be large, helping thousands who are juggling multiple responsibilities, such as a job and caring for their family, access these programs.

They are changes that can help Nobles and others facing tough circumstances gain stability.

The Growing Need for a Strong Safety Net

"Individuals and families across Illinois depend on supports like food stamps, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and housing subsidies to make ends meet," says Guillemette. "We want to make sure that people can access the benefits that they're eligible for and to make income supports more meaningful in terms of economic impact."

In Illinois, 576,730 households receive food stamps. Since 2000, food stamp households have increased by more than 58 percent.

The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit is a state-sponsored tax credit for low-income working people that mirrors a federal-level earned income tax credit. The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit is set at five percent of the federal credit, among the lowest in the nation; Iowa's, in comparison, is almost double.

Increasing the state Earned Income Tax Credit is a top priority for advocates. Guillemette says, "The Earned Income Tax Credit puts money in people's pockets which helps meet basic needs and can be an important economic stimulus. Increased earnings also create opportunities for some families to save for the future."

Cynthia Nobles is all for changes to the system that will help her family get ahead. "They need to make it reasonable for people. Having a little extra each month makes a big difference."

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