A woman living in Norman is unable to work due to a disability that causes her shoulder to dislocate chronically. Somehow she manages to make ends meet, but she is sometimes forced to visit a food bank when the going gets tough. Unfortunately, it looks like tough times are ahead for this Norman native, and it’s all thanks to the state’s second revenue failure.
Why Is Oklahoma DHS Cutting Disability Services?
A drop in oil prices has caught the Oklahoma state government off guard for the second time this fiscal year, and it’s causing chaos for the people of our state. Lawmakers announced a 7 percent decrease in spending on top of the 3 percent that was already cut in January. This has forced many departments to tighten their belts, and in some cases people have been let go from their positions. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services is just one of the agencies suffering under the sudden budgetary constraints.
How Will DHS Slash Its Budget?
In an effort to make their share of the $235 million in state agency cuts, DHS has reduced 1,200 positions outside of child welfare services, and they have put supplemental disability payments on delay until July. The news comes as a sting to thousands of families around the state, and many don’t know what they are going to do.
The DHS disability supplement program provides an average of around $36.73 a month to 88,190 people, and though it may not seem like much, it can mean the difference between having food in the refrigerator and having to pay a visit to the food bank. The woman from Norman doesn’t know how she is going to make it for the next three months, but she has little other options during this dry spell.
Our state’s social programs are at the mercy of budgetary needs, but some federal programs may be able to help in times like this. Consult an experienced Oklahoma disability attorney to find out if there are any programs to help you in difficult times.
A message brought to you by the Tulsa disability attorneys at Troutman & Troutman.
