The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1962-01-12
RESUME or WELFARE
PROGRAMS DURING 1851
IN NORTH CAROLINA

: Major strides were made in 1861
in Strengthening the overall serv-
ices of public welfare in North
Carolina, according to State Public
Welfare Commissioner Ellen Wins
ton.
AS a result Of legislation enacted
by the 1861 General Assembly, the
disqualification program for public
assistance recipients was extended
to provide for Disqualification Of
persons who meet the eligibility re-
quirements but who are not eligible
for a monthly assistance grant.
This has made it possible to secure
Federal funds for payments to hos
pitfalls for this particular group of
medically INDECENT persons. Begin
ming July ] the State Board Of Pub
lie Welfare could pay SIC day for
disqualification of both assistance
recipients and persons eligible UNI
der the new program. The SIS is
made up of Federal, State, and
county funds.
Increased Appropriations
The General Assembly also in
creased the appropriation for aid to
county welfare administration. This
has made it possible for counties
to secure necessary additional per-
sonnet, to raise salaries in line with
the legislative increase, to purchase
needed office equipment, and in
several instances to secure better
office space.
Aid to Dependent Children
The 1861 General Assembly ex-
tended the aid to dependent child
rem program. This makes it possible
placement Of children who were
neglected at home in foster home
care for temporary period of time
with a continuation of assistance
under the air to dependent child
rem program. THIS makes it possible
| to handle difficult situations in a
more constructive manner than has
been possible previously. Provision
has also been made to give assis-
lance to children in need when par
ents are able to work but unable to
secure employment. This is done
only when the parent has been ELI
gible for unemployment compensa-
ton and has exhausted all unen1-
ployment benefits. The parent must
be registered with the Employment
Service and actively seeking en-
ployment. The plan for administer
ing this program not only provides
ways of helping such persons Sc
cure employment, but also helps in
dividuals secure better training for
employment.
Public Assistance Budgets
During this fiscal year the public
assistance budget has been revised
to eliminate the necessity for APP
plying percentages when determin-
ling assistance payments. Prior to
this change payments were based
on IS per cent of need in old age
assistance, 80 per cent of need in
aid to the permanently and totally
disabled, and rs per cent in aid to
dependent children. This change has
simplified budgeting and has made
lit easier TO- explain decisions with
regard to amounts of assistance
payments. Some increase in both
State and Federal resources made
this possible.
Services to the Aged
The domiciliary facilities for
aged persons licensed by the State
Board of Public Welfare now serve
more than 5000 residents. OF these
l224 are family care facilities where
five or fewer people live as mem
[bers of the family in homes similar
to those to which they have been
accustomed.
During the year the project on
fhomemaker service to older persons
lin rural communities made possible
by a grant from the Doris Duke
Foundation and Federal matching
funds, was completed. This demon
!, stration has resulted in the expan-
sion of homemaker service to older
people to enable them to live in
their own homes rather than some
!, type of institutional setting. Other
counties, because of the successful
demonstration experiment, have in
cluded homemaker service in their
public welfare budgets.
Through a grant made by the
Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
special services to older people are
being demonstrated in the Forsyth
county department. of public well
fare.
Child Welfare Services
During 1861 more parents were
helped with such problems as find
ling placements for their handicap
ped children, understanding the
reasons for the disturbed behavior
of upset children, or planning for
1care Of their children while they
were temporarily unable to do so
because of illness or other difficult
ties than ever before.
If families with special problems
l. colf-