USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1940 > Part 9
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Coal, coke, and oil used by welfare recipients are pur- chased from Arlington concerns. Recipients cannot have both coal and oil. During the colder months-December to March-one-half a ton of coal or coke is allowed every twenty days, or one hundred gallons of oil a month.
The welfare office obtains from the applicant the name of his landlord, and then checks with the Assessors' Office to determine the real owner of the property. A maximum of $15.00 a month is allowed for rent in cases where one of the family is employable. When no person is employable, $25.00 a month is allowed. The welfare office has no direct
128
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
contact with the landlords, but gives checks payable to them to the recipients.
Purchase orders for clothing are given only as actually needed. Underwear, shoes, and rubbers constitute the great- er part of new clothing purchased. The allowance for shoes is $3.00, and with each order is given a repair order ($1.15- $1.25), to be kept until needed. Some clothing and bedding made by women workers in the Unemployed Department is given to Welfare Aid recipients, who are also entitled to Federal clothing.
Recipients are allowed $2.00 a month for electricity ; the receipted bill for the previous month must be returned before a new voucher is issued. The department pays gas bills directly in cases where gas is used for both heating the kitchen and cooking.
Work Relief: A method of furnishing work to be done in return for Town aid was developed early in 1932. Able- bodied men and women were obliged to work out their re- lief at a fixed rate per day. Town projects for which no funds were otherwise available were selected. This plan, with the twofold purpose of improving the Town and of maintaining the morale and skills of the unemployed, is still in effect.
The law requiring work in return for relief does not apply to Old Age Assistance, Aid to Dependent Children, or Soldiers' Relief. Therefore, it concerns only employable members of families receiving Welfare Aid. Work is ex- pected in return for groceries, rent, and cash.
Assignment of Work: As stated before, every Friday is disbursing day at the welfare headquarters. Recipients who are obliged to work are given with their grocery orders a work slip indicating the number of days to be worked (at $3.00 a day). A duplicate slip is sent to the Unemployment
129
TOWN RECORDS
Committee headquarters at the Old Town Hall, where the workers report. A "delinquent list" giving the names of those who did not report for work although slips, showing that they had received either their grocery orders or cash, had come through, is sent the following Thursday by the Unemployed Department office to the Department of Public Welfare. On reporting the next day for another gro- cery order, the delinquents are told that they will first have to work out their preceding week's aid. The same system is used to check employables who are receiving partial rent from the Town. Rent checks are given recipients the fif- teenth of each month, and duplicate work slips are made out at the same time. The work must be done before the next monthly check is issued. The welfare office has nothing to do with the actual assignment of work. This is handled by the Unemployed Department's secretary, at the Old Town Hall. The greater part of the work done by these men is planned by the Park Department. In some cases where recipients receive a check for their board and a voucher for cash from the department, a work slip is made out in the same manner.
Case Loads and Expenditures
Year
No. of Cases
No. of Persons Aided
Gross Expenditures
Net Expenditures
1932
220
$ 78,754.84
$69,324.25
1933
466
154,327.92
123,642.18
1934
462
134,850.31
101,980.57
1935
526
144,831.73
93,514.72
1936
478
1777
125,511.02
76,516.69
1937
424
1558
107,847.12
77,752.74
1938
436
1627
119,337.36
94,504.17
1939
439
1561
122,504.38
87,126.20
Expenses for Welfare Aid are met by Town appro- priations. There is no Federal reimbursement. The State re- imburses only in cases without legal settlement in the Com- monwealth. About one-eighth of these cases have settle- ments in other cities and towns, which reimburse the Town
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
of Arlington. About one-fifth to one-tenth of the gross ex- penditures each year are paid to other cities and towns for Arlington settled cases. Before 1936 no record of the actual number of persons aided was kept; thus the figures for the last four years give a truer picture of the amount of distress which has been alleviated.
Total Expenditures and Reimbursements
for Welfare Aid, 1937, 1938, 1939
1937
Total expenditures
$107,847.12
Less reimbursements :
State
$22,306.42
Cities and towns
7,716.27
Individuals
71.69 30,094.38
Net expenditures $ 77,752.74
1938
Total expenditures
$119,337.36
Less reimbursements :
State
$21,013.88
Cities and towns
3,799.31
Individuals
20.00 28,833.19
Net expenditures
$ 94,504.17
1939
Total expenditures
$122,504.38
Less reimbursements :
State
$25,327.57
Cities and towns
9,902.11
Individuals
148.50 35,378.18
Net expenditures
$ 87,126.20
131
TOWN RECORDS
Findings
The Committee finds that the Board of Public Wel- fare in Arlington, to use the words of the statute, "suit- ably relieves and supports its needy." We also find that Welfare Aid is administered wisely and economically. It should be pointed out that most of the changes we have to suggest would doubtless have been made long ago by the department if it had been able to do so.
Investigations at the present time are as thorough as possible in view of the fact that there are only three visitors in the department. One of these devotes all her time to Old Age Assistance, leaving the other two to care for all other forms of relief. With a case load of 438, there should be two visitors for Welfare Aid alone. It will be remembered that the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare recommends one visitor for every two hundred welfare cases.
Recommendation: As we stated in our findings in the chapter dealing with personnel, we suggest the employment of another visitor to investigate Welfare Aid cases.
Recommendation: The Committee feels that Welfare Aid applicants' sons, daughters, or parents who live in Arlington, or in certain cases in surrounding towns, should be made personal visits by a Welfare Department social worker. We feel that a clear picture cannot be obtained by relying solely on a written statement, even if sworn to, be- cause the whole attitude toward public assistance has changed so greatly in the past few years. At the present time, these legally liable relatives are requested to fill out a questionnaire on their ability to support the indigent- relative; but they do not even have to appear before a not- ary or justice. Additional visits could not be made by the present staff ; but if an extra visitor is employed, we strong- ly urge that legally liable relatives living in or near Arling- ton be visited regularly at least once a year. Whether
132
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
economic conditions improve or not, this should result in a saving for the Town.
We find that the disbursement of grocery orders, fuel orders, rent, and clothing is efficient. Triplicate orders, checked in the office before payment, are as satisfactory as any system that can be worked out. The greatest criticism of welfare administration has always concerned the manner of disbursing grocery orders. This is true not only in Arl- ington, but everywhere. Although welfare recipients know that they are obliged to buy only certain foods, and al- though merchants are instructed not to furnish luxuries, there are always rumors that this ruling is not obeyed. The Committee has no confirmation of any such rumors, al- though we doubt whether any system which would make cheating entirely impossible, but which would not be harm- ful to the recipients, could be devised. Among objections to the establishment of a Town commissariat is the fact that it would make a return to self-support by welfare recipients more difficult, both because of a decline in the ability to handle money and because of a psychological factor which has caused concern among those who studied the relief question, namely, the development of a childlike irrespon- sibility among those whose needs are anticipated without any effort or thought on their part. Losses to the Town through unwise buying by welfare recipients cannot be great because of the care with which budgets are computed ; of far greater importance is the loss to the recipients them- selves. We believe that the excellent medical care provided in Arlington, at the department clinic and through the school nurses, serves to emphasize the importance of wise food selection. An increase in the number of visitors would allow more time for educational work. The health of chil- dren is to some extent protected by the fact that women re- ceiving Aid to Dependent Children are threatened with transfer to the less liberal Welfare Aid if they fail to care properly for their children. We have felt during our in- vestigations that the development of such controls and in- centives would be of far greater service to everyone con-
133
TOWN RECORDS
cerned than any exposure of abuses could be, because the latter, apart from its small monetary significance, would tend to make the need for relief seem less than it actually is. Moreover, Town and school health records indicate that any abuses of this sort which may exist are of relatively minor significance even to the relief recipients themselves.
The Committee is of the opinion that sufficient aid is given to these recipients to maintain themselves and their families decently. With rent, fuel, clothing, food, surplus commodities, and medical care, it seems that every essential need is cared for. On the whole, the standard of relief in Arlington is high.
The Committee finds that while the needs of recipients are met, the great majority of employables on Welfare Aid would not be content to stay on relief if private employ- ment were available. It is our conclusion, therefore, that re- cipients get enough for a bare existence, but not enough to destroy their initiative in seeking for something better.
We believe that the practice of having a police officer work with the Welfare Department is of real value and should continue. The number of convictions obtained is small, but the concern of the Police Department emphasizes the fact that failure to meet the Welfare Department re- quirements is common theft. Moreover, a police officer is able to find out if supposedly unemployed persons are leav- ing their homes regularly each morning as if to go to work, and to exercise other surveillance which would be impos- sible for Welfare Department workers without a total dis- ruption of the necessary friendly relations between them and their clients. If it is consistent with his other duties, we feel that the police officer should also from time to time be asked to investigate a few cases taken at random from the other classifications of relief in order that all recipients may realize that while the Town is generous, it must also be strict.
The system of work relief we believe to be satisfactory. Recipients who work out their aid at the rate of $3.00 a day
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
are actually making a return to the Town for the assistance they receive, and this is of value in maintaining morale. The figure of $3.00 is fair, in that it is not so high as to conflict with wages given by a private employer, and yet is high enough to satisfy recipients as a day's pay.
In considering the vast amount of money spent for Welfare Aid during the past few years, it should be re- membered that a large portion is spent on Arlington citi- zens who are settled elsewhere. In other words, not all of the gross expenditures in the Welfare Aid division of relief are actually spent in Arlington. As Arlington receives re- imbursements for large sums of money spent each year on people residing in Arlington whose legal settlement is in another city or town in the Commonwealth, so Arlington pays out a large sum to other cities and towns for the sup- port of Arlington-settled citizens residing in these places. For example, in 1936, the sum of $25,385.28 was paid other cities and towns out of the gross expenditures for Welfare Aid; in 1937, the sum of $11,349.95; and in 1938, the sum of $17,033.40 was spent for this reason. Bills are rendered promptly to the State for unsettled cases and to other cities and towns for persons living here whose settle- ment is there. This is proved by the large reimbursements that come back to the Town each year. Those bills that are due and remain unpaid are turned over to the Town Coun- sel.
There have been so many and such drastic changes in relief laws in the past few years that it is practically im- possible to predict what expenditures will be in the future. However, the following figures may be of some significance : The average case load in Welfare Aid from 1933 to 1939 has been 461, and the average gross expenditure for the same period has been $129,886.00. Any wholesale curtail- ment of W. P. A. activities would immediately result in a rise in Welfare Aid costs. If unemployment should reach a new peak in 1940, welfare costs would naturally reach greater totals. If business improves, the welfare load will show some decrease. However, the mechanical trades are
135
TOWN RECORDS
those in demand, and the majority of Welfare Aid re- cipients are unskilled laborers. It may be safely stated that unless there is an extraordinary rise in business on a national scale, the Welfare Aid load and expenditures in Arlington for 1940 will approximate those of the past two years.
Chapter V
SOLDIERS' RELIEF
The Soldiers' Relief Law is Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 115, Section 17, as amended by Chapter 77 of the Acts of 1936 and Chapter 295 of the Acts of 1939. The first Soldiers' Relief Act was Chapter 438 of the Acts of 1888. This section has apparently been amended after each war in which the United States took any part.
Application
Concerning the eligibility for this form of aid, the law states :
If a person who served in the army or navy of the United States in the war of the rebellion, in the army, navy, or marine corps in the war with Spain, or the Phillipine Insurrection between April 21, 1898 and July 4, 1902, any veteran of the World War, or any of the Indian Wars, who has received an honorable dis- charge and who has a legal settlement in a town in the Commonwealth, becomes poor and wholly or partially unable to provide maintenance for himself, his wife, or minor children under sixteen years of age, or for a de- pendent father or mother, unless such condition is the result of his own criminal or wilful misconduct, shall be eligible to such support as may be necessary for
136
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
himself or his said dependents which shall be paid by the town where they or any of them have a legal set- tlement.
Investigation
The matters which must be investigated are:
(1) Proof of honorable discharge;
(2) Proof of needy circumstances ;
(3) Proof of inability of the applicant to provide support for himself or his dependents ;
(4) Marriage certificate and birth certificates of children ;
(5) Settlement status ;
(6) Court records.
Amount of Aid
The law sets no limits to the amount that may be given the veteran, but states that: "Such support as may be necessary shall be accorded. .. "
Miscellaneous Statutory Provisions
Chapter 115, Section 2A, compels banks, insurance companies and others, under penalty of a fine, to give in- formation to the Welfare Department of any city or town concerning deposits or credits of applicants for this relief.
Section 5: Provides for a hearing by the State Com- missioner of State Aid and Pensions in controversies be- tween a recipient and a local agent.
Sections 19-20: Provides one hundred dollars, to be paid by the State, for the burial of a soldier and fifty dollars for the burial of a dependent child.
137
TOWN RECORDS
Soldiers' Relief as Administered in Arlington
Application and Investigation : The first step in appli- cation for Soldiers' Relief is an interview with Mr. Cook. If he finds no disqualifications, he turns the applicant over to the settlement clerk, who makes out an application blank similar to those used in straight welfare cases. An affidavit must be signed, the penalty for making a false statement in applying for this aid being a fine and imprisonment. The applicant must be entirely without funds to be eligible. He must submit documentary proof of an honorable discharge from the service; a marriage certificate, if he is married; and birth certificates of any children. Mr. Travers, the visitor in charge of all Soldiers' Relief cases, is notified, and makes a visit to the veterans' home. The settlement clerk, in the meantime, is attempting to establish the applicant's settlement. When the folder is complete, with the neces- sary documents and the visitor's report, it is submitted to the agent, who decides what, if any, aid should be given. For further details with regard to application and investi- gation see this heading under Welfare Aid, for the work is similar in both types of relief; and for determination of settlement status, see separate section under that heading.
Amount of Aid Furnished: Veterans or their families receiving Soldiers' Relief are paid according to a table pre- pared and recommended by the Commissioner of State Aid and Pensions. The table showing rates on a monthly basis is as follows :
Single man at home $22.00 a month
Single man living out 28.00
Man and wife 45.00
Man, wife and 1 child
50.00
Man, wife and 2 children
55.00
Man, wife and 3 children
60.00
Man, wife and 4 children
66.00
Man, wife and 5 children 70.00 to 72.00
Man, wife and 6 children 75.00 to 80.00
138
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Man, wife and 7 children 85.00 to 90.00 Widow, $40.00, with $8.00 for first child, and $5.00 for each additional child.
An applicant may carry a reasonable insurance (twen- ty-five cents a week for an adult, and ten cents a week for a child) without being precluded from this relief. He may own his home, provided that the carrying charges, includ- ing taxes, insurance, water, etc., are within the amount normally allowed for rent (not more than $30.00 a month).
Recipients of Soldiers' Relief are entitled to medical care for themselves and their families by Dr. Feeley, the Town Physician, and to use of the clinic in Robbins House. As a rule, veterans use the Veterans' Hospital, but their families are given the same hospital care as Welfare Aid cases. The Arlington Chief of Police, as burial agent, has charge of the burial of soldiers, if application is made for it.
Money payments under this form of relief are made twice a month; and the recipients, except those who have to come any distance out of town, are obliged to call at headquarters in person for their checks.
Case Loads and Expenditures
Under this form of relief, there is no reimbursement from either the Federal or State government. The Town of Arlington pays the entire cost.
The following table shows the case loads and expendi- tures for the past eight years :
Year
Number of Cases
Expenditures
1932
83
$19,775.90
1933
108
42,313.73
1934
136
26,048.67
1935
126
27,265.71
1936
96
18,211.98
139
TOWN RECORDS
1937
92
24,309.18
1938
118
24,440.59
1939
107 (383 persons)
26,190.91
The drop in expenditures in 1934 was due to establish- ment of the C. W. A., and that in 1936 to the payment of the soldiers' bonus. Most of the present recipients are vet- erans of the World War. Whenever possible, Soldiers' Re- lief cases are transferred to the Aid to Dependent Children or Old Age Assistance rolls, because of the reimbursement by the State and Federal governments in these forms of assistance.
The recipients of Soldiers' Relief comprise three main groups : (1) unemployables, through sickness or inability to obtain work, (2) those waiting to be certified for W. P. A. work, and (3) W. P. A. workers who need sup- plementary aid.
Findings
It may be generally stated that Soldiers' Relief is well administered in Arlington. This is also true of Military and State Aid. To a certain extent the findings and recom- mendations of the Committee with regard to Welfare Aid also apply to Soldiers' Relief.
Soldiers' Relief case loads and expenditures have not fluctuated to any degree during the past eight years. In view of the fact that most of these recipients at the present time are World War veterans, now in their forties and fif- ties, the case load should remain between 100 and 120 with an annual Town expenditure of approximately $25,000.00. The average for the past eight years has been $23,569.55.
Recommendation: The Committee suggests that the criminal records of recipients of Soldiers' Relief be checked. This has not been done recently. Since the Commissioner of State Aid and Pensions has made a ruling that conviction
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
of a felony would preclude a man from obtaining this aid for all time and that upon conviction of a misdemeanor his right to obtain this assistance would be suspended for a year, the record of each applicant should be checked with the Department of Probation to make sure that only worthy cases are being helped.
We further suggest that, if the Welfare Department is given extra visitors, repeated investigations should be made to determine whether these recipients are working. Any money they earn should be reported, to be deducted from the bi-monthly check. Since the Town is not allowed to make them work out their aid, the employables in this group have the time and opportunity to seek private em- ployment.
Chapter VI
MILITARY AID
Military Aid is provided for by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 115, Section 10.
Application
Military Aid is granted to veterans who have received a non-service connected disability.
The applicant must have received an honorable dis- charge, must be poor and indigent, and by reason of sick- ness or other physical disability be in such need as would entitle him to relief under Chapter 117 (Welfare), must not be directly or indirectly in receipt of any other State or military aid, or of any pension for services rendered or dis- ability incurred in the Civil, Spanish Wars, Indian War, Mexican border service, or World War. He must be receiv- ing Soldiers' Relief. This aid is granted by the city or town of settlement.
141
TOWN RECORDS
Amount of Aid Allowed
The Surgeon-General at the State House examines the applicant and determines the amount of disability. Five dollars more than the percentage of disability is granted, and the State reimburses the Town to the extent of one-half of this amount. The amount which the applicant receives from Military Aid is deducted from his Soldiers' Relief al- lowance. Under Military Aid, the veteran does not benefit personally. The chief feature is the reimbursement to the Town.
Chapter VII
STATE AID
State Aid is set forth in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 115, Sections 3A to 9 inclusive.
Application
This aid is given to veterans or widows of veterans re- ceiving a disability allowance or a Federal pension. It is supplementary aid, paid by the State. A veteran's settle- ment is necessary.
Amount of Aid Allowed
The largest amount paid under State Aid is $10.00 a month. This sum is deducted from the amount received un- der Soldiers' Relief. As in Military Aid, there is no personal benefit to the recipient.
Cost of Aid
The State reimburses the Town for the entire amount of this aid. The money does not come back to the Welfare Department, but goes into free cash.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Military and State Aid as Administered in Arlington
As the veteran does not receive any more money with State or Military Aid than he would with Soldiers' Relief alone, the Town is the sole beneficiary of these acts.
Since applicants for either State or Military Aid must be receiving Soldiers' Relief, the only investigation is to verify the sickness or disability for Military Aid, and to check the amount of the Federal pension for State Aid. This is done by Mr. Cook through the Veterans' Bureau.
Case Loads and Expenditures
The following table shows the case loads and expendi- tures for the past eight years :
Year
Number of Cases
Expenditures
1932
18
$1,328.00
1933
14
1,517.00
1934
16
1,339.00
1935
21
1,724.00
1936
16
2,588.00
1937
16
2,388.00
1938
17
2,700.00
1939
19
2,750.00
Chapter VIII
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
Case Loads and Expenditures for All Forms of Public Welfare From 1932 Through 1939 1932
Form
Case Load
Gross Expenditures
Net Expenditures
Welfare Aid
220
$ 78,754.84
$ 69,324.25
Old Age Assistance.
59
11,934.06
7,044.81
Aid to Dependent Children ..
12
11,061.41
7,796.96
Soldiers' Relief
83
19,775.90
19,775.90
State & Military Aid
18
1,328.00
422.00
Totals
392
$122,854.21
$104,363.92
143
TOWN RECORDS
1933
Welfare Aid
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