California Considers Welfare Drug-Screening Law Proposed by Disabled Teen

[ember]

From the link below...


California lawmakers will weigh a bill that will require welfare applicants to be screened for drugs after a teen — disabled by his own mother's prenatal drug use — won a contest sponsored by his local assemblyman, The Desert Sun reports.

R.J. Feild, a sophomore with spastic triplegic cerebral palsy, won Assemblyman John J. Benoit's "There Ought to Be a Law" contest with a 500-word essay about his own life — born at 2 pounds, 2 ounces with traces of heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine and alcohol in his body, the paper reports.

Feild's mother used alcohol and drugs while she was pregnant and on public assistance, the paper said.

rest at link:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,322605,00.html


I totally support this idea and think it should be nation wide.
I sure don't want to pay for their drug use!
And if it keeps children from suffering due to their parent's selfishness, I say let's do it!

I love that this young man is trying to make something positive out of the unfortunate situation his mother put him in. Bless him!

And may it pass!

 

[Spazkat9696]

Sounds good to me, but the ACLU will say it's a violation of privacy.

 

[bakerprune64]

I would vote yes, and I work in welfare!

 

[ember]

Sounds good to me, but the ACLU will say it's a violation of privacy.

Screw the ACLU! :razz:
:silenced: ...Did I say that? :blushing:
I know the ACLU has a few good purposes, but for the most part, imo, they do more harm than good.

 

[deanws]

I support this too!!!! Poor kid. May his idea be seriously considered.

 

[Jen_in_Indy]

:clap: :clap: :clap:
Best idea I've heard of in a long time. And the ACLU really doesn't have a case. It's no different than having to get drug-tested for a job. I would LOVE to see this go in effect here in Indiana.

 

[Amraann]

Excellent!!!

Now I know some have read my reply on the Real ID thread and know that I am very opposed to people losing their freedoms, privacy and rights ...
However, my views on that only pertain to Law abiding citizens.

If your a criminal I don't care that the government puts a tracking chip in you..
If you expect the rest of the country to pay for your bad choices and in many cases lack of desire to work then I say you have no right to be using drugs.

 

[GlitchWizard]

I have often thought drug screening for welfare recipients would be the way to go - but crackhead babies need food, too. There would have to be a separate "welfare" for babies of druggies. I'm thinking the majority of welfare recipients would not pass the test. Then what? You can't take the babies from the druggies - there aren't enough families for the babies now, and what if the drug of choice is prescription misuse, or pot rather than crack. It would certainly take someone paying ATTENTION to detail to get this to work.

 

[txsvicki]

I don't agree that most welfare recipients are on drugs since there are single parents, students, widows, lower wage workers, unemployed, disabled, temporarily ill, mentally ill,grandparents raising grandchildren, and elderly that also need help. If this boy's Mom hadn't been on public assistance, he might have also been malnourished, no prenatal care at all, and born with some STD if she had to turn to hooking during pregnancy. They ought to make it serious prison time if a parent loses their kids due to drugs or neglect. I don't think the need to simply have help with food should require drug testing if a person qualifies based on assets and income.

 

[CW]

I agree but if they take this step into law then they need to make sure that people who are on walfare are given a birth control shots monthly so that while they are going through hard times they can't bring another innocent child into the world. JMO

 

[pedinurse]

you wouldn't take away the public assistance (they do need to eat) but probably provide counseling or rehab - mandatory. and possibly take the babe away.
i'm all for it.

 

[Filly]

It may seem ideal, but it will never pass. How often would the people be screened? What if you are initially not an addict or alcoholic originally when you get benefits, but are later? Will it only be when ya get the check for the next child? Will men be screened as well? People beat drug tests when they go to their parole officers. Can ya just imagine how that would all go down at the welfare office? Bless that young man though. Good essay.

 

[pedinurse]

Filly, I have to say I am with you... on the fact that it will never pass. While I think it has a great meaning, I think the reason it is being done is to prove a point, but it will never be done. :-(

 

[imthemom]

I think this should be done in every state. I know a friend of mine who owned a little grocery in a very bad part of town. He use to give people cash in exchange for money from their link cards. He would give them like 25 dollars for 50 dollars from their link card. Guess what they used the cash for drugs and alcohol while they had no money left on the card for a whole month to feed their children.

 

[angelmom]

I have often thought drug screening for welfare recipients would be the way to go - but crackhead babies need food, too. There would have to be a separate "welfare" for babies of druggies. I'm thinking the majority of welfare recipients would not pass the test. Then what? You can't take the babies from the druggies - there aren't enough families for the babies now, and what if the drug of choice is prescription misuse, or pot rather than crack. It would certainly take someone paying ATTENTION to detail to get this to work.

Maybe there would be fewer of these babies on drugs though. Some people would never start using if they knew they would lose their check. Some people would actually try to get help quitting. Maybe the birth control shots could be offered free when they get the drug screening/fill out forms for welfare. I don't see how you could force people to take them, but lots would accept them if they were already there and it was free.

Forcing people to pick up a check in person - maybe not every time but every so often - gives you a captive audience for education and screening. They could offer the ID cards that the ACLU thinks is so unfair to require for voting! They could have free health screenings like they do at churches and schools all over the country. It would also reduce fraud and be an early warning system for abuse and neglect.

Plus, it would create jobs for those who "graduate" from the program. Starting with being clerks and working their way up to peer counseling for those trying to get off welfare and find a job.

 

[GlitchWizard]

I don't agree that most welfare recipients are on drugs since there are single parents, students, widows, lower wage workers, unemployed, disabled, temporarily ill, mentally ill,grandparents raising grandchildren, and elderly that also need help. If this boy's Mom hadn't been on public assistance, he might have also been malnourished, no prenatal care at all, and born with some STD if she had to turn to hooking during pregnancy. They ought to make it serious prison time if a parent loses their kids due to drugs or neglect. I don't think the need to simply have help with food should require drug testing if a person qualifies based on assets and income.

I guess I meant the long term users of the welfare system - the generations of families, not the ones using the system for it's intent. I am a single mom and was on welfare for three months while I got a divorce and a job. I didn't use drugs. When I was picking up my food stamps in person, I saw a long line of people who didn't look like they needed any money - they had tons of gold jewelry, the fanciest baby clothes and expensive clothing, cell phones, etc. They looked like they were strung out, though. It didn't seem to me that there were any people in my position. It looked like a "welfare generation" to me. That's where I get my opinion from.

The elderly on welfare would pop positive if they take any sort of opiate pain reliever, too. It's a hard call you'd have to micromanage for it not to cause more problems.

 

[Mr. E]

I think this should be done in every state. I know a friend of mine who owned a little grocery in a very bad part of town. He use to give people cash in exchange for money from their link cards. He would give them like 25 dollars for 50 dollars from their link card. Guess what they used the cash for drugs and alcohol while they had no money left on the card for a whole month to feed their children.

I thought you weren't supposed to do this? I was on welfare years ago when my husband and I were first starting out. They had just started using the card at that time; I recall it being like a debit card -- no cash was ever given.

Welfare should be a stepping stone, not a generational thing. But I have lots of students who have come from a long line of welfare recipients.

I think the teen's idea is a good one. I wish all the states would do this. I also wish more jobs would do this. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that even professionals -- doctors, lawyers, teachers, pilots -- were checked carefully for drug use?

 

[GlitchWizard]

I thought you weren't supposed to do this? I was on welfare years ago when my husband and I were first starting out. They had just started using the card at that time; I recall it being like a debit card -- no cash was ever given.

Welfare should be a stepping stone, not a generational thing. But I have lots of students who have come from a long line of welfare recipients.

I think the teen's idea is a good one. I wish all the states would do this. I also wish more jobs would do this. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that even professionals -- doctors, lawyers, teachers, pilots -- were checked carefully for drug use?

Yes. School bus drivers most especially.

 

[imthemom]

I thought you weren't supposed to do this? I was on welfare years ago when my husband and I were first starting out. They had just started using the card at that time; I recall it being like a debit card -- no cash was ever given.

Welfare should be a stepping stone, not a generational thing. But I have lots of students who have come from a long line of welfare recipients.

I think the teen's idea is a good one. I wish all the states would do this. I also wish more jobs would do this. Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that even professionals -- doctors, lawyers, teachers, pilots -- were checked carefully for drug use?

Your not supposed to do that but it is done. They started using the card because people would sell the paper food stamps. Now they just give it to someone to use and bring it back or like the above situation I stated. I know my uncle does this, he will pay someone 50 dollars to get 100 dollars of food on their card. Its rather sad because when the money is gone on the card how are they going to feed their children. I know some people that owed the store owner so much, he would cash out their whole link card the day they got it leaving them with no money on it for a month.