Chapter 12 Gov

Percent of Texans living in poverty in 2021

13.4% (3.96 million people);

Texas counties with highest poverty rates (2021)

Willacy (35.0%), Starr (33.2%), Zavala (32.0%), Cameron (27.9%), Hidalgo (30.0%), Zapata (32.1%) — all along the border;

Texas counties with lowest poverty rates (2021)

Rockwall (5.1%), Collin (6.4%), Denton (6.3%), Williamson (6.4%), Kendall (7.5%), Comal (7.1%);

Texans enrolled in Medicaid in 2022

About 5.3 million people (almost 18% of the population);

Texans receiving SNAP (food stamps)

More than 3.5 million people;

2022 federal poverty guideline (1 person)

$13,590 per year;

2022 federal poverty guideline (each additional person)

$4,720;

Poverty rate among Latinos in Texas (2019)

18.7%;

Poverty rate among Black people in Texas (2019)

18.4%;

Poverty rate among White people in Texas (2019)

7.9%;

Poverty rate among Texans age 65+

10.5%;

Texas child poverty rate (under 18)

Higher than national average of 16.6% (Texas: 19%);

Eligibility for reduced-price school meals

Family income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level;

Eligibility for SNAP (food stamps)

Family income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level;

Agency overseeing Texas’s health and human services system

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC);

Who appoints the HHSC executive commissioner?

The governor, with Senate approval;

Two agencies under HHSC

1. Health and Human Services Commission 2. Department of State Health Services (DSHS);

Key programs HHSC administers

Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, TANF, licensing long-term care facilities;

Role of DSHS (Department of State Health Services)

Public health authority; manages emergencies, disease control, and outbreaks;

Agency that protects vulnerable Texans under HHSC

Department of Family and Protective Services;

Five programs of the Department of Family and Protective Services

1. Adult Protective Services 2. Child Protective Services 3. Investigations 4. Prevention and Early Intervention 5. Statewide Intake;

Number of poverty-related programs run by HHSC

Over 200;

Two major anti-poverty initiatives discussed

1. Welfare 2. Health care financing;

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius decided that

The decision prevented the federal government from forcing states to expand Medicaid programs.

In 1965, Congress created the Medicaid program, a state–federal program, to

Medicaid is a federal and state program financing medical services to low-income people.

What are the main stages in the policy-making process?

• Problem identification – Recognizing and understanding the problem

• Policy formulation – Developing strategies to address the problem

• Policy implementation – Enforcing policies with incentives/sanctions

• Policy evaluation – Assessing the policy's effectiveness

What major issues have shaped education policy in Texas?

• Funding and control under the Gilmer-Aikin Laws

• Historical segregation and forced desegregation in the 1950s–60s

• Ongoing equity issues in public education

• Concerns over excellence and accountability

What key terms are linked to education policy in Texas?

• Gilmer-Aikin Laws

• Equal protection clause

What is the state's role in addressing poverty and how has it been influenced by national policies?

• Texas has a long history of federal assistance since the New Deal

• The key welfare program was AFDC, replaced by TANF in 1996

• Reforms came during the War on Poverty (1960s)

• Compared to other states, Texas offered fewer benefits

• Welfare dependency concerns led to reform and decreased rolls, but chronic poverty remains a major issue

What key terms are associated with welfare policy in Texas?

• New Deal

• Medicaid

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Why has Medicaid and health care policy been so controversial in Texas?

• Medicaid is expensive but provides essential care to people in poverty

• Texas has been reluctant to expand Medicaid under the Obama reforms

• Many see Medicaid costs as a threat to state budgets

• Uninsured rates remain high in Texas compared to other states

Policy

making process

Problem identification

The stage where society and political actors define a public issue and explore possible solutions.

Policy formulation

The development of strategies and proposals to address identified problems.

Policy implementation

The process by which government agencies put policy into effect using rules, incentives, or sanctions.

Policy evaluation

Reviewing and assessing how well a policy meets its goals and its overall effectiveness.

Policy legitimation

(Sometimes included) Determining the legality and constitutionality of a policy initiative.

Rationality

The key concept suggesting that policies should be based on logical, evidence

Gilmer

Aikin Laws

Equal protection clause

Constitutional principle used to challenge segregation and ensure fairness in education policy.

Education policy in Texas

Focuses on funding, local control, equity, and addressing issues of accountability and excellence.

Welfare policy

Public assistance programs designed to support people in poverty; shaped by national reforms like the New Deal and TANF.

New Deal

A set of federal programs launched in the 1930s, which began major welfare efforts in the U.S., including in Texas.

Medicaid

A joint federal

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

A federal income supplement program for aged, blind, and disabled people with little or no income.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

The original federal welfare program, replaced in 1996 due to reform efforts.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The program that replaced AFDC, with stricter eligibility and work requirements.

Health care policy in Texas

Often controversial due to high costs, reluctance to expand Medicaid, and concerns over budget and uninsured rates.

Controversy over Medicaid in Texas

Stems from the program’s growing cost and the state’s refusal to expand coverage under federal reforms.

During times of economic struggle, what would be the primary effect on Texas’s Medicaid program?

Between 2003 and 2013, a time which contained the Great Recession, claims for Medicaid benefits grew by nearly 40 percent.