| Adults without Children |
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CCJ has worked to make sure low-income childless adults have access to benefits, including food and health care. This population is often overlooked and faces additional requirements when applying for benefit programs. CCJ’s past accomplishments include lobbying DHS to get a Food Stamp waiver of the work requirement for childless adults who live in counties with high unemployment. Resources for Adults without ChildrenThe social safety net in Michigan offers few resources to low-income adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not live with children. This can create special hardships during times of high unemployment. Listed below are a few programs available for this population. Cash assistance and Medicaid: Adults without children are not eligible for needs-based cash assistance (for State Disability Assistance (SDA) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)) or Medicaid unless they have significant disabilities. For more information regarding State Disability Assistance and Medicaid, Click Here. For more information about Medicaid for Young Adults under age 21, click here. For more information about Medicaid for Persons with Disabilities, click here. Other health care coverage: Adults without children may be eligible for the Adult Medical Program when it opens for new enrollment. They may also be eligible to participate in a county medical plan if it is available. For a list of current county plans, Click Here. For more information about Adult Medical Program and County Health Plans, and our work in this area, click here. Food Assistance: Adults without children may be eligible for Food Assistance Program benefits. They can call the Food and Nutrition Program Helpline at 1-800-481-4989 to find out if they may be eligible for benefits. Current AlertsApplicants for State Disability Assistance must provide proof of their US citizenship and identity in order to qualify for the program. See issue alert regarding the acceptable types of documents DHS will accept as verification of citizenship and identity. Applicants who were born in Michigan should also be aware their caseworkers may have the ability to check Michigan vital records to verify US citizenship. Applicants should ask their caseworkers to verify their citizenship on the database before paying for a copy of their birth certificate. If you need additional time beyond the additional ten days, see issue alert regarding asking the caseworker for an extension. Access to Health InsuranceCCJ continues to lobby for increased funding and access for health care, including Michigan’s Adult Medical Program (AMP). The Department of Community Health (DCH) administers AMP, but because of funding limitations there is a cap on enrollment in the program. When DCH opens enrollment into the program, CCJ works with media and local agencies to make sure that those who might be eligible are aware of the program and apply before the deadline.Adult Medical Program or County plan A is available to adults between the ages of 18 and 62 who do not qualify for other insurance and whose income is 35% of the federal poverty limit or below. See Health sections of the "Issues We Work On" section of this website for more information. |
| Last Updated on Monday, 01 June 2009 15:01 |