Evening star., 1946-10-26
Relief Grant Increase
Waits Result Of Poll
I0f Welfare Board

vi w CIlQlV DVQ1u
Whether to seek an immediate
cost of living increase in relief
grants today awaited the results OF
a poll of Board of Public Welfare
members.
The .13 to 20 per cent increase,
recommended by the boards agency
Services Committee at the boards
meeting yesterday would benefit
about 1000 needy children, aged,
needy blind and INDECENT indi-
viduals.
The proposal revised budget
guide based on current living ex-
penses-was put over to a poll for
lack of quorum. If approved by
the Commissioners and If funds are
available, partial increases would
60 into effect Immediately.
Based on 194I Costs.
Raymond Clapp, principal assist
ant welfare director, explained to
the board that the current relief
budgets were based on I941 costs
The board recommended some in
|creases more than a year ago, but
Congress refused to consider them
Then Federal funds, through the
Social Security amendm m n S,
brought the District a 100000 sur
plus.
This surplus, which welfare Of
ficials had hoped to use to raise
living allowances, has been eaten
up by the increase in the number
of relief clients, Mr.. Clapp ex-
planned. He said, however, the new
rates, if approved, could be made
80 per cent effective with pres
ent funds, and deficiency appro-
priation probably will be asked.
A 20 per cent increase in grants
is recommended in the 1948 budget
estimates, but the boards agency
Services Committee wants to see
immediate efforts made to meet the
rise in living costs.
Allowances in Guide.
The proposed guide, which Mr.
Clapp described as a method of allo-
eating funds in the fairest way
makes the following allowance for
food, ice, clothing, personal and
household necessities:
For one person cooking own meals
$31 month; for one person eating
out, $40: for two persons in a house
hold group, $5l: for three persons
SGT; for each additional person in a
household group, SIT.
The costs of shelter would con-
tinue as they are now being paid
but If persons were forced to move
new rent maximun.s would be pro-
vided, ranging from $36 for one
person eating cut to $50 for 10 per-
sons. Included in the rent figures
would be heat and utility costs. For
rent alone. the top figure would be
$44 for 10 persons.
Other items such as furniture
housekeeping services in case of ILL
ness, medical supplies, moving costs
special diets, transportation and
telephone service would be permitted
under limited conditions.
Other Actions Taken.
In other actions before the loss of
a quorum. the board:
l. Voted to appoint a citizens
committee drawn from representa-
tive church, civic, veterans auxiliary.
club, Negro, radio. newspaper and
labor groups to help find foster
homes for wards of the Welfare
Board and to publicize the need for
them.
2. Changed the period of review
ing assistance cases from six to IL
months. except in old-age assistance
cases where the law requires re-
view every six months. :. It was ex-
planned that some cases would be
checked more frequently, while
others. where conditions were un-
likely to change, would be checked
only once a year. This decision af-
fects 1900 assistance clients.
3. Approved separating relief cases
from foster and protective care of
children, with different case workers
assigned to the two groups. Until
% months ago, when the same case
workers were assigned protective
services as well as straight financial
aid, the portective work with chill
dren in their own homes was done
by specialists in that field. The %
month experiment was conceded to
be a failure because of the variety
of information a case worker needs
at her finger tips to handle all types
of social work.
4. Set November 8 as the date Of a
public meeting to discuss changes in
public assistance legislation. The
meeting will be held at pm. in the
Departmental Auditorium.
5. Adjusted the amount Of earn
ings an employed youth in relief
family should contribute to his fam
lily, the theory being that youthful
workers should recognize their re-
sponsibilities to their families.