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101-587: According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 38.4% of the district's pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012. In 2009, the residents' per capita income was $ 16,400, while the median family income was $ 41,919 a year. In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $ 49,501 and

202-651: A Full-income Poverty Rate based on President Johnson's standards fell from 19.5 percent to 2.3 percent over the 1963–2017 period. The highest poverty rates in the United States are in the U.S. territories ( American Samoa , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands ). American Samoa has the lowest per capita income in the United States — it has a per capita income comparable to that of Botswana . In 2010, American Samoa had

303-416: A couple (as of 2020) to help meet the costs of basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing. In most states, SSI eligibility usually assures concurrent access to important medical coverage under the various state Medicaid programs and sometimes access to Section 8 housing benefits. In some states, supplemental payments are made by the state, increasing the cash assistance available through SSI. For example,

404-419: A disability only if the physical or mental impairment or impairments are of such severity that the individual is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy. This is regardless of whether any of these are true: "The statute also specifies that 'work which exists in

505-414: A family of four—and then update this threshold every year and according to geographic location. This alternative measure of poverty would also change the income calculation for a family, including certain non-cash benefits that satisfied "basic needs" such as food stamps and public housing while excluding "non-basic needs" such as medical costs and child care. The work of the panel led to the development of

606-452: A felony or violating probation or parole are statutorily prohibited from receiving SSI or Title II Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration interpreted the statutes broadly to include individuals whose names were matched against a warrant database. Some individuals lost benefits even though the warrant in question was for a different person. For others, the presence of a warrant did not necessarily mean that an individual

707-560: A legal resident of the United States before the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 took effect (August 22, 1996). Those who arrived after that date may be denied SSI benefits. However, the regulations governing alien eligibility for SSI are complex and contain many exceptions; for instance, asylees, refugees, spouses of a member of the U.S. military, and some LAPR may be qualified aliens. A person who has been in LAPR status for at least five years, has

808-445: A more accurate picture of the true extent of poverty in the United States by taking account of non-cash benefits and geographic variations. According to this new measure, 16% of Americans lived in poverty in 2011, compared with the official figure of 15.2%. With the new measure, one study estimated that nearly half of all Americans lived within 200% of the federal poverty line. According to American economist Sandy Darity, Jr. , "There

909-540: A partial SSI benefit (due to limited income and resources). The Social Security Administration treats an application for SSI to also be an application for any Social Security benefit for which the individual is eligible. In general, however, SSI differs from Social Security because SSI pays benefits to individuals who have limited income and resources. There is no requirement that the individual worked in Social Security covered employment. An application must be filed with

1010-573: A per capita income of $ 6,311. The county or county-equivalent with the lowest per capita income in the United States is the Manu'a District in American Samoa (per capita income of $ 5,441). In 2018, Puerto Rico had the lowest median household income of any state/territory in the United States ($ 20,166). Also in 2018, Comerío, Puerto Rico had a median household income of $ 12,812 — the lowest median household income of any county or county-equivalent in

1111-459: A persistently high poverty rate compared to other developed countries due in part to a less generous welfare system. Efforts to alleviate poverty include New Deal -era legislation during the Great Depression , to the national war on poverty in the 1960s and poverty alleviation efforts during the 2008 Great Recession . The federal government has two departments which measure poverty. Under

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1212-455: A socially decent minimum, even though its intention was to measure such a minimum. The issue of understating poverty is especially pressing in states with both a high cost of living and a high poverty rate such as California where the median home price in 2006 was $ 564,430. In the Monterey area , where the low-pay industry of agriculture is the largest sector in the economy and the majority of

1313-441: A substantial level, in the national economy. For child disability cases, SSA determines whether the child has "marked" or severe functional limitations. The initial decision as to whether an individual is disabled is made by the various state Disability Determination Services (DDS), which contract with the federal government and must follow federal rules regarding the definition of disability. Individuals denied disability benefits at

1414-479: A telephone-scheduled interview. Calls placed on the last day of the month, where the interview is scheduled for the second week of the following month, will result in SSI eligibility being retroactive to the month in which the call was made to set up the appointment, although the first check will not be received until the next month. For example, a person calls on 31 January to set up an appointment for February. January will be

1515-462: A two-week investigation on the effects of systemic poverty in the United States, and sharply condemned "private wealth and public squalor," declaring the state of Alabama to have the "worst poverty in the developed world." Alston's report was issued in May 2018 and highlights that 40 million people live in poverty and over five million live "in ' Third World ' conditions." According to a 2020 assessment by

1616-524: A valid Form I-551 ( Green card status ) issued by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration, and has been employed in the United States, may qualify. People wishing to learn whether they might qualify for SSI should contact the Social Security Administration to schedule an appointment for an interview. A person who is incarcerated for a calendar month is ineligible for benefits. If the person

1717-485: A variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program. The district is not a member of the Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference, which is a voluntary association of 28 PIAA High Schools within the central Pennsylvania region. The district funds: Boys: Girls: Boys: Girls: According to PIAA directory July 2017 Federal Poverty Level In

1818-752: Is a means-tested program that provides cash payments to disabled children, disabled adults, and individuals aged 65 or older who are citizens or nationals of the United States . SSI was created by the Social Security Amendments of 1972 and is incorporated in Title 16 of the Social Security Act . The program is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and began operations in 1974. Individuals or their helpers may start

1919-491: Is a "near-unanimous consensus among poverty researchers that the official poverty measure (OPM) in the United States is a disaster" primarily because of its failure to include all anti-poverty government benefits as income when calculating whether or not an individual is poor. The OPM includes governmental anti-poverty cash aid like Supplemental Security Income and Welfare but does not include non-cash aid like Food stamps , housing assistance , and Medicaid (health care for

2020-399: Is filed within 60 days of the date of that expressed intention. To begin the process, people wishing to be considered must contact Social Security (there is a toll-free telephone number ) to set up a disability interview. No online application for SSI is currently available; however, one may apply for Social Security Disability or Retirement benefits online and add the application for SSI via

2121-566: Is in a medical facility where at least 50% of their costs are paid by Medicaid, their benefit may be reduced to $ 30. Since Congress enacted "fugitive felons" and parole/probation violation provisions in 1996, the Social Security Administration has suspended benefits and charged overpayments to individuals receiving SSI on the basis of outstanding warrants. Enforcement of the provisions greatly increased in 2000, as SSA reached agreements with local law enforcement to match databases. Individuals who are fleeing to avoid prosecution or incarceration for

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2222-473: Is largely omitted from poverty statistics and national surveys, "which means there are millions more poor Americans than official statistics let on." Some critics assert that the official U.S. poverty definition is inconsistent with how it is defined by its own citizens and the rest of the world, because the U.S. government considers many citizens statistically impoverished despite their ability to sufficiently meet their basic needs. According to Vox , there

2323-465: Is no exact way of measuring poverty. The measures are contingent on how we conceive of and define poverty. Efforts to develop more refined measures have been dominated by researchers who intentionally want to provide estimates that reduce the magnitude of poverty." Matthew Desmond writes that the "overwhelming majority" of prisoners and former prisoners of the US prison system are extremely poor, and this group

2424-411: Is that the individual's resources be below a certain limit. This amount is $ 2,000 for an individual and $ 3,000 for an individual and their spouse (whether the spouse is eligible for SSI or not), $ 4,000 for a child applicant with one parent living in the household, and $ 5,000 for a child applicant with two parents living in the household. However, conditional benefits may be paid if a substantial portion of

2525-712: The CARES Act , dragged some eight million people into poverty. According to OECD, nearly 23 percent of American workers work in low-wage jobs, compared with 17 percent in Britain, 11 percent in Japan and 5 percent in Italy. In January 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 11.6 percent of the US population, or 37.9 million people, were living in poverty(using as an example a family of three earning less than $ 21,559). In his 2023 book Poverty, by America , sociologist Matthew Desmond writes that

2626-669: The Department of Commerce , the Census Bureau has been reporting the Official Poverty Measure (OPM) since the 1960s, while the Department of Health and Human Services defines income levels for which people are eligible for governmental anti-poverty assistance. The OPM includes cash assistance from programs like Supplemental Security Income and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (Welfare) as part of someone's income when reporting on how many people are in poverty. Since 2011

2727-607: The Social Security Administration . Orshansky introduced the poverty thresholds in a 1963 Social Security Bulletin article, "Children of the Poor." Orshansky based her thresholds on work she had done with the economy food plan while at the USDA . According to the USDA's 1955 Household Food Consumption Survey, families of three or more people spent one-third of their after-tax income on food. For these families, poverty thresholds were set at three times

