Page 31 - Poverty Issues News Today

New data show promising news in closing Minnesotas housing supply gap, with home construction shaking off its slump. However, there are calls to make some changes to make new homes affordable. In July, Twin Cities single-family home construction recorded its first month of year-over-year growth since January 2022, but the base value of the permits was $250,000. ...

Medicaid benefits can help people stay housed or get connected to resources that can help them find housing. And experts say the states Medicaid renewal process - triggered by the end of pandemic-era continuous-coverage protections - could negatively impact Kentuckians who need housing help. At the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, Health Outreach Navigator Natalee Cleveland helps housing clients work through the paperwork related to Medicaid, SNAP, and other benefits. ...

Advocacy groups say a $20 million statewide funding increase will help rebuild community domestic violence services after years of budget cuts. Since 2019, more than 40-percent of its member programs reported having to reduce or eliminate services to children, and more than a quarter turned away survivors seeking assistance with a protection order due to lack of available staff, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network reported. After several attempts, Christa Hullaby left an abusive relationship in ...

Spending time at state and national parks has often been linked with health benefits, but accessing sites has long been a barrier for those with mobile disabilities, and efforts in states like Minnesota aim to change it. Starting Aug. 1, the Department of Natural Resources will bring its all-terrain track chair program to eight additional state parks. ...

Sexual assault survivors in Ohio can now access short-term emergency housing through a new program run by the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Research shows more than 90% of women experiencing homelessness report having suffered severe physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives. The Alliances Survivor Coordinator Shelley Lieber said there are currently few emergency housing options available for survivors of sexual assault. ...

The Social Security Administration has taken a proactive step to bridge the gap between critical financial assistance and the people who may be eligible for it by launching a campaign to raise awareness about Supplemental Security Income benefits. In Arkansas, more than 94,000 people receive SSI benefits but officials believe more qualify and need the help. Abigail Zapote, senior advisor for the Social Security Administration, said adults and children who are blind or living with a severe disa...

In an effort to bridge the gap between crucial financial assistance and the people who may be eligible for it, the Social Security Administration has launched a campaign this summer to raise awareness about Supplemental Security Income benefits. In Alabama, more than 143,000 people receive SSI benefits, but officials believe far more would qualify and could use the assistance. Adults age 65 and older, as well as adults and children who are blind or living with a disability that severely restric...

A helpline to help people connect with resources when theyre in need has seen an uptick in calls to its service. However, funding remains a barrier to serving more people. Washington 211 can connect people with about 17,000 resources from its database. ...

It has been just days since Utah leaders enacted a bill that requires law enforcement agencies to conduct a 12-question assessment in response to domestic violence calls, to help determine how lethal a threat might be. At the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, Public Policy Director Erin Jemison said she thinks the new law will enable police to better identify high-risk situations and get people connected with services. Officers will also have real-time access to more information about those ...

A Virginia group is working to ensure abusers cant use the courts to keep harming their victims. Commonly called "abusive litigation," these come in the form of lawsuits aimed at drawing a victim back into contact with their abuser. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence finds in 2020, almost 34% of women and around 29% of men in Virginia experience domestic violence. ...