a lot of words

Welfare plays a big role in the makeup of American society in 2008. Every day the welfare offices in America see people come to ask for assistance from their government. Sometimes its just temporary until they can get back on their feet. Other times they have a disability, either physical or mental, that keeps them out of the work force. And sometimes they don’t need it at all, they’re just looking to cheat the system and gain assistance under false pretenses. Regardless of the reason, though, public assistance programs in this country are there to provide for and alleviate the suffering of the poor and underprivileged populations. It was necessary for me to try and gain more understanding by visiting the Department of Health and human Resources in Morgantown.
I walked into a slightly cramped and emotionless room with trepidation. The sun was shining outside, but somehow it felt like a cave inside. I can’t remember if there were windows, but if there were, the shades were drawn. The workers sat behind a plane of glass and a little black box for you to speak into. I took an application and found a seat. As I began to fill in the blanks, a million thoughts ran through my head. I had an overwhelming sense of shame because I wasn’t there to seek assistance, but to observe people who were seeking assistance. I was there to experience everything about visiting a welfare office, but because people are what I care about the most, I couldn’t get my mind off them. I had the strange sensation that I was at a zoo, simply observing some foreign creature in their natural habitat. This is what disturbed me about myself. The part that makes the analogy is the observing part. I’m not implying that they are animals. They are human beings with needs, just like me.
At the top of the application it read, “Screening Form.” I didn’t think this was a very good phrase for me to read first. Reading those words made me feel like a suspect. “What are they screening for?” I wondered. It was as if I needed to prove myself worthy of their assistance. I was offended that they didn’t trust me. I found it ironic that while I was sitting there answering questions about my financial status, President Bush was speaking about the state of the economy on the little t.v. that was propped up on the coke machine. I had the sense that my emotions would cause me to explode after sitting there for only 5 minutes. I think it just broke my heart to be there, even with the tough voice inside my head telling me that this is a real part of million’s of peoples lives. I was offered a little glimpse into some of the feelings that may be felt in that room, waiting to apply for assistance. I felt helplessness, anger, doubt, and shame. I put myself in the shoes of a father who’s just been laid off from his job and can’t provide for his family. When I thought that way, I became embarrassed and couldn’t look anyone in the eye. The greatest sensation I felt was the urge to run out of that room as fast as possible and not long after that, I did. On the verge of tears, I felt a wave of relief as I returned to the blue, cloudless sky outside the office.
Those that visit public welfare offices may go for different reasons. There are millions of situations that would lead someone to ask for help. While I was contemplating everything in the lobby of the DHHR, it made me think that we live in a profit driven society that seems to be more concerned with making money than helping people. If someone is working a job making minimum wage, and isn’t provided health insurance, what happens when they get sick and really need care? Can they count on getting approved for coverage? Can they even afford it if they do? If someone has to spend their life savings on hospital bills for both them and their spouse, how can they afford to feed themselves, let alone their family? Healthcare is a big issue surrounding welfare. The lack of it compels many to seek assistance because hospital bills can be outrageous. One real life example to support this is a friend of mine, who was self employed and without health insurance who was in a car accident and was paralyzed from the waist down. She was in the intensive care unit for almost a month, and in the hospital for 3 months total. By the time she left, her bill was around $790,000. They had to sell everything they owned and it wasn’t close. This is a real life situation. It’s not inconceivable that spending money on hospitals could drive someone into needing assistance.
Another question I asked myself as I sat there was, “what could I do to help in this situation?” I know that on a micro level, the first and best way that I can help is by simply listening. I can participate in their life by listening to them tell me about their struggles. Obviously a decision needs to be made about whether or not they are eligible for assistance, but when I shake their hand, look them in the eye, and treat them like a human being; it helps to empower those that may feel downtrodden. On a mezzo level support groups for those dealing with the shame and doubt that comes with welfare would be useful as well as workshops or tutorials that provide life skills training that may provide the skills not only to survive, but to be able to thrive in this society. If no one ever gave them such an opportunity, maybe it would go a long way in building confidence and respect.
This experience did not make me want to rethink my decision of social work as a profession. If anything, it only encourages me more. It’s not because the people that I saw in that room looked so bad and it makes me want to help them, it’s simply because those that seek assistance have such a negative stigma in our society. Most people, where the idea of “screening form,” comes from, need proof that you’re in need. We’re so mistrusting of people that you must pass an income and asset test in order to qualify. I understand that there really are people who lie, and are only trying to take advantage of the system. My point is that we’re in a circle of mistrust that never seems to end. Unfortunately not only do we have trust issues but we are also an individualistic society in many ways, and sometimes we can be lazy when it comes to mobilizing efforts to aide the forgotten populations like the poor, elderly, disabled and sick. Helping people who are in need is the driving force behind all social work. It is the idea that this profession is founded upon, and the one which urges me to continue.