2828-422: The United States , poverty has both social and political implications. In 2020, there were 37.9 million people in poverty. Some of the many causes include income, inequality, inflation, unemployment, debt traps and poor education. The majority of adults living in poverty are employed and have at least a high school education. Although the US is a relatively wealthy country by international standards, it has

2929-528: The "federal poverty level" (FPL), but the HHS discourages that term as ambiguous. In 1990, a Congressional committee requested the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a study on revising the poverty measure. The NRC convened a panel, which published a 1995 report Measuring Poverty: A New Approach that concluded that the official poverty measure in the United States is flawed. The panel noted that

3030-569: The "official" poverty measures. Unlike the poverty thresholds, and in line with the NRC recommendations, the SPM both includes certain non-cash benefits in a family's income and adjusts thresholds for differences in housing costs by geographic area. Additionally, the SPM thresholds are based on how much a "reference" family with two children spends on food, clothing, shelter, and utilities (FCSU). Many sociologists and government officials have argued that poverty in

3131-684: The "old poverty," as opposed to the "new poverty" that emerged after the onset of the Great Depression . During the Depression, the government did not provide any unemployment insurance , so people who lost jobs easily became impoverished. People who lost their jobs or homes lived in shantytowns or Hoovervilles . Many New Deal programs were designed to increase employment and reduce poverty. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration specifically focused on creating jobs for alleviating poverty. Jobs were more expensive than direct cash payments (called "the dole"), but were psychologically more beneficial to

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3232-494: The 2014–15 school year, 35 resident students chose to enroll in public, cyber charter schools , rather than attend the district's schools. The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit CSIU16 provides the district with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty. Line Mountain School District offers

3333-586: The 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands to receive SSI benefits. The Northern Mariana Islands became a U.S. territory in 1976 (after the SSI program began) and the covenant establishing its territorial status included eligibility for SSI. The territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for federal grants to support the "aged, blind, and disabled" but residents are not eligible for SSI. In April 2022,

3434-739: The Aid to the Blind, Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled, and Aid to the Elderly. These programs, which received federal funding, were created as part of the original Social Security Act of 1935. The Nixon administration thought these programs should be federalized and run by the Social Security Administration. Thus, SSI was created to eliminate the differences between the states including different disability standards and income and resources requirements, which many perceived as irrational or unfair. President Nixon signed

3535-495: The Census Bureau has also been reporting a newer Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which includes non-cash anti-poverty government assistance like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food stamps) and Medicaid (health care for the poor), and also accounts for regional differences in the cost of living. The SPM is considered a more comprehensive estimate of poverty. For 2021, the percentage of Americans in poverty per

3636-463: The Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance ( OASDI ) programs associated with Federal Insurance Contributions Act ( FICA ) payroll taxes. The initial benefit levels for SSI in 1972 were approximately the same as the average monthly benefit as a retired worker under the Social Security retirement benefits program. In August 1974, Congress established legislation to automatically increase SSI benefits by

3737-508: The Orshansky poverty thresholds for statistical, planning, and budgetary purposes in May 1965. Officials at the OEO were enthusiastic; as research director Joseph Kershaw remarked, "Mollie Orshansky says that when you have more people in the family, you need more money. Isn't that sensible?" Officials at the Social Security Administration began to plan on how to adjust poverty thresholds for changes in

3838-676: The People in London . Another social reformer, Jacob Riis , documented the living conditions of New York tenements and slums in his 1890 work How the Other Half Lives . A group especially vulnerable to poverty consisted of poor sharecroppers and tenant farmers in the South. These farmers consisted of around a fourth of the South's population, and over a third of these people were African Americans. Historian James T. Patterson refers to these people as

3939-522: The SPM was 7.8%, and per the OPM was 11.6%. By the OPM, the poverty threshold for 2021 for a single person was $ 13,800, and for a family of four was $ 27,700. In 2020, the World Bank reported that 0.25% of Americans lived below the international definition of extreme poverty , which is living on less than $ 2.15 per day in 2017 Purchasing Power Parity dollars. The SPM increased by 4.6% in 2022 to 12.4%, due to

4040-406: The Social Security Administration before an individual can receive SSI. Individuals or their helpers may start the application for SSI benefits by completing a short form on SSA's website. SSA staff will schedule an appointment for the individual or helper within 1–2 weeks and complete the process. Alternatively, individuals can apply for SSI by: In order to be eligible for SSI, a person must meet

4141-696: The Social Security Amendments of 1972 on October 30, 1972, which created the SSI Program. The SSI program officially began operations in January 1974 by federalizing states' programs, designating the Social Security Administration (SSA) to administer the SSI program. SSA was selected because it had been administering a nationwide adult disability program under the Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) program since 1956 for workers who are insured through their payroll deduction under

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4242-547: The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which was intended to address some of the weaknesses of the existing poverty guidelines. In October 2014, the Census Bureau released a report describing the SPM and stated its intention to publish SPM measures every year. However, SPM is intended to "supplement" the existing poverty thresholds, not "replace" them, as poverty thresholds will remain the "official" Census Bureau measure and poverty guidelines will be derived only from

4343-522: The Supreme Court ruled (in United States v. Vaello Madero ) that it is constitutional to exclude residents of Puerto Rico from the SSI program, as the territory does not pay most federal taxes. For adults who are married, SSA will sometimes pay a benefit based on a couple amount. This would occur if both members of a couple meet the categorical requirements of eligibility (for example, both members of

4444-515: The U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of Americans living in poverty for 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic ) had fallen to some of lowest levels ever recorded due to the record-long economic growth period and stood at 11.1% (adjusted for smaller response during the pandemic). However, between May and October 2020, the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic , and the exhaustion of the funding provided by

4545-545: The U.S. as having the second-highest relative child poverty rates in the developed world. As of June 2016 , the IMF warned the United States that its high poverty rate needs to be tackled urgently by raising the minimum wage and offering paid maternity leave to women to encourage them to enter the labor force. In December 2017, the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston , undertook

4646-482: The US having much higher poverty rates by comparison. There are several measures used by the U.S. federal government to measure poverty. The Census Bureau issues the poverty thresholds , which are generally used for statistical purposes —for example, to estimate the number of people in poverty nationwide each year and classify them by type of residence, race, and other social, economic, and demographic characteristics. The Department of Health and Human Services issues

4747-468: The US, and would not be available to the individual in the US. Several restrictions apply to the eligibility of aliens however. These include being in a "qualified alien" category and meeting an exception condition. There are seven categories of qualified aliens based on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration statuses. This includes: There are five exception conditions. These include: In order to qualify for SSI, an immigrant must have been

4848-426: The United States postulate that new and extreme forms of poverty have emerged in the U.S. as a result of neoliberal structural adjustment policies and globalization , which have rendered economically marginalized communities as destitute "surplus populations" in need of control and punishment. Many international bodies have emphasized the issues of poverty that the United States faces. A 2013 UNICEF report ranked

4949-435: The United States is understated, meaning that there are more households living in actual poverty than there are households below the poverty threshold. A study taken in 2012 estimated that roughly 38% of Americans live "paycheck to paycheck." In 1969, the Bureau of Labor Statistics put forward suggested budgets for adequate family living. 60% of working-class Americans lived below the "intermediate" budget, which allowed for

5050-688: The United States median family income was $ 49,445, in 2010. In Northumberland County, the median household income was $ 41,208 in 2014. By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $ 52,100. In 2014, the median household income in the USA was $ 53,700. Line Mountain School District was formed in 1966, when the Pennsylvania School District Reorganization Act of 1963 mandated the merger of Mahanoy Joint School District and Trevorton School District. The first class graduated from Line Mountain in 1967. The new district adopted

5151-432: The United States. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Guam had a poverty rate of 22.9%, the Northern Mariana Islands had a poverty rate of 52.3%, and the U.S. Virgin Islands had a poverty rate of 22.4% (all higher than any U.S. state). In 2018, Puerto Rico had a poverty rate of 43.1%. In 2017, American Samoa had a poverty rate of 65% — the highest poverty rate of any state or territory in the United States. As of 2018,

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5252-446: The United States; exceptions apply for children of military parents who were born overseas, were disabled or became blind overseas, or first applied for benefits overseas and for students studying abroad who were eligible for SSI in the month prior to leaving the US, whose absence will be for less than one year, and who are studying to enhance their ability to perform substantial gainful activity, sponsored by an educational institution in

5353-477: The absence of legislative changes. With SSI income and other sources of family income, about 42 percent of persons on SSI are poor. Historians Edward D. Berkowitz and Larry DeWitt argue that, while "critics often accused the U.S. social welfare system of skewing benefits toward the middle class, rather than the truly needy", SSI successfully targeted benefits to economically vulnerable groups such as minorities. In 2020, African Americans made up about 28 percent of

5454-1185: The adult SSI population (about 13.4 percent of the overall U.S. population is African American). Among SSI recipients 75 or older, 18 percent are Asian American, 20 percent are African American, and 20 percent are Hispanic. Disabled children have been categorically eligible for SSI since the program's beginning. Sullivan v. Zebley was a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1990 that led to additional children qualifying for SSI based on disability. Brian Zebley had brain damage at birth, resulting in mental and physical problems including visual problems and partial paralysis. The Supreme Court found that SSA improperly denied him benefits and concluded that SSA must consider how health impairments affect functioning in children when making disability decisions. A study in 2020 found that, relative to other children, SSI child beneficiaries have "high rates of poverty, near poverty, material hardship, hospitalization, mortality, and adverse schooling outcomes". A study in 2019 found that infant mortality rates for SSI child applicants are about five times that of all children. Although there are some exceptions, generally individuals must reside in one of

5555-467: The age of 18 can be determined to be disabled for SSI purposes "if the individual has a medically determinable impairment or combination of impairments that causes marked or severe functional limitation(s), and can be expected to result in death, or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months." Blind – Being deemed blind consists of meeting the following definition: "central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in

5656-443: The application for SSI benefits by completing a short form on SSA's website. SSA staff will schedule an appointment for the individual or helper within one to two weeks and complete the process. SSI was created to replace federal-state adult assistance programs that served the same purpose, but were administered by the state agencies and received criticism for lacking consistent eligibility criteria. The restructuring of these programs

5757-474: The better eye with the use of a correcting lens. An eye which has a limitation in the field of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees should also be considered as having a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less." In addition, for SSI purposes, an individual is considered blind regardless of the period of time they are expected to be blind or if they are performing substantial gainful activity. One of

5858-524: The blue-and-gold school colors of Mahanoy Joint, later adding the red used by Trevorton. In 2007, the state conducted a study to examine the gains to be made through the consolidation of the Line Mountain School District into neighboring Millersburg Area School District . The study noted that consolidation could significantly decrease school administrative costs for the communities while significantly improving offerings to students. The report

5959-462: The cost of the economy food plan. Different procedures were used for calculating poverty thresholds for two-person households and persons living alone. Her work appeared at an opportune moment, as President Johnson declared the War on Poverty just six months later—and Orshansky's work offered a numerical way to measure progress in this effort. The newly formed Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) adopted

6060-531: The costs of housing, health insurance and medical care , transportation, and access to basic telecommunications take a much larger bite out of the family's income than a half century ago, yet none of these costs are considered in determining the official poverty thresholds. According to John Schwarz, a political scientist at the University of Arizona: The official poverty line today is essentially what it takes in today's dollars, adjusted for inflation, to purchase

6161-534: The couple are disabled according to the program's definition of disability). In these cases, the benefit payable to a couple is smaller than the combined benefits payable to two individuals in order to take account of the fact that two people living together can live more economically than if each lived alone. However, the reduced SSI couple benefit applies only to those who are legally married, which gives beneficiaries an incentive not to marry. In order to receive SSI benefits, individuals must apply for benefits and meet

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6262-489: The definition of being aged, disabled, or blind. Aged – Being deemed aged consists of attaining the age of 65 or older. In some cases benefits can be claimed at the age of 62. The Social Security Administration, like the United States Government in general, follows English common law and considers a person to attain an age the day before their birthday. Disabled – Being deemed disabled consists of meeting

6363-484: The early 1960s. The thresholds were based on the cost of a food basket at the time, multiplied by three, under the assumption that the average family spent one-third of its income on food. However, the poverty line only takes into account food purchases that were common more than 50 years ago. It assumes that Americans spend one third of their income on food; in fact, Americans typically spent less than one tenth of their after-tax income on food in 2000. For many families,

6464-429: The eligibility section. The Social Security Administration (SSA) indicates that their "greatest payment accuracy challenges occur within the SSI program." Further, the agency notes administering "the SSI program is complicated by the statutory requirement for us to determine SSI eligibility and calculate SSI payments on a monthly basis." Because payment accuracy is sometimes the result of "program requirements themselves",

6565-449: The ending of pandemic stimulus payments and tax credits, with around 15.3 million Americans falling into poverty over this time period according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities . The 2020 assessment by the U.S. Census Bureau showed the percentage of Americans living in poverty for 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic ) had fallen to some of the lowest levels ever recorded due to

6666-447: The first day of the month unless that day is on a weekend or legal holiday, in which case the payment is made on the first day prior that is not a weekend or legal holiday. The minimum benefit is one dollar. When benefits start Social Security determines the first month of potential eligibility for SSI by the date of the intent to file an application for benefits as expressed to the Social Security Administration , and an application

6767-407: The following requirements: For eligibility based on age, applicants must establish they are 65 or older. For eligibility based on disability, applicants must provide evidence they meet the Social Security Administration's definition of disability. With regard to adult disability cases, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines whether an individual has a disability that prevents working, at

6868-436: The following: It assumes, for example, that the family will own: ... A toaster that will last for 33 years. ... A vacuum cleaner that will last 14 years. The budget assumes that a family will buy a two-year-old car and keep it for four years... Finally, the budget allows nothing whatever for savings. Given that the "intermediate" budget was fairly modest, observers questioned whether poverty levels were really capturing

6969-563: The full extent of prosperity, challenging the long-established view that most Americans had attained an affluent standard of living in the two decades following the end of the Second World War. There have also been criticism of the methodology used to develop the U.S. poverty thresholds in the first place. The poverty thresholds used by the US government were originally developed during the Johnson administration's War on Poverty initiative in

7070-467: The general disability definition used by the Social Security Administration to be eligible for SSDI: "Disability means inability to engage in any SGA [substantial gainful activity] by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death, or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months." "The 1967 amendments specified that workers shall be determined to be under

7171-454: The initial level have appeal rights. Appealed cases may be heard by administrative law judges , SSA's Appeals Council, and the federal courts. In some cases, individuals may be eligible for Social Security benefits and SSI benefits. For example, a disabled individual who worked in Social Security covered employment and who has limited income and resources may receive a Social Security disability benefit (due to employment prior to disability) and

7272-517: The limit through investing in excluded resources, they will remain eligible. Excluded resources are resources such as: household goods, personal effects, up to one vehicle, and the home the applicant lives in. An individual's monthly benefit will be calculated by subtracting their "countable income" from the maximum benefit amount. "Countable income" is an individual's income after applying any appropriate exclusions. It includes earned, unearned, in-kind, and deemed income. Payments for SSI are made on

7373-522: The limits were raised to $ 1,800 and $ 2,700, in 1988, to $ 1,900 and $ 2,850, and, in 1989, to $ 2,000 and $ 3,000. Under current law they will remain at present levels indefinitely. The one exception to the general asset limit is the ABLE account , which was established with the signing into law of the ABLE Act of 2014 (standing for Achieving a Better Life Experience Act) on December 19, 2014, This tax-advantaged account

7474-402: The maximum SSI benefit will continue to decline relative to benefit levels in the Social Security program. The maximum SSI benefit in 2020 for an individual ($ 783) is below the federal poverty standard for an individual in the United States (about $ 1,084 per month) Because both the SSI amount and the poverty standard are indexed to price inflation, this will continue to be true in the future, in

7575-488: The month-of-application for determination purposes, but the first benefit check will be issued in February. Medicaid benefits usually begin the first month in which medical and financial requirements are met. Eligibility during waiting period People who have qualified for Social Security disability benefits may receive SSI during the five-month waiting period if they meet the income and resource requirements specified above in

7676-464: The national economy means work which exists in significant numbers either in the region where such individuals live or in several regions of the country.'" Substantial gainful activity (SGA), for 2021, is the ability to earn $ 1,310 gross income in a month's period for most disabled individuals. For legally blind individuals, the SGA is $ 2,190, but applies only to SSDI and not SSI. In addition, children under

7777-413: The number of thresholds from 124 to 48, poverty thresholds have remained static for the past fifty years despite criticism that the thresholds may not be completely accurate. Although the poverty thresholds assumes that the average household of three spends one-third of its budget on food, more recent surveys have shown that that number has decreased to one-fifth in the 1980s and one-sixth by the 1990s. If

7878-423: The poor). Since 2011, the Census Bureau has started publishing the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which factors these non-cash benefits into the calculation, along with regional differences in cost of living, and is widely seen as a more comprehensive measure. Burkhauser et al. find that accounting for cash income, taxes, and major in-kind transfers and updating poverty thresholds for inflation show that

7979-464: The population lacks a college education, the median home price was $ 723,790, requiring an upper middle class income only earned by roughly 20% of all households in the county. Such fluctuations in local markets are, however, not considered in the federal poverty threshold and may leave many who live in poverty-like conditions out of the total number of households classified as poor. The Supplemental Poverty Measure, introduced in 2011, aims at providing

8080-519: The poverty guidelines for administrative purposes—for instance, to determine whether a person or family is eligible for assistance through various federal programs. Both the poverty thresholds and poverty guidelines are updated yearly. More recently, the Census Bureau has begun using the Supplemental Poverty Measure as an additional statistic to measure poverty and supplement the existing measures. The poverty income thresholds originate from work done by Mollie Orshansky , an American economist working for

8181-410: The poverty issue. The War on Poverty embraced expanding the federal government's roles in education and health care as poverty reduction strategies, and many of its programs were administered by the newly established Office of Economic Opportunity . The War on Poverty coincided with more methodological and precise statistical versions of studying poverty; the "official" U.S. statistical measure of poverty

8282-512: The poverty rate in the United States has not improved in half a century, with 11% of the population living in poverty in 2019, compared to 12% in 1970. Social scientist Mark Robert Rank writes in 2023 that the last four decades has seen a retrenchment of the social safety net, with a reduction in eligibility and amount of benefits transferred. This, along with the failure of the US to provide universal child care, medical insurance and other social benefits as done in peer countries, has resulted in

8383-494: The poverty thresholds were recalculated based on the share of household budgets taken by food costs as of 2008, the economy food budget multiplier would have been 7.8 rather than 3, greatly increasing the thresholds. The poverty guidelines are a version of the poverty thresholds used by federal agencies for administrative purposes, such as determining eligibility for federal assistance programs. They are useful because poverty thresholds for one calendar year are not published until

8484-410: The record-long period of economic growth. However, between May and October 2020, some eight million people were put into poverty due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ending of funds from the CARES Act . Catalyzed by Henry George 's 1873 book Progress and Poverty , public interest in how poverty could arise even in a time of economic progress arose in the 19th century with

8585-534: The requirements to receive SSI is that the individual's income must be below certain limits. These limits may vary based on the state in which the individual lives, living arrangements, the number of people living in the residence, and the type of income. Not all income is counted when determining an individual's "countable income" for SSI eligibility purposes. Certain payments such as: grants, scholarships, SNAP benefits, home energy assistance, and small infrequent payments are not included. Another requirement for SSI

8686-512: The resources are considered non-liquid, resources that cannot be sold within 20 working days, if they agree to sell the resources at their current market value within a specified period and repay the money after the non-liquid property is sold. However, not all actual resources are counted in calculating an individual's or couple's resources for SSI purposes. The resource limits were originally set at $ 1,500 for an individual and $ 2,500 for couples in 1974, and were not linked to inflation. In 1987,

8787-683: The rise of the Progressive movement. The Progressive American social survey began with the publication of Hull House Maps and Papers in 1895. This study included essays and maps collected by Florence Kelley and her colleagues working at Hull House and staff of the United States Bureau of Labor . It focused on studying the conditions of the slums in Chicago, including four maps color-coded by nationality and income level, which were based on Charles Booth 's earlier pioneering work, Life and Labour of

8888-499: The same percentage and at the same time as Social Security retirement, survivors, and disability benefits. In 2020, the maximum SSI benefit for an individual ($ 783) was about 52 percent of the average monthly benefit of retired workers ($ 1,503) in the Social Security retirement benefits program. Although both Social Security and SSI benefits are adjusted for price inflation, initial Social Security benefits are computed by using wage indexing. Because wages tend to grow faster than prices,

8989-426: The same poverty-line level of living that was appropriate to a half century ago, in 1955 .... Updated thereafter only for inflation, the poverty line lost all connection over time with current consumption patterns of the average family. Quite a few families then didn't have their own private telephone, or a car, or even a mixer in their kitchen... The official poverty line has thus been allowed to fall substantially below

9090-459: The school board voted to close both Dalmatia Elementary School and Leck Kill Elementary School at the end of the 2012–13 school year. The district moved all elementary students to the renovated Trevorton Elementary School, which was renamed Line Mountain Elementary School. High school students may choose to attend Northumberland County Career Technology Center for training in the trades. For

9191-578: The standard of living. The Bureau of the Budget resisted these changes, but formed an interagency committee that, in 1969, decided that poverty thresholds would be adjusted for inflation by being tied to the Consumer Price Index , rather than changes in the standard of living. In August 1969, the Bureau of the Budget designated these revised thresholds as the federal government's official definition of poverty. Apart from minor changes in 1981 that changed

9292-434: The state of California (through its State Supplementation Program or SSP) increases the cash assistance, making the total 2020 SSI benefit for an individual $ 943.72 per month. Amount calculation SSI takes the income and resources of the applicant or recipient into consideration when calculating their benefit amount. Resources are determined at the first of the month. If an individual reduces their countable resources below

9393-597: The state with the lowest poverty rate was New Hampshire (7.6% poverty rate). Other states with low poverty rates in 2018 include Hawaii (8.8% poverty rate), Maryland (9.0% poverty rate), and Minnesota (9.6% poverty rate). Among U.S. states, Mississippi had the highest poverty rate in 2018 (19.7% poverty rate), followed by Louisiana (18.65%), New Mexico (18.55%) and West Virginia (17.10%). Among married couple families: 5.8% lived in poverty. This number varied by race and ethnicity as follows: Supplemental Security Income Supplemental Security Income ( SSI )

9494-527: The summer of the next calendar year; poverty guidelines, on the other hand, allow agencies to work with more timely data. Poverty guidelines were issued by the OEO starting in December 1965. After the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 , responsibility for issuing the guidelines was transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services . Poverty guidelines are also referred to as

9595-405: The thresholds are the same irrespective of geography and stated that due to "rising living standards in the United States, most approaches for developing poverty thresholds (including the original one) would produce higher thresholds today than the current ones." Additionally, the report suggested an alternative measure of poverty, which uses actual expenditure data to develop a threshold value for

9696-569: The unemployed, who wanted any sort of job for morale. Other New Deal initiatives that aimed at job creation and wellbeing included the Civilian Conservation Corps and Public Works Administration . Additionally, the institution of Social Security was one of the largest factors that helped to reduce poverty. A number of factors helped start the national War on Poverty in the 1960s. In 1962, Michael Harrington 's book The Other America helped increase public debate and awareness of

9797-574: Was "fleeing," or that the individual had violated probation or parole. As a result of two legal cases ( Martinez v. Astrue and Clark v. Astrue ), the SSA may not suspend benefits based merely on the evidence that a warrant had been issued. Back benefits were owed to hundreds of thousands of recipients. The SSI program (or Title XVI of the Social Security Act 1611) provides monthly federal cash assistance of up to $ 914 for an individual and $ 1,371 for

9898-609: Was codified under the newly added Section 529A of the Internal Revenue Code. Details of the accounts, which officially came into effect once the Treasury Department issued enabling regulations and states passed legislation regarding account administration, are: SSI benefits are not paid solely to US citizens, but may also be paid to aliens legally residing in the United States. Conversely, citizens may find themselves ineligible because they do not currently reside within

9999-544: Was intended to standardize the eligibility requirements and level of benefits. Although administered by SSA, SSI is funded from the U.S. Treasury general funds , not the Social Security trust fund . As of July 2022, the program provides benefits to approximately five million Americans. The legislation creating the program was a result of President Richard Nixon 's effort to reform the nation's welfare programs. At that time, each state had somewhat different programs under

10100-510: Was not acted upon; instead, Millersburg Area School District chose to merge with adjoining Upper Dauphin Area School District . From the formation of the school district, four elementary schools served the district: West Cameron Elementary School, Leck Kill Elementary School, Dalmatia Elementary School, and Trevorton Elementary School. West Cameron Elementary School was closed in 2001. In August 2012, facing additional budget shortfalls,

10201-495: Was only adopted in 1969. In the 21st century, the Great Recession helped to raise the poverty levels again. As of 2009 , the number of people who were in poverty was approaching 1960s levels that led to the national War on Poverty. The 2010 census data shows that half the population qualifies as poor or low income, with one in five millennials living in poverty. Academic contributors to The Routledge Handbook of Poverty in

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