1962-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

11 Welfare Report To the Honorable Board of Selectmen Gentlemen: The changes in the Public Welfare program during 1962 reflects the continued interest of the Congress and the State Legislature in the needs of the aged, the disabled and of de- pendent children. Effective October 1st the Federal Depart- ment of Health Welfare and Education increased by $4.20 per month per person the subsidy for Old Age Assistance and for Disability Assistance. We now receive $54.00 per month subsidy for each person receiving Old Age Assistance and $46.50 per month for each person receiving Disability Assist- ance. Effective July lst by Federal and State directive social services to families with dependent children have been ex- tended to those medical rehabilitative and counseling needs over and above the need for financial assistance. The State Department of Public Welfare has organized and is operating a registration bureau for the location of deserting parents of dependent children. This bureau will be of great assistance in locating missing parents and enabling Boards of Public Welfare to enforce parents' obligation to sup- port children receiving public assistance. A recent amendment to the Social Security Act further reduces the share of the administrative expenses of the towns. However, there is as yet insufficient experience with the new amendment to foretell the percentage of the re- duction. In 1962 our total expenditures increased to $52,083.70 which is $11,166.31 greater than in 1961. Much of this in- crease is reflected in our higher medical costs for 1962. We expended this year $17,770.93 for hospital and medical care, against $8,162.63 in 1961, an increase of $9,608.30 for medical care. In 1962 the cost of medical care was 34.1% of our total expenditures.