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.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom