RANTS
Michigan welfare and drug testing: Should this be a law?
October 12th, 2007
I get tons of emails daily where people are crying about our state and local government and their lack of spending habits. One of the emails that bothers me the most is the one stating that recipients of Welfare should have to undergo drug testing in order to receive their monthly checks. The reason this bothers me is it should be a standard practice or common law already. Why are these people allowed to get a check for free and not have to prove they are drug free like the rest of us who go out and work for a living?
I know that most government workers have to undergo drug testing before they can get a job, and we all know how many different tests those of us who want to get a job in corporate America need to go through. Yet if I want to stay home, collect a welfare check and smoke a little refer on the side, then it’s no problem. Why should this be legal?
Apparently Michigan Legislatures had learned of this problem and created a law back in the late 90’s that would require those individuals who they thought might be using drugs to go before screening. If drug use was apparent after being interviewed by a professional, then they would be tested. Then the ACLU stepped in and protested the law saying it was unfair. They went on to say that if the state of Michigan wanted to test welfare recipients, they needed to show more proof as to why they needed to be tested. The ACLU alleged the policy violated the plaintiffs’ 4th Amendment rights because the testing was not "suspicion based." WTF does that mean?!?
So the State of Michigan is supposed to give out free money and no circumstances can be set to how and why you should receive this said money? I would think if the State is going to hand out our hard earned Tax dollars, then we should have a say in it. If someone wants to accept free money from the state, then they should have to abide by any rules the State sets forth. The first rule should be you have to show a reason you can not work, the second rule should be you have to take a mandatory drug test, if you don’t agree with either of these first two rules, then go find money else where. It’s really not that big of a deal. I’m not going to get in the argument about who deserves Welfare and who doesn’t, but you should have to show some sort of proof as to why you cant go earn a living like the rest of us. Be it a physical handicap or a mental one, I completely understand, but there are plenty of jobs to be had out there, most need to be looked for and not all are high paying, but they are out there.
If after you prove you can’t hold a job, or that you are currently working, yet your job does not allow you to live a normal lifestyle with a shelter over your head and food on your plate, then and only then should you be allowed to receive a welfare check.
Now is 2003, the State of Michigan and the ACLU came to an agreement and said they would start a pilot program where the State of Michigan could start testing recipients if they first went through a series of screening. This is taken from the States Website: Under the protocol agreed to by the parties, which would be implemented if a pilot project is started, Family Independence Program applicants and recipients would, in the pilot project, sign a release form allowing employers, the FIA, Michigan Works! Agency and court personnel to share drug test results and substance abuse assessment and treatment information.
Under the agreement, applicants and recipients in the pilot project would complete a substance abuse survey designed to identify individuals with barriers to building strong family relationships, or developing self-sufficiency, that may be related to substance abuse. Those identified individuals would be referred to a substance abuse professional. If the substance abuse professional suspects substance abuse, based on a standardized screening tool, the individual would be referred for a drug screening test and an assessment of need for treatment. Only those suspected by a professional to have a drug problem will be tested.
Basically what it says states is that the State of Michigan is going to reinstate a pilot program to waste a ton of our tax dollars by first interviewing welfare recipients before they would be able to test them. Why not just cut out the middle man doctor that is getting rich off the state and require them to take a drug test before they can receive any welfare money? Wouldn’t this be the easiest route and the most cost effective?
If this bothers you as much as it does me, then please send an email to the state and let them know. Stop forwarding the emails around unless you include this link and tell all your friends about this waste of tax dollars. We make the difference on where our tax dollars get spent, make your voice heard!!
http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-9202-118512--,00.html
Mailing Address
Department of Human Services
P.O. Box 30037
235 S. Grand Ave.
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Telephone: (517) 373-2035 Fax: (517) 335-6101
If you feel so inclined to do so, tear out this page and fax it to them so maybe they’ll know how mad we all are. If you want it in a Word Doc. Form, feel free to email me and I can email you the article that way.
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