By | 16 Jul 2024

Our Work in Montana Continues

In June the American Heart Association joined 65 other organizations across the state to call on the Governor to fund access to public benefits.

While public assistance benefits such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are mostly or fully federally funded, individual states are responsible for administering these programs. The state’s commitment to successful administration of the programs can have a substantial impact on people’s ability to receive the benefits they qualify for.

Over the past year, Montana and other states have had to redetermine eligibility of Medicaid recipients for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Montana fared worse than many states, with high rates of children losing coverage and individuals reporting hours-long wait times trying to reach the public assistance helpline.

But the problems facing individuals in need of assistance pre-date the public health emergency. In 2017, the Department of Public Health and Human Services saw huge cuts to its budget and closed 19 Offices of Public Assistance.

The letter called on the Governor’s office to include increased funding for four primary areas:

Increased options for in-person assistance
Improved phone and website accessibility
Increased critical agency personnel to support families in accessing programs
Improved communications with clients.

During the Medicaid unwinding, advocates and community organizations identified these areas as the most urgent for the state to address.

The signers of the letter include community service providers, health care providers, Tribal organizations, faith groups and children’s advocates. These are the groups Montanans turn to when they must choose between feeding a family and filling a prescription when their Medicaid application is delayed. These are the people who help individuals without internet navigate online applications. They have seen firsthand the impacts of an underfunded system and are urging the Governor’s office to improve the accessibility of our public benefits programs.

Pulse State - MT

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Grace Henscheid published this page in The Pulse 2024-07-16 19:50:40 -0400

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(REV August 2016)

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For good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby grant to the American Heart Association (“AHA”) and its successors and anyone authorized by it the following unrestricted rights and release, all of which may be exercised without geographical, time or other limitation: In regards to the submission of stories, video or digital recordings, whether of an audio or visual nature, and photographs (collectively “Submitted Material”) for use by the AHA, I hereby release the AHA from all liability, and make the following grants and representations in connection therewith:

(a) The right to record, photograph and/or otherwise use, produce, copyright, transmit by radio or television, use on internet, distribute, exhibit and, as applicable, exploit my likeness, voice, statements, acts, poses, plays and appearances, and all other effects resulting from my services rendered in providing the Submitted Material, it being understood that the rights granted may be exercised in any and all media whatsoever.

(b) All my right, title and interest in all negatives, tapes, transparencies, prints and reproductions of the Submitted Material, including all copyrights, the right to copyright the Submitted Material anywhere in the world and the right to obtain renewals thereof and the right to use, sell, lease or license any of the foregoing, it being understood that AHA shall have the right to cut, edit, alter, interpolate, repurpose and otherwise change the story and to divide the same into as many parts as they desire wherein each part or combination of parts of the presentation may be used alone or together.

(c) I represent and warrant that the information provided to the AHA is a true and accurate account, is original, does not infringe on another’s copyright or other proprietary rights, is not defamatory and that I have full right and authority to disclose and convey the Story or provide the Photograph(s) and/or video recording to the AHA.

(d) I hereby waive all reuse fees or such other fees which might be applicable to the above stated grant and release.

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I represent and warrant that I am of legal age and have the right to enter into the aforementioned agreement of release.