USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1955 > Part 9
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We set this forth as a general principle rather than as a comment upon any specific set of circumstances. In doing so we are alert to the realization that we may be pilloried by some for going counter-clockwise. Popular thinking on such sub- jects today has been cushioned and conditioned by such widely accepted nations as an elastic national debt limit, deficit spend- ing, long-term amortizations, unrestricted consumer credit and concomitant installment buying and similar concepts.
The very fact that the Emergency Finance Board has recently abbreviated the tenure of such loans to two years instead of the usual five, would seem to intimate that a formal movement is under way to reverse the historic trend.
On the other hand the Legislature in 1955 rubberized the floor of the statutory requirements for the taking of relief loans by municipalities. Prior to the past year a City could not borrow for public assistance unless it had appropriated one hundred percent of the prior year's expenditures in the cate- gorical assistance classifications (Old Age Assistance, Disability Assistance and Aid to Dependent Children) and seventy-five percent for General Relief. Now however, the basic requisite has been lessened to ninety percent for the categories. This decision of the General Court was obviously precipitated by the phenomenon of ballooning local taxation which has in most instances reached the point of saturation and therefore of diminishing returns.
We offer these comments in a constructive spirit and chiefly because the popular mind is not keen for distinctions. Consequently, it is not always aware of the truth that the Welfare Department while accountable for economical stew- ardship within the framework of our liberal laws, is not respon- sible for the manner of financing public assistance. On each occasion when it becomes necessary to float a bond issue for public assistance, there has been published broadcast some wholly unjustifiable strictures of the Department by indivi- duals whom we prefer to think are ill-informed rather than ulteriorly motivated. The annalled listing which follows surely witnesses quite graphically that there is nothing novel about floating bond issues for public relief. Therefore, pretense to the contrary is palpably specious.
151
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
MUNICIPAL RELIEF LOANS
Date
Year
Amounts
9/26
1933
$325,000
10/1
1934
130,000
10/1
1935
150,000
7/1
1936
225,000
10/1
1936
175,000
4/
1936
200,000
4/1
1937
150,000
10/1
1937
275,000
10/1
1937
160,000
4/1
1938
150,000
7/1
1938
175,000
7/1
1938
120,000
10/1
1939
50,000
10/1
1938
92,000
4/1
1939
100,000
7/1
1939
150,000
7/1
1939
100,000
10/2
1939
60,000
10/2
1939
64,000
10/2
1939
113,000
7/1
1940
100,000
10/1
1940
50,000
10/1
1940
200,000
4/
1940
150,000
4/1
1941
267,000
4/1
1941
250,000
10/1
1941
35,000
4/1
1942
200,000
7/
1942
145,000
10/1
1942
68,000
10/1
1942
39,000
7/1
1946
235,000
10/1
1948
290,500
9/15
1950
118,000
11/15
1950
354,000
10/1
1952
255,000
10/1
1954
225,000
1955
175,000
TOTAL
$6,120,500
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE
The gradual decline in the Old Age Assistance caseload perceptible during the past few years, was vividly accelerated locally during 1955. On January 1, the Bureau was carrying a roster of 2083 names, and on December 31 there were but 2032 on the rolls. This represents a decrease in numbers of almost 2.5 per cent.
Remarkably enough too, despite the generally spiralling costs caused by statutory and official policy liberalizations, the actual cost of the Old Age Assistance program tapered off
152
ANNUAL REPORTS
slightly in relation to the experience of the preceding year. In 1955 the Bureau expended a gross total of $1,927,606.82 or $1,998.45 less than the $1,929,605.27 of the previous year.
It should also be noted that expenditures for 1955 were $47,260.67 under the peak figure of $1,974,867.49 reached in 1952. The 1955 total is approximately 2.4 per cent lower than the pinnacle cost of 1952.
The fact is that there has been a very remarkable decline in the categorical caseload since 1950, when for a brief period there were in the vicinity of 2300 aged persons receiving assistance. The decrease is attributable principally to two factors: first and most important is the successive amendments to the Social Security Act expanding and liberalizing the Old Age and Survivors Insurance provisions, and secondly, the effectiveness of the Lien Law (Chapter 801 of the Acts of 1951) in Massachusetts, particularly as a deterrent measure.
Our experience attests transparently enough that the costs of Old Age Assistance would decline correspondingly to the caseload were it not that savings are in each instance, pre- cluded or nullified by law or policy liberalizations. The prin- cipal ingredient of the mounting per capita costs recently has without question been exorbitant medical expenses ascribable to the official State Medical Care Plan which cannot be regarded as other than "give-away" in character since it im- poses no effective limits and to all extents and purposes has rampaged beyond operative control.
Anticipated savings during the prospective year (1956) have been cancelled out in advance by the introduction of the $2.50 monthly increment for "transportation," by the contin- ually rising medical fee schedules, inflated hospital rates, the undoubted imminence of rental adjustment and similar factors.
It is especially interesting in view of the popular miscon- ception about the effect of public assistance expenditures on the local tax rate, to glance at the attached chart showing the annalled aggregate expenditures and net costs of the Old Age Assistance Bureau for the first quarter century of its existence. The recapitulative totals make clear that of the gross $22,145,083.49 expended during the twenty-five year period 1931-1955 inclusive, the net cost to Somerville was but $3,666,721.06, representing a grand average of but 16.5 per cent, approximately.
153
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
Singularly deserving of record and of studied advertence is the important fact that while the gross outlay for Old Age Assistance declined somewhat less than $2,000 during 1955, the net costs actually decreased $35,731.91 or from $289,- 607.89 in 1954 to $253,875.98 in 1955 or more than 12.3 per cent. This decrease in net costs is attributable as is obvious from the illustrative Tables which follow, to increased revenue from recovered monies and to vastly improved collec- tions from other municipalities. The influential facts are that in 1955, funds recovered soared $15,096.50 over 1954 and collections from other communities pyramided $18,638.72. Percentagewise this equalled an increase of 60.2 per cent in recoveries and of 70.3 in the liquidation of debts owed by other Cities and Towns. The latter achievement is particularly gratifying when we pause to realize that all our larger munici- palities are presently overwhelmed by positively staggering burdens of taxation and hence are just as resistant as we are to meeting any but absolutely imperative obligations.
As we have endeavored to emphasize in our earlier Annual Reports, the caseload of an Agency at any particular moment is not an accurate index of the volume of its activities. There is an immense turn-over of cases during any one year in our Department and in each of its Divisions.
When we read for example, that there were 2083 persons aided at the beginning and 2032 at the end of the year we might understandably be inclined simply to infer that the variation for the calendar period was but 51 cases. It is easy to forget that we are not dealing with material constants but rather with human variables in our social work. The stark reality is that the 2032 of December 31 are not by any means the 2083 of January 1, less 51 individuals. The caseload is mobile and fluid and the processing of new cases and the closure of old ones goes on daily without interruption. A few figures will help to limn the proper perspective. During 1955 the Old Age Assistance Bureau actually aided 2261 different persons. While 398 cases were closed, 246 new were activated and an additional 82 were reinstated. Budgetary adjustments moreover, because of changes of circumstances, are never ceasing. During the twelve months some 599 monthly payments were increased and 546 decreased. Further- more, 76 applicants were denied after investigation or with- drew their petitions. In addition, some 1850 cases were rebudgeted to include the $2.50 monthly increment for trans- portation payable January 1, 1956.
The causes of dependency which lead to the accretion of new cases are well recognized. The reasons for closure are not
154
ANNUAL REPORTS
so well known. Hence the following statistical explanation for the discontinuance of aid may prove enlightening. Of the 398 cases in question, 229 died, 63 transferred to other com- munities, 51 were found to have sufficient income (according to the State Standards of Assistance) 21 personally requested cessation of aid, 20 entered institutions wherein assistance was not needed, 11 moved out of the Commonwealth permanently and hence became ineligible, and 3 were discovered to have transferred property. Most often "personal requests" for dis- continuance of assistance are traceable to the acceptance of employment, possession of new resources, or the decision of legally liable children to provide support. Incidentally, the average age of new applicants during the year was 71.4 years, a fact which corroborates our long-standing conviction that the preponderance of our clients refrain from applying for assistance until they are quite depleted both physically and economically. Nor do we ever tire of correcting the false impression which is widespread that nearly all our citizens over 65 years of age receive public assistance. The fact is that nationally, in this State as a whole and in Somerville, only about 18 to 20 per cent receive Old Age Assistance. In the 1950 Federal Census, some 9860 residents of Somerville ad- mitted to being 65 or over. It is reasonable to conclude therefore, that there are well over 10,000 aged here, of whom but a fifth ask for public aid.
Early in the year the Office of the Supervisor of Social Work in this Division was shifted to that vacated by the Credit Union. An attractive new floor covering was laid in the new Office by the Public Works Department prior to the move.
The program of the Division was strengthened during the year by several Conferences of the Supervisors with the General Agent, by a two day session on the Medical Care Plan (which was participated in by the other Divisions) and by the institu- tion of a new set of policies and card control system governing the processing of notices to legally liable children.
The introduction of one uniform letterhead and of the same printed forms (wherever possible) for all the Divisions of the Department resulted in economy of expenditures especially in this largest of the categorical programs.
DISABILITY ASSISTANCE
The assistance program for the permanently and totally disabled expended $46,872.04 more in 1955 than in the year preceding. The gross disbursements rose from $261,-
155
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
034.06 to $307,906.10, an increase of 15.2 per cent. The upward trend in this category is consonant with state-wide and nation-wide experience. Locally it is quite easily explicable because a number of cases formerly in the City Infirmary (which was liquidated on October 1, 1954) were successfully processed for this type of relief. Moreover, our special project known as "Operation General Relief" which resulted in a scrutinizing sifting of extant cases in the latter category, had as one of its valuable consequences the filing of 23 applications for Disability Assistance.
It should be remembered that the combined Federal grants and State reimbursements are equal to a 75 per cent financing of this program not only for assistance but uniquely for administration. It is the only program in which the Common- wealth participates in administrative costs.
The overall turnover of cases in this category is remarkably high. On January 1, 1955 there were 239 active D.A. individual cases and on December 31 the roll contained 251 names.
During the course of the year, 82 new cases were processed and 24 reopened. Some 71 applications were rejected or with- drawn and 95 cases were closed. Budgetary adjustments in- cluded 84 increases and 73 decreased in monthly assistance payments. A total of 332 different persons were aided during the year. A review of the reasons for discontinuance of aid in this category is informative. While assistance recipients enjoy the option of choosing the relief program of their choice within eligibility frameworks, in the practical order, they are instructed as to the advantages of one type over another and logically select the more liberal. Since Old Age Assistance has been embellished by such attractive enhancements as a $4.00 monthly allowance for "Leisure Time Activities" and more recently by a $2.50 monthly increment for "TRAVEL" we are not surprised to discover that 19 D.A. recipients trans- ferred to O.A.A. as soon as they reached their 65th birthday anniversaries. The death rate in this category is relatively high and 25 individuals died during the year. Other reasons for closure comprised: 6 transfers to other communities, 16 became or were found financially ineligible, temporary medical approvals for 12 expired and 10 more were refused renewal of approval by the Medical Review Team (of the State Depart- ment) after an appraisal of their condition; 4 were admitted to institutions for the tubercular and 1 refused to assign insurance considered by the statute to be "excessive," and 2 personally requested termination of aid.
156
ANNUAL REPORTS
The future of the Disability Assistance category which was established as a compromise measure by a Congress re- luctant to sanction Federal financial participation in General Relief appears to hinge upon a ,number of contingencies, probably the most important of which is the ultimate fate of the proposed and widely-supported plan for a national Dis- ability Insurance program complementary to Old Age and Survivors Insurance.
GENERAL RELIEF
The General Relief (otherwise known as the Miscellaneous Welfare) Division experienced the usual fluctuations in case- load. Most sensitive of all the categories to the ebb and flow of the economic tides, the General Relief program is financed almost exclusively by local funds. Because of its very char- acter as a resource for those ineligible for the more permanent types of public assistance, it requires perpetual vigilance in order to exclude the possibility of professional malingerers becoming static pensioners. To this end certain positive steps were taken during 1955.
In regard to expenditures, this "Temporary Aid" Division disbursed $247,953.95 which was $31,051.25 more than was spent in 1954. However, it should be noted immediately that the type of applicants traditionally relegated to the City In- firmary were necessarily absorbed in the regular payroll of the Division because they were referred to lodging houses or nursing homes, or were placed in the Tewksbury State Infirm- ary at the expense of the Division. Relevantly therefore, it is interesting to observe that whereas our Department spent $244,288.61 for the operation of the City Home and the General Relief program together, in 1954, the gross costs for the year being reported were but $3,665.34 more.
In comparing the costs for the two consecutive years it should be pointed out that in 1954 we reimbursed the State for children placed with the Division of Child Guardianship for foster care, some $14,667.17 whereas this past year we made only an initial payment of $3,737.44. Therefore, in 1954 we expended $10,929.84 more for this purpose. The reason for this difference is that a question has arisen respecting the proper interpretation of Chapter 119 of the General Laws (which was rewritten by the Legislature in 1954) in reference to whether it is the responsibility of the Commonwealth or of the political subdivision to subsidize care for dependent child- ren entrusted to the State Welfare Department's Division of Child Guardianship. Somerville's City Solicitor Attorney
157
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
George S. Ryan as well as the Corporation Counsel of the City of Boston, construe the statute as squarely placing the finan- cial responsibility on the State. The State Welfare Department while contending to the contrary, has been thus far unable to elicit an Opinion from the Attorney General.
While we spent less for D.C.G. cases in 1955, we liquidated a far greater share of our indebtdness to other communities for Somerville settled persons aided there. In 1954 we paid but $20,504.95 to other Cities and Towns for general assistance cases whereas in 1955 we discharged $51,400.04 of our obli- gations or an additional $30,895.09. This practical recogni- tion of our commitments to our creditors has undoubtedly served to alleviate the prejudiced attitude which has prevailed against our agency in certain communities because of our fail- ure over the years to pay our bills. Our experience tends to convince us that once our credit is reestablished, the respec- tive communities will reciprocate. We cannot hope for happy inter-governmental relationships on any level unless mutual- ity of trust can be assumed.
There were 182 cases on the General Relief rolls on Jan- uary 1, 1955 and 173 on December 31. The turn over of cases in this Division is particularly heavy as might be expect- ed in a temporary aid program. During the year 671 family and individual cases were aided, and 331 applications were re- jected or withdrawn.
A number of important developments affecting the Gen- eral Relief Division occurred during the year. First of all the Division was moved to more commodious, compact and con- venient quarters in the space formerly occupied by the Old Age Assistance Division. Secondly, the Settlement Division was intergrated with the General Relief Division, and the su- pervisory lines of authority were clarified. Thirdly, the Divi- sion of Child Guardianship cases were thoroughly reviewed twice and the records brought up to date. Fourthly, a Staff Con- ference was held with the General Agent by virtue of which matters pertaining to investigation, settlement, recording and medical care were clarified. Fifthly, a sweeping survey of all G.R. cases was undertaken in October, during which the Su- pervisors and Social Workers of all other Divisions were mo- bilized for the "Operation."
This radical approach had far-reaching results and its full effect can scarcely be overestimated. It opened up new av- enues of cooperation and enlightment for all involved, it fa-
158
ANNUAL REPORTS
cilitated the referral and transition of cases from one category to another, it revealed deficiencies in procedure and contrib- uted to improved investigation and recording. In the most practical order, this "Operation" resulted in the closure and transfer to other categories of an appreciable number of cases with consequent savings which were reflected in the last quarter of the year. Each case was first thoroughly re-inves- tigated and specific recommendations made, secondly, the cat- egorical Supervisors continued to oversee and examine the work done by their own Social Workers, thereafter the Super- visors reviewed all the cases with the General Agent and all recommendations were openly analyzed, modified budgets were used for measurements of need and the means outlined for the further exploration of resources. Following the as- semblage of all reports, further study was undertaken, all the reports were typed and collateral contacts by letter (to banks, employers, insurance companies, etc.) scheduled. A number of unreported assets were discovered.
A sixth development of importance to this Division was a series of conferences held by the Agent with the Department of Veterans Services and the forthright institution of new pol- icies governing the handling of applicants who are veterans. As a result of these conferences and of a written communica- tion to the Commissioner of Veterans Services, there has re- sulted a general improvement in relations between the two Departments and the referral of cases has been facilitated.
Other eventualities influencing the G.R. program included the checking with local banks of all cases on the assistance rolls, the investigation of automobile ownership by the check- ing of excise tax records in the Treasurer's Office and close liasion with the Industrial Accident Board on Workman's Com- pensation claims and their implications for assistance.
The primary objective of all public assistance insofar as possible, in our opinion, is not simply support or transient re- lief but the return to self-dependence and permanent reha- bilitation. Hence, for years the Department has considered the finding of suitable employment a function within the purview of its General Relief Division.
Mr. Joseph A. MacDonald, Supervisor of Social Work in charge of General Relief is also our Employment Manager, and he submits the following figures for 1955: 137 persons were referred to specific employers previously contacted by the Division, and 96 actually were given employment. It goes
159
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
without saying that the savings effected by the Employment Division are considerable.
AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN
Although the charted figures indicate precisely the same number of cases on the A.D.C. rolls on December 31, 1955 as on January 1, namely 307, the fact is that the experience barometer of this Division oscillated widely during the year and hovered around the 330 mark for a period. The expend- itures of the category increased $25,462.59 or approximately 5 per cent, rising from $501,500.21 to $526,962.80.
A detailed breakdown of cases processed by this Division shows that 115 new applications were handled, 36 cases were reinstated, aid was discontinued in 159 instances and 38 ap- plicants were refused aid or voluntarily cancelled their re- quests. There were 338 assistance grants adjusted upwards and re:budgeting resulted in 239 decreases in monthly pay- ments. In all, 442 different cases and 1056 different children were aided during the year.
In order to show the long-time fiscal trend in this category we prepared the annalled chart which follows. It reveals the aggregate expenditures and net costs of the A.D.C. program during the past 25 years.
Prior to 1937 when the provisions of the Federal Social Security Act became effective, this category of assistance (with some variant qualifications) was known in this State as "Mother's Aid", and was established in 1914. The recorded figures reveal clearly enough the impact of Federal financial participation and the resultant percentagewise decline in local costs. Correspondingly they make manifest the effect of vast- ly liberalized eligibility requirements.
It is to be noted that the local cost of A.D.C. is (percen- tagewise) considerably higher than in Old Age Assistance be- cause of the less generous formula of reimbursement used by the State and the less liberal provision of the Federal formula for sharing the expenses of this program. However, within the past few years, amendments to the Social Security Act and consequent changes in State policies have in combination suc- ceeded in lessening the burden on municipalties.
It is to be remarked that of the $5,903,498.33 expended over the quarter century span 1931-1955 inclusive, only $2,107,071.88 or 35.7 per cent devolved upon Somerville in net costs.
160
ANNUAL REPORTS
The chief cause of dependency in A.D.C. cases is synoptic- ally, loss of the breadwinner by death, divorce, desertion, abandonment, imprisonment, or because of one or another form of marital rupture.
A detailed analysis of the local A.D.C. caseload made in November disclosed findings generally in accord with those revealed by nation-wide statistical surveys. The prominence of marital dissolution as the leading precipitating factor rather than partial orphanhood (the death of the father), tends to sur- prise the general public, but the fact is well recognized by social scientists who know that orphanhood is less frequent now than in years past.
The causes of dependency in our experience rates as fol- lows:
Divorce
21.99 %
Incapacitated Parent
14.09 %
Death of Father
13.06%
Legal Separation
12.03 %
Illegitimacy
9.97 %
Children by former marriage
9.28%
Incarceration of Father
7.56%
Parental Separation by Mutual Consent
6.18%
Desertion
5.84 %
100.00 %
Certain procedures were introduced in the A.D.C. Division during the year to improve case recording especially in regard to the transcription of reports filed by the Domestic Relations Supervisor. Moreover, the respective responsibilities of the latter and of the regular A.D.C. Social Workers was reviewed and defined more exactly with resultant benefits mutually helpful. Furthermore, policies pertaining to the availability of duplicate law enforcement forms in A.D.C. case folders in conformity with the desires of the State Welfare Department were clarified.
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