Pubdate: Wed, 05 Aug 2015 Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH) Copyright: 2015 The Columbus Dispatch Contact: http://www.dispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/93 Author: Catherine Candisky Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) BILL WOULD REQUIRE DRUG TESTS TO GET CASH AID Two Republican state legislators say they hope to help families and get drug users into treatment by requiring drug testing for Ohioans seeking public assistance. Reps. Tim Schaffer of Lancaster and Ron Maag of Lebanon said they will introduce legislation today to establish a drug-testing pilot program in three Ohio counties. "We've got to break this cycle of poverty and unemployment. We've got to make sure the kids and families are taken care of," Maag said at a Statehouse news conference on Tuesday. Schaffer said that a report released in April on reducing reliance on public assistance found substance abuse to be the leading barrier to economic independence. Under the bill, an adult applying for cash assistance would complete a drug screening or questionnaire. If a likelihood of drug use is detected, the person would be asked to take a drug test. Those testing positive for drug use would be referred to treatment and barred from receiving benefits for at least six months and until they could pass a drug test. Medicaid would cover treatment costs for those eligible for the tax-funded health-care coverage. For others, the state would provide up to $100,000 for treatment. Meanwhile, public assistance would be provided to their children; however, it would be given through a "protective payee," or guardian. "This helps people; it doesn't punish people," Maag said. "If you're on drugs, you're not going anywhere. If we can get you off drugs and get you employed and taking care of your family, you can come home at night and say 'I'm proud of what I did today.' " Schaffer said Crawford County has volunteered to participate, and two other counties will be selected. Ohio's cash-assistance rolls are at record lows. As of April, 15,644 adults received a monthly check. Children, who account for the majority of Ohio's 110,343 welfare recipients, would be exempt from drug testing. Advocates for the poor have argued that the bill, and similar legislation previously consider in the legislature, unfairly targets Ohioans in poverty and suggests that they are less likely than other citizens to be law-abiding. "There is some progress from previous versions of the bill; however, it's still a huge road block for people who need to receive public benefits," said Lisa Wurm, policy manager for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio Foundation. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 13 states have passed such drug-testing laws for applicants for or recipients of public assistance. Similar proposals have been introduced in 18 other states. Some states have reported that drug tests identified few users, raising questions about its cost-effectiveness. "Instead of pursuing common-sense solutions to decrease drug use, this legislation resorts to an all-too-familiar pattern of demonizing people who are already struggling to make ends meet," said Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron. Asked about suggestions from other critics that legislators also should be required to undergo drug testing, Maag said: "I have no problem with it." "I don't either," Schaffer added. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom