"Helpful" County Employees

I have something to say about working with County employees.  Over the course of the last 6 years, and through working at the food shelf in town, I have learned that there are certain characteristics that one can apply to most county financial workers.  Not all, but, as far as financial services (food support, medical assistance, emergency assistance), I have worked with exactly two people who actually made me feel like what was happening in my life mattered.  Frankly, I don't get it.  Why do they do this work if they don't care?  After my worker told me yesterday that she has 30 days to process an emergency assistance application, and that there are 40 applications ahead of me, I decided to do some investigating, because I  learned previously that  the County has five business days to process an emergency assistance application.  and I  talked to someone from HRA who confirmed what I thought -  5 days.  It appears senseless to request emergency (remember now - this is emergency) assistance if one has to wait 30 days for an answer, by then the emergency has either gotten worse, or can't be fixed.  What"s the point of even asking for it?  This request was for rent.  You are allowed to request help once a year, and I haven't needed to for a almost 3 years, but, obviously, I don't have a job at the moment..  Now, emergency assistance will pay a damage deposit and a first month's rent at the same time, but they won't pay two months of rent for me.  Seems like it would make more sense to pay two months, in order to give me more time to turn the situation around, and get back on track, than it does to pay one month, and end up leaving me no option but the street, or if I have mental health issues, a shelter.  Then we are talking about shelter, food, money, etc., - much more than 1 month of extra rent would cost, which would actually provide me with  a better opportunity to stay in my home..  I officially get enough in unemployment to pay the rent, but it leaves me about $100/month to live on, which is ridiculous and impossible - especially the longer my food support gets pushed out.. I can't use my money for rent if I have to buy food.  As usual with the county, it's a lose/lose proposition.  If I don't have rent money for next month, I don't have a place to live.  All of this just perpetuates and elongates the problem.  It's also more expensive, which, ultimately makes it kind of stupid, doesn't it?  People that don't care about people, and can't put themselves in somebody else's shoes shouldn't be working in this type of position.  This kind of job requires genuine caring and empathy.  This time I assessed my workers response to my needs, and decided to roll with it, telling myself "Okay, it's another one of these workers that doesn't care," and thought I'd just deal with it.  But you know what?  That just isn't who I am anymore.  I care about those I help, and I expect those who are there to help me to care about me..  I am a Human Services professional, and I refuse to accept this behavior from the county anymore.  I will let the world know.  I want the world to know.  This is not an isolated incident.  I've lost housing, medical insurance twice, and the list of struggles I encountered because of their lack of attention goes on.  In this case,  I attempted to contact her three times without a call back after I turned in ALL of my paperwork on March 19th, and her phone message says that she returns phone calls from 1:00 to 4:30 everyday.  Not to me.  So, I called again yesterday, as I am obviously concerned about my rent (considering it is now the 11th of April and I have no idea what she's going to do), and my well-being, because I don't have any food in the house, and I let her know that her failing to call me back was starting to "piss me off."  I knew I'd probably pay for it, but we are talking about my life here, not her schedule, and she wasn't returning my phone calls.  During the first two messages, I let her know that I had dropped off all required paperwork with my application on March 19th, that I did not have food in the house, and that I would not have the opportunity to purchase food within the next 2 weeks.  I was asking to move ahead since I had everything they needed, and really haven't had food in the house for a long time. In most cases, people don't know what the County needs, so they fill out an application, and then they either have to wait for a phone interview (mine wasn't until the 5th of April by the way), get told they need to provide a bunch of information, and then the case is put on hold longer).   The telephone interview was the only response my worker made to my phone calls, and my phone calls occurred in March.  In fact, she never even mentioned my phone calls, and asked me for things that I had already provided.  I, having applied for services enough times in the last 6 years know to send everything they need, and know what they need,  to determine if I qualify for services.  Now, I did my phone interview, and she informed me of a new law that requires me to get a form filled out by the financial aid office at my school before she can approve my food support.  Obviously, had she returned either one of phone calls I had made by that time, I may have been able to pick up the form and have it back to her by the time of the phone interview.  Now for today.  Because I don't believe what my worker is telling me, (which is pretty sad in itself),  I called the intake specialist to ask her what the rule is and the first thing out of her mouth was "Who's your worker?" Then she wouldn't answer the question.  All I wanted to know was how long they are supposed to have to process an emergency assistance application - 5 days, or 30 days?  She absolutely would not answer me.  It was almost like she was afraid to say anything.  She immediately referred me to my worker's supervisor, and would not answer my question.  What's the big deal?  I mean, is it a secret?  Or just another way that they cover each other's behinds.  Furthermore, the "supervisor will get back to me within 24 hours (which she actually did, but I wasn't here).  I was trying to avoid contact with the "worker's supervisor" because of the two experiences I previously had with the supervisors of two different county employees. In both cases, while it was clear that the employee didn't do their job, and that they had made a mistake, the supervisors backed up their employee.  In other words, it was a waste of time, and clearly, protecting the employee was more important than doing the right thing..  I will say that the Supervisor that called me back sounded nice, and I gave her the information I was concerned about in the message I left her, so she knew what my concerns are, and still presented in her message as friendly.  So, maybe she's one of the rare few that will have empathy, and will care.  Honestly, I have seen almost no empathy from most of the financial workers I have talked to over the years, and this encompassed workers in two counties, so I don't think it is a one county issue, and I certainly know that it is not rare.  It is the norm.  It is actually part of the reason I started this blog.  I want to expose it.  It will be interesting to see what the supervisor says tomorrow.  During my phone interview last Thursday,  my worker said she needed but 2 pieces of paper to complete the process, (which I took care of right away).  Then she tells me yesterday that she has 40 cases ahead of me.  How is that?  If she has gotten to the interview process, how can she have 40 cases ahead of me?  That doesn't even make sense, unless she put me at the bottom of the pile because she needed a piece of paper from my school.  I would certainly hope not, especially considering the length of time I have already been waiting.  Frankly, I'm hungry, and I don't have food.  I need the food support and I need it now, not 40 cases from now..  I am strong enough today to stand up against this kind of social injustice, and I'm going to do it.   In fact I WANT to make a big deal out of it.   I have seen it over and over again.over the last several years, and it is absolutely inconceivable to me that someone's  homelessness means so little to the person that has been assigned to help them.. If these people were working for me they would be fired immediately. There should be a "zero tolerance" policy on this issue. This behavior should actually be considered an abuse of power, and  result in immediate dismissal, especially when one expresses their frustration, and then is "made to pay" by being required to jump through extra hoops,  by requring items that aren't really needed, or, apparently, in the case of the new laws this year (including the financial aid information they wanted from my school), the workers are not allowed to hold up food stamps for the document.  Interesting.  This is what another worker in the same office told somebody else I know.  Yet, that is exactly what my worker is doing. in my case.  The story that "they see so many people that are trying to abuse the system that they get cynical, blah, blah, blah," is just an excuse to judge people,  and to use the employee's power against people in need..  Any thoughts anyone?  I want to hear from everybody!  I know I am not alone.  This experience of learning to live without things that I once took completely  for granted, and thought of as something I would never need to worry about having (like food or toilet paper) for more than 40 years is an experience that is happening to people all over our country, and has completely upended people's lives.  It has been devastating for me, and has changed me in ways that have changed the core of who I am.  Now, I experienced more than financial devastation over the last 6 years, and much of it simultaneously, but that's not for this discussion.  The point is, I know I'm not the only one, and I'm inviting ANYONE who has something to say about this subject to post a comment.  I think we need to open the door to conversation about this controversial subject, and that it's about time to talk about what it has really been like, and to let the powers that be know.  Can't do it alone so, share your stuff!  Until tomorrow,