American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
of 2009 Funding

The State of Ohio received $38,976,102 in additional Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. These funds were provided to Ohio’s 52 Community Action Agencies using the same formula methodology as the standard CSBG funding.

Lifeline, Inc., as the Community Action Agency for Lake County, has been awarded $426,033 in CSBG funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This funding is in addition to the regularly allocated 2009-10 CSBG funding. The ARRA CSBG funds were designed to be used to provide services and activities addressing employment, education, better use of available income, housing, health, nutrition and emergency services to combat the central causes of poverty. However, to the greatest extent possible, CAAs are encouraged to use the ARRA CSBG funds to support employment-related services and activities that create and sustain economic growth. All funds must be obligated by September 30, 2010.

The Ohio Department of Development required each Community Action Agency to submit a County-wide Needs Assessment as supportive documentation with their work plans for the ARRA CSBG funding. Lifeline, Inc. created the Lake County Needs Assessment via several avenues, including focus groups with service providers and consumer surveys at a variety of other social service and mental health agencies. The data obtained through the Needs Assessment was the driving force in the development of new programs.

The following programs are those that are currently being funded using the ARRA CSBG funding.

Program Expansions:

• Prescription Assistance Program—Lifeline, Inc. began to see unprecedented demand for prescription assistance, both in the number of consumers seeking assistance and in the amount of assistance needed, in 2008. Funding was exhausted for the year by late August, 2008. Lifeline, Inc. feels strongly that maintaining physical and mental health is integral to securing and maintaining employment and so significant funding was added to the Prescription Assistance Program to help fill the anticipated gaps in funding for 2009 and 2010. This program is designed to increase access to prescription medication for those without adequate insurance, both at an emergency and a long-term level. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  
• Diabetic Assistance Program—The Diabetic Assistance Program covers gaps in funding and increased demand for diabetes related assistance. This program allows consumers to receive necessary diabetic testing supplies needed to manage their Diabetes and maintain their health. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  
• Medical Services Program—The Medical Services Program meets the increased demand for assistance related to medical tests. This program allows under and uninsured individuals increased access to necessary medical tests, including ultrasounds, blood tests and x-rays. Applicants must live in Lake County, be referred by a participating referral agency and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  
• Life Skills Series—Additional funding was allocated to the Life Skills Series to help Lifeline, Inc.’s staff develop new curriculum. These class series’ are designed to teach low to moderate-income consumers basic life skills that will allow them to make strides towards self-sufficiency. New curriculum that will be developed will include a Financial Literacy series in partnership with the FDIC and Energy Efficiency and Education in partnership with the Ohio Consumer Council. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.  Look for the class calendar this fall.

New Programs:

• Employment Training Program—This is a new program that Lifeline, Inc. and launched on July 1, 2009. The goal of the Employment Training Program is to help those who are under and unemployed to assess what fields they are best suited to work in, learn new skills that will help make them more employable and then help with job seeking. This program will pay for non-credit classes toward a certificate/non-degreed program at either Lakeland Community College or Auburn Career Center. Flexible funding is also available to help pay for related school supplies, books, uniforms and tools. As part of the program, all applicants will participate in a career assessment process at Auburn Career Center’s Career Services office prior to registering for a training program. They will also participate in a job retention workshop and in post-training program job placement counseling. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Applicants must also be referred by a collaborating agency in Lake County.
  
• Eye Care Assistance Program—The Eye Care Assistance Program will pay for eye exams for low to moderate income individuals and then provide a referral to Prevent Blindness for further assistance in obtaining their new eyeglasses prescription. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  
• Transportation Assistance Program—This is a new program that will allow Lifeline’s program participants assistance with transportation costs on a limited basis. Oftentimes, lack of affordable transportation prevents Lifeline’s customers from going to doctor appointments or school and these funds will help alleviate this issue. Approved participants may receive bus tokens or Dial-A-Ride tokens for Laketran, or fuel-only gas cards. Applicants must live in Lake County, be enrolled in a Lifeline, Inc. program and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program—Beginning January 2010, Lifeline will provide tax preparation assistance for the community.  This program, in partnership with the IRS, will allow low to moderate income households to participate in free tax preparation sessions with certified tax preparation volunteers in hopes of increasing the amount of tax returns they qualify for and receive. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
  
• Ohio Benefit Bank Site—Lifeline, Inc. is certified as a new site for the Ohio Benefit Bank at both the main office and the HEAP office. This will allow Lifeline, Inc. staff to assist Lake County residents with initial eligibility screening for public social service programs. Lifeline, Inc. staff will be able to assist consumers with applications and provide information on the following programs, which are included in the Ohio Benefit Bank: Food Stamps, Medicaid, Golden Buckeye, WIC, Medicare Part D, Childcare Assistance, HEAP, Best Rx, Voter registration, the Senior Community Service Employment Program and the FAFSA. Applicants must live in Lake County and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.