New Rules For Substance Abusers On Welfare In El Paso County

[SuperiorDG]

Well let's see if this holds up. Great idea, but they will cry racism or some other BS.

People who are on welfare in El Paso County and abuse alcohol or drugs need to be ready to get treatment.

Beginning Monday welfare recipients suspected of substance abuse will have to comply with a treatment planhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png (http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/New-Rules-For-Substance-Abusers-On-Welfare-In-El-Paso-County-289834071.html#) to keep benefits.
People in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Familieshttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png (http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/New-Rules-For-Substance-Abusers-On-Welfare-In-El-Paso-County-289834071.html#) program will be screened by an addiction counselor if there’s a reasonable suspicion they’re not following the rules. If treatment is refused they will no longer be eligible for welfare.
An American Civil Liberties Union representative says the policy amounts to an invasion of privacy.

http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/New-Rules-For-Substance-Abusers-On-Welfare-In-El-Paso-County-289834071.html

[NFATrustGuy]

I LOVE THIS POLICY!!!

It's about damned time.

[mtnrider]

About damn time! I do see the race card comming out though so it will probably be short lived.

[beast556]

This should already be on the books nation wide. If you wanna be a low life peice of shit no government money for you. Welfare should only be for a specific amount of time also , to help you get back on your feet.

[roberth]

This is GREAT news, I love it!!!

[Gman]

Wanna' live on our money? Then you get to live by our rules. Don't like it? Then become a self-sufficient contributing member of society.

[wctriumph]

We discussed this today in my Larimer county District Attorney community committee meeting today. They hope it holds up but, it was tried in FL recently and the FLSC said it was unconstitutional according to DA Riedel.

[CO Hugh]

Living off of someone else's work is slavery. Suck it Slave!!

[GunsRBadMMMMKay]

I don't understand how drug testing working people is ok but those potentially exploiting the system is invasion of privacy. Between work and having a CDL I've filled several watercoolers worth of cups lol.

I'm all for a random drug test policy for welfare, and with a reasonable suspicion clause.....kinda like most of us working class have to deal with. Probably wouldn't want it for disability/ssi but those collecting unemployment, foodstamps/welfare or whatever it's called, maybe even housing and bill assistance - pass a drug test when you get on assistance, be ready to be randomly called for tests while on assistance, and if your case worker or other related govt employee thinks your high "on the job" (ok, on the take) then you comply with policy or your out.

[Hound]

Without hearing the details..... Sounds good to me.

[kidicarus13]

Wanna' live on our money? Then you get to live by our rules. Don't like it? Then become a self-sufficient contributing member of society.
Thank you!

[muddywings]

Don't see how it's an invasion of privacy...they are not forced or need to take the welfare benefits. They have an option! No government boogie man is knocking on my door asking me to pee in a cup. yet

[HoneyBadger]

Wanna' live on our money? Then you get to live by our rules. Don't like it? Then become a self-sufficient contributing member of society.
WINNER!

[Brian]

Wanna' live on our money? Then you get to live by our rules. Don't like it? Then become a self-sufficient contributing member of society.

Some day I dream the world will work this way. Anxious to see how this turns out...

[WillysWagon]

I'm all for it !!

[Guylee]

I seem to remember seeing that they tried this somewhere else and the amount of people that came up hot was incredibly low-basically not nearly as many people on welfare are on illegal substances as you would think.


But in Tennessee, where drug testing was enacted for welfare recipients last month, only one person in the 800 who applied for help tested positive (http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/08/07/3468610/tennessee-welfare-drug-test-positive/). In Florida, during the four months the state tested for drug use, only 2.6% of applicants (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/us/florida-law-on-drug-testing-for-welfare-is-struck-down.html?_r=0) tested positive. Meanwhile, Florida has an illegal drug use rate of 8%, (http://tbo.com/ap/politics/welfare-drug-testing-yields--positive-results-252458)meaning far fewer people on services are using drugs than their better-off counterparts.

http://time.com/3117361/welfare-recipients-drug-testing/

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea and all, it's just that the whole "EVERYONE'S ON DRUGS!!!!" stigma is a little...overdone?

[mtnrider]

Another thing I would like to see is something along the lines of, "If your paying for groceries with food stamps and I see you drive away in a $50K Escalade your going to lose your privileges".

[DaBull]

I don't understand how drug testing working people is ok but those potentially exploiting the system is invasion of privacy.

How about this: We "pay" you a welfare check to not commit crimes and look for work, and have a drug test as a condition of employment. We also tax your "paycheck". You can always find a better job if you don't like your privacy being invaded. That's the problem with entitlements...you are entitled to them. Job and a paycheck imply responsibility and accountability.

[SamuraiCO]

Wish the agencies would just create a app for that. As a pharmacist I have seen so many doctor shoppers and there is no easy way to bring this to the attention of the authorities. I did send info over to the DEA for one patient and they did nothing. I sill look up that person's profile and see them visiting multiple ER's on a weekly basis getting narcotics at different pharmacies. (We have access to the state database for review of controlled medications). If the DEA can't fine anyone they don't want to hassle with some looser gaming the system.