Introduced Version






HOUSE

RESOLUTION No. ___




Introduced by: Welch


____________________________________




    A HOUSE RESOLUTION urging state agencies to use the Self-Sufficiency Standard when counseling individuals who seek assistance, education, training, or employment.
    
    Whereas, The poverty guidelines as measured by the federal government do not adequately reflect the cost of living in Indiana;

    Whereas, The Self-Sufficiency Standard documents the cost of living that families of different sizes must meet to live independently without public or private assistance;

    Whereas, The Self-Sufficiency Standard shows that, for most families, earnings that are above the official poverty guidelines or earnings that are high enough to disqualify them from welfare are nevertheless far below what they need to meet their families' basic needs;

    Whereas, The Self-Sufficiency Standard is currently

being used to better understand issues of income adequacy, to analyze policy, and to help individuals striving for self-sufficiency; and

    Whereas, Dr. Diana Pearce has developed and calculated the Self-Sufficiency Standard for 70 different family types in each county in Indiana: Therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives

of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana,

the Senate concurring:

    SECTION 1. That the Indiana House of Representatives urges state agencies to use the Self-Sufficiency Standard when counseling individuals who seek assistance, education, training, or employment, including:
        (1) during financial planning, in order to help clients evaluate strategies to reach self-sufficient wages;
        (2) during career counseling, to help participants make choices among various occupations and jobs; and
        (3) when helping clients set a budget, to demonstrate the real costs of becoming economically independent.





DR 4835/DI ib

2011


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