Detroit Economic Security Service Center

November 1, 2011

Detroit Economic Security Service Center

Planning for Life Changes - Part Two Building Your Own Resource Bank Workshop

1:15 P.M. – 2:15 P.M.

Aging Services: Changing the Mindset ConferenceSchoolcraft College ● Livonia, Michigan

Introductions – Who’s in the Room• Kate White – Elder Law of Michigan• Phyllis Edwards – Bridging Communities• Carl Herrell – Project Coordinator• Show of Hands - Wayne County - Oakland County - Macomb County - Service Provider – Aging - Other Type of Provider

Learning Objectives• Increase knowledge about economic

trends impacting older adults and other consumers.

• Share best practices about how to create an Economic Security Service Center at your local agency.

• Increase knowledge about alternative public benefits and traditional or non-traditional services that can be tapped to improve the economic status of older adults.

Key Economic Trends Impacting Older Adults Program Goals, Benchmarks & Outcomes Detroit Economic Security Collaborative Network Local Model for Economic Security Economic Security Case WorkBenefit Screening Tools

EconomicCheckUp BenefitsCheckUp

Impact of Public Benefits on Economic Security Implementing Economic Case Work at the Local Level Case Studies – Three Client Stories Questions & Answers

Overview

• Nearly 7.1 million Americans aged 65+ live in poverty.• A third of retired older adults rely on Social Security for more than 90% of income.• Baby boomers are tapping into Social Security

retirement income earlier due to recession.• Age sixty-five is no longer targeted age for

retirement.• Unemployment rate for mature workers hit an all-time high of 6.7% nationally.

Key Economic Trends

Key Economic Trends• Early Retirees are taking Social Security earlier

and collecting less. • 74% of those nationally who retire late (after age

65 years) continue working to keep their income. • 28% of retirees retiring late do so to keep health

insurance.• Female retirees are more likely to live alone and

have lower incomes.

Source: Deft Research National Study/Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan

• Current poverty rate does not really tell us who can’t meet their financial needs.

• Seniors and baby boomers need help to improve their financial status.

• No comprehensive service to address all financial needs of older adults.

Key Economic Trends

Program Goal

Assist 500 individuals age 55 years living in the City of Detroit with household incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level to obtain Financial Security

Objectives1. Increase Income 2. Reduce Expenses3. Improve Financial Security/QOL4. Advocacy/Public Policy Change5. Sustainability & Replication

NCOA Economic Security Service Center

NCOA Economic Security ModelDetroit Economic Security Service Center

Program Design – Economic Security

Demonstration Sites

• Two –Year $50,000 Grant• Technical & Support• NCOA Crossroads Website – Cross Learning & Sharing• Monthly Conference Calls• Monthly Webinars• Partner Meetings (Chicago, San Diego, Tucson, Atlanta &

Washington D.C.)• Client Tracking & Six-Month Reports

• Arlington, VA*• Baltimore, MD• Chicago, IL• Cleveland, OH• Dallas, TX*• Detroit, MI• Houston, TX*

• Milwaukee, WI

• New Jersey (County)

NCOA Demonstration Sites

• New York City• New York (Upstate)• San Francisco, CA

• Los Angeles, CA

• Nashville, TN*

*New site added since launching in April 2010

NCOA Demonstration – New Sites • Burlington, VT – Association of Africans Living in

Vermont

• Chicago, IL – Rodgers Park Community Center

• Kansas City, KS – Don Bosco Senior Center

• Long Island, NY – East River Development Alliance

• Syracuse, NY – Catholic Charities

• Fairfax, VA – NCOA Virginia Resource Center

• Established Detroit Economic Security Collaborative Network & Leadership & Steering Committee

• Expanded partnership to include Tier I and Tier II Partners

• Customized program model for local community

• Tested local model for six months internally• Developed Economic Security Assessment in

Service Point to track clients• Developed forms, Value of Benefits and

Economic Security Directory• Research/Data Collection• Participate in Advocacy Activities

Program Design – Economic Security

Detroit Economic Security Collaborative Network• AARP Michigan• Accounting Aid Society• Adult Well-Being Services• Aging Network – Region 1-A• Bank of America• Bridging Communities• Caring Hearts• Central United Methodist Church• Communicating Arts Credit Union• Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan• Office of Congressman Hansen Clark’s Office • Corinthian Baptist Church-Caregivers Ministry• City of Detroit Human Services• Delray Senior Pavilion

Detroit Economic Security Collaborative Network• Detroit Area Agency on Aging• Detroit Housing Commission• DTE Energy/Community Energy Solutions• Elder Law of Michigan• Franklin Wright Settlements, Inc.• Green Path, Inc.• Greater Detroit Association for Blind &

Visually Impaired• Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation• Matrix Human Services• National Council on Aging• Neighborhood Legal Services

Detroit Economic Security Collaborative Network

• Peoples Community Services• Wayne County Department of Human

Services• Wayne County Foreclosure Prevention

Program/Partners – Family Tree and New Detroit Hope

• Wayne County Community College District• Wayne County Department of Human

Services• Wayne State University• St. Patrick Senior Center

Program Design – Economic Security

Participants• Intake and Screening• Release of Information Form• Pre-EconomicCheckUp• BenefitsCheckUp • Person-Centered Assessment • Economic Security Action Plan• Referral to Benefits and Services• Ongoing Follow-Up Assistance• Post-EconomicCheckUp • Client Satisfaction Survey• Closing of the Case

EconomicCheckUp Tools

The National Council on Agingwww.benefitscheckup.org/economicsecurity

Pre-

Post-

• Basic Client Tracking Tools in MS Excel Spreadsheet • Value of Benefit (VOB) Cheat Sheet • Community Mapping/Economic Security Directory• Service Point Economic Security Assessment• Economic Security Training Manual • Policies and Procedures/Protocols

Economic Security Tools

Public Benefits & ServicesPublic Benefits• Bridge Card – Food Stamps• Low Income Subsidy• Medicare Savings Plan• Medicaid• State Emergency Relief• Free Phones• Social Security Disability• Property Tax Relief• VA Benefits• Housing Assistance• Prescription Assistance

Services• Aging Network Services• Transportation• Pension Assistance• Property Tax Relief• Money

Management/Debt Counseling

• Foreclosure Prevention• Legal Services• Health Services• Home Repairs

Program Expansion/Replication

• Economic Security Case Work Training• Imbedding services in local Aging

Network – Contracts & Request for Proposals

• Ongoing Partnership Building• Sustainability Strategy• Older Americans Act Advocacy• Data Collection and Research

• Screening new and existing clients

• Pathways to Financial Security Fairs

• Economic Security Days• Financial Literacy Workshops• Senior Solutions Radio Show

Series• Promotional Cards

Marketing & Outreach

Who Supports Economic Security Case Work?

• Project Coordinator – Economic Security

• Long Term Care Navigators • AARP & Community Volunteers• Tier I and Tier II Partner Agencies

including Service Provider Network• Student Interns –Wayne State

University (BSWs, MSWs, and Ph.D. Candidate)

Power of Public Benefits on Economic SecurityName: Josephine Baker

Initial Assessment Date: 15-Apr-10

The Path to Economic Security: Your Economic Action Plan

Ongoing Support & Follow-up

Intake 3 month 6 month 9 month 12 month

Dates: 4/15/2010 7/15/2010 10/15/2010 1/15/2011 ProjectedMonthly Income $ 694.00 $694.00 $694.00 $694.00 $694.00 SSI SSI SSI SSI SSI Value of Income Supports Monthly (SNAP, LIHEAP, etc)

$0.00 $35.00 $102.00 $283.00 $853.00 Source(s):

SNAP SNAP & Rx SNAP, Rx, MSP

SNAP, Rx, MSP, LIHEAP, Housing

Total Income and Supports (monthly)

$ 694.00 $ 729.00 $ 796.00 $ 977.00 $ 1,547.00

Source(s): Monthly Income Required to Achieve Economic Security

$1,547.00 $1,500.00 $1,500.00 $1,500.00 $1,500.00 Source(s): Monthly Shortfall $ (853.00) $ (771.00) $ (704.00) $ (523.00) $ 47.00 Source(s): Percent of Economic Security

45% 49% 53% 65% 103%

Source(s):

Case Example: Impact of Public Benefits on Elders

Advocating for Economic Security• Older Americans Act Reauthorization• Video Advocacy – One Away Campaign• Local Advocacy – Economic Security Summit• Detroit - Research/Data Analysis to build case

for more resources

Elder Economic Security Standard Index

• What is it?• How it helps you?• How it can help clients?• What does it look like in your

area?

Benefits Enrollment & Options Center

• What is it?• How it can help you and your

clients?• How we have integrated case work

and Elder Economic Security Index?

Barriers to Economic Security• Asset tests and attitudes toward

poor• Paper work burdens• Attitudes – a new standard of living

with less

Organizational Challenges

• Case Coordinators• Assessments• Clients

Organizational Success

• Cultural Change• Client Employment• Enhanced Collaboration• New Partnerships

Characteristics of Participants• Reached out to 250 consumers for economic security

or financial literacy.• Served 185 consumers with economic security case

work and access to public benefits.• Project to serve 300 by December 31, 2011 and 500 by

March 31, 2012.• 89% of participants are African American 9.4% are

White (9.4%) and 2% fall within other ethnic groups.• Age ranges of participants: 24.8% are 55-61; 16.7% are

62-64; 19.7% are 65-67; 8% are 75-79 and 21.6% are 80+ years of age.

• The majority of participants are female: 83% as opposed to 17% male.

• 50% are retired while the others are enrolled in SCSEP (17%)

• About 33% of participants are working, unemployed or seeking work.

• 54% have transportation problems.• 33% have household incomes below 100% of poverty,

63% have household incomes between 101% and 199% of poverty and 7% have household incomes 200% - 250% of the federal poverty level.

• About 36% own their homes, 21% rent and the others live with others or in homeless shelters.

• Top five reasons for seeking help: 1 – Public Benefits; 2- Housing, 3 – Financial Counseling; and 4 -Employment; and 5 - Healthcare Assistance.

Characteristics of Participants

74%

Participants Served

50%

2%

2%4%

15% 29%

Consumer Progress(October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011)

39%

• 61 year-old African American male with no income was referred by VA Counselor

• Loss job as janitor, very depressed• Wife has severe arthritis and is asthmatic who

receives Social Security Disability.• Participant used the ADRC library to research job

options and medical condition. He wants to work in health care to help seniors.

Outcomes• Applied for Social Security and was approved in May

2011. Value of Benefits: Increased monthly income by $636.00.

• Called recently to report that he is much better and looking forward to the future.

Client X

Client Y• 55-year-old divorced, African American man has no income,

no medical insurance and only a $200 Bridge Card for food. • Attempt to start business from his home was unsuccessful.• Had been living in abandoned houses until his aunt and uncle

passed and left him their home with a $5,000 DTE energy bill. • Had no means of transportation and only a few hundred

minutes a month on a free cellular phone. Outcomes• Assisted with applying for Social Security Disability, Medicaid,

and assistance from the Department of Human Services for his DTE utility bill. Value of Benefits: Social Security Disability is $1,187/mo.; SER for utility help – $1,700; DDOT Bus Pass - $69.66/mo.

• Received oxygen to assist with heart condition. • Reports feeling that his self-esteem has improved

significantly.

Client Z• 55-year old African American widow who lives alone is

struggling to make ends meet.• Under employed, working full time and earning

$700/mo.• Owns home with a mortgageOutcomes• Assisted participant to obtain $1,500 for roof repair from

SER.• Assisted participant to get $134/mo. in food stamps.• Helped participant to obtain $1,113 to avoid shut off.• Referred to Green Path for money management

counseling.• Negotiated home modification loan to reduce her

mortgage down by $185/month.• Currently, working second job to earn additional income.

Senior Director – Planning & Economic Security(313) 446-4444, Ext. 5803

[email protected]

Carl Herrell, Project Coordinator – ESI(313 446-4444, Ext 5240

[email protected]

Detroit Area Agency on Aging

Anne Holmes Davis

Bridging Communities, Inc.Phyllis Edwards, Executive Director

(313) 361-6377 [email protected]

Elder Law of MichiganKate White, Executive Director

(517) 853-2375 [email protected]

Special Thanks to Our Supporters

Detroit Economic Security

Collaborative Network

Michigan