Fewer Nevadans to lose welfare benefits

Friday, Dec. 24, 1999 | 9:37 a.m.

As recently as last month, the Welfare Division expected 349 recipients would lose benefits in January. But Welfare Division Administrator Myla Florence said her staff made a concerted effort to help find jobs for people in danger of losing state benefits.

Families of three qualify for $348 per month in state benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

Florence added that the people who will lose benefits are those who simply do not want to work.

"If somebody was able to work and wanted to work, it would have happened during the last two years," she said. "I am pretty comfortable that no one is going to get the shaft. It was their choice."

Even with the loss of state benefits, these people still qualify for food stamps and for free health care under the Medicaid program.

Earlier this fall, the Welfare Division was granted a $2.2 million bonus by the federal government for its success in cutting welfare rolls and finding work for recipients.

The number of recipients in Nevada fell to 16,663 in November, down from the peak of 42,703 in March 1995.

While pleased so few people will lose benefits, representatives of the Nevada Empowered Women's Project say they fear some families will be hurt by the January cutoff.

"There are people out there who need help, and we want to find them," said Linda Lewis, the group's leader in Las Vegas. "But we haven't found a family yet."

Marci Harper, the project leader in Reno, said she opposes laws that set time limits on eligibility.

"Poverty doesn't have a time limit," she said. "Some folks will need more time."