Vaccinations & Gov't Assistance

[madis81]

Has anyone ever come across a problem applying for assistance because their DC are not up to date on vaccinations? My DH lost his job a few weeks ago and we have yet to hear anything from unemployment so we applied for assistance. We were able to get the kids covered on medicaid and we got food stamps, BUT we didn't qualify for cash assistance because we have no immunization records and even if we did have records they'd have to be current and up-to-date. I really felt like it was "big brother" interfering with my parenting decisions. Is this common?

[Emmeline II]

I looked up a couple of states that say it is a requirement, but in FL attending school conferences is also a requirement; so it seems that they are trying to make you a "responsible parent."

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/tanf/index.html

A. State and local agencies are responsible for establishing the eligibility criteria and procedures that apply in their programs. These are not matters that are under the control of the Federal government. If you disagree with a decision regarding welfare benefits, you have the right to file an appeal. For more information about your State's appeals procedures, you may want to contact your State TANF Director's office. You can get contact information at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/tanf-dir.htm.

[mamadelbosque]

We've been on medicaid for... uh... a long time now (3.5+ yrs...) and foodstamps as well. I'm fairly positive we've always qualified for cash assistance though we've never taken it... if I was told that I'd give them a religious exemption and see what they say. 

[la mamita]

I've been on Medicaid since DS was born, that's 5 years now...and we didn't do any vaxes until around 3 years old and even then I was very selective. Sometimes they mail me reminders about the recommended well baby visit schedule and the importance of vaccination, but I've never had any problems renewing the coverage or getting covered in the first place. If I did have a problem, I would just cite a religious objection. Not much they can do there.

eta: sorry, I didn't see that you'd already been denied cash assistance. you can ask for a hearing and claim a religious/philosophical objection at that hearing. depending on your state laws, they could easily reconsider.

[Ambyrkatt]

NAK

I am curious as to which state you live in. I am a public assistance worker in CA (and I do not vax, so I have made a point to look into this). The rules for medi-cal and food stamps do not address vaccinations at all. We do not request vax information for those programs and your eligibility for them will not be based on vax one way or the other. For cash assistance, you will be asked to provide vax records, but you are well within your rights to tell the worker that you are exercising your right to an exemption. You might be required to put that in writing, but you cannot be denied because you choose not to vax. If your child is not up to date and you do not tell the worker that you are using your right to exemption, then yes, they will make you come up to date. You wouldn't be denied assistance, though, you would be sanctioned instead. This means that the you would lose some of the money you are eligible to, but not all.

In my experience, even though our rules state that you can use the exemption, most workers are not aware of this fact. I have made a point to look it up in the regulations because I do not vax, so there is a chance that your worker might not believe you. Even if you are not in CA, I tend to think that if your state allows an exemption from school, that the cash assistance program has to honor that.

Hope this helps. Do not forget that if you disagree with the determination made to your case, you always have the right to an appeal. 

[madis81]

Originally Posted by Ambyrkatt 

NAK

I am curious as to which state you live in. I am a public assistance worker in CA (and I do not vax, so I have made a point to look into this). The rules for medi-cal and food stamps do not address vaccinations at all. We do not request vax information for those programs and your eligibility for them will not be based on vax one way or the other. For cash assistance, you will be asked to provide vax records, but you are well within your rights to tell the worker that you are exercising your right to an exemption. You might be required to put that in writing, but you cannot be denied because you choose not to vax. If your child is not up to date and you do not tell the worker that you are using your right to exemption, then yes, they will make you come up to date. You wouldn't be denied assistance, though, you would be sanctioned instead. This means that the you would lose some of the money you are eligible to, but not all.

In my experience, even though our rules state that you can use the exemption, most workers are not aware of this fact. I have made a point to look it up in the regulations because I do not vax, so there is a chance that your worker might not believe you. Even if you are not in CA, I tend to think that if your state allows an exemption from school, that the cash assistance program has to honor that.

Hope this helps. Do not forget that if you disagree with the determination made to your case, you always have the right to an appeal. 

We live in Colorado. I did ask about exemptions and was told they were allowed IF it's for a medical reason and have a waiver signed by our Dr. or for religious purposes. For religious purposes I need a pastor to sign off on a waiver. We have a personal waiver on file with our DD's school district. When I mentioned that to our case worker and questioned why I could have a waiver for school but not cash assistance she had no answer for us. We were able to get food stamps and medicaid. Luckily unemployment started this week so, while it may be extremely tight until after the new year, we have a roof over our head and our utilities are paid.

[KempsMama]

I live in MN, and I have never been asked for my kids vaccination records for public assistance.  I seriously doubt this is legit.  I would ask to speak to a supervisor. 

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by madis81 

We live in Colorado. I did ask about exemptions and was told they were allowed IF it's for a medical reason and have a waiver signed by our Dr. or for religious purposes. For religious purposes I need a pastor to sign off on a waiver. We have a personal waiver on file with our DD's school district. When I mentioned that to our case worker and questioned why I could have a waiver for school but not cash assistance she had no answer for us. We were able to get food stamps and medicaid. Luckily unemployment started this week so, while it may be extremely tight until after the new year, we have a roof over our head and our utilities are paid.

She is likely ignorant of the law, knows the law but is ignoring it, or is just making it up. I would file an appeal and submit your school waiver.

Edited by Emmeline II - 11/24/10 at 6:20pm

[Ambyrkatt]

She is likely ignorant of the law, knows the law but is ignoring it, or is just making it up. I would file an appeal and submit your school waiver.

My best guess is that she is ignorant of the law. As I mentioned, I do not believe that most of my coworkers are aware of the exemption. When I have mentioned it to them, they have acted surprised. I would appeal. If your state allows for a personal exemption from school, then public assistance should as well. If you lived somewhere that only allowed for medical exemptions, then I can see where the state's public assistance rules might be stricter.