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The air reeks so strongly of rotten eggs that tribal leader Wes Martel hesitates to get out of the car at an oil field on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. He already has a headache from the fumes he smelled at another oil field.
Martel is giving me a tour of one of a dozen oil and gas fields on the reservation. