General Relief Assistance (GRA)
Alaska's General Relief Assistance (GRA) program pre-dates statehood and was created during a period when federally-funded assistance programs were not as extensive as they are today. As the scope of major assistance programs administered by the state expanded, the GRA program became more limited in terms of the programs qualifying standards for eligibility and the amount of financial aid provided by the program. Despite the increase in alternative assistance programs and resources, the GRA program remains an integral part of the safety net provided by Alaska's welfare system. GRA provides for the most basic needs of many Alaskans without the personal resources to meet an emergent need and are not eligible for assistance through other assistance programs offered by the state.
GRA is designed to meet the immediate, basic needs of Alaskans facing extreme financial crisis. Examples of basic needs include shelter and utilities. Under limited circumstances, GRA can provide assistance for clothing, transportation and food for those not eligible to receive food stamps. Limited medical care can be provided and there is limited funding to provide a dignified burial for the indigent.
Eligibility for General Relief Assistance is always determined on a month-to-month basis. Applicants must demonstrate and verify an unmet emergent need in the month of application that can be satisfied by GRA. GRA payments are always made to vendors who can provide the needed services.
The GR program is 100% state-funded. The program is designed to be used as a last resort for financially eligible individuals and families who have exhausted all other possible resources. It is the responsibility of each DPA case manager to insure that all possible resources and alternative forms of assistance have been explored prior to approving applications for GRA.
While funding for the GR program has been stable for the past several years, last year funding for the GRA component was cut in half. A transfer of funds from the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation was needed to retain the integrity of GR rental assistance
CASELOAD
There has been a marked reduction in the GRA caseload since 1990. In 1990, the average monthly GRA caseload was approximately 480 cases. By 1997 the average monthly caseload had dropped to about 220 cases statewide. Applications for rental assistance comprise the bulk of the GRA caseload. However, requests for GRA rental assistance dropped from a monthly average of 460 cases in 1990 to fewer than 180 cases per month in 1997. While DPA is still in the process of collecting demographic information on the GRA caseload, preliminary research indicates that well over 50% of the GRA caseload is in Anchorage and that most GRA households receiving rental assistance households are made up of adult males.
As a result of the drop in caseload, the average monthly GRA expenditure has gone from approximately $100,000 in 1990 to less than $80,000 in 1997. This relatively modest decrease in GRA expenditures is largely the result of an annual rise in burial assistance requests and a steady increase in the costs of indigent burials. For example, in 1990 the average cost for a GR Burial was about $880, in 1997 the average burial cost over $1,500.
Many GRA applicants also receive assistance from other safety-net programs administered by DPA. A significant number of GR rental assistance recipients receive Interim Assistance (IA) while waiting for a disability decision from the Social Security Administration. Most IA recipients accessing the GRA program also receive food stamps and, because IA does not provide medical coverage, many of them receive General Relief Medical to meet emergent medical needs.
POLICY ISSUES
Except for relatively minor shifts in program policy, the GRA program has changed little since its inception. Individuals and families that access the program continue to represent one of Alaska's most needy and vulnerable populations. They are often marginal members of the community and may have a variety of significant barriers that preclude successful participation in mainstream society.
Even though the GRA caseload has been declining in recent years, the steady growth in the Adult Public Assistance (APA) caseload and the associated increase in Interim Assistance applications, indicates there will be an on-going need for GRA. Also of concern is the anticipated need for emergency safety-net services for families who have used up their 60 months of Temporary Assistance but have not achieved self-sufficiency.
The Division of Public Assistance recognizes the need to redesign the GRA program so it continues to furnish emergency services, but also provides GRA recipients with access to alternative services and resources that reduce or eliminate repetitive use of the program. As part of the GRA re-design, DPA will explore new partnerships with state agencies and community organizations that also serve the GRA recipients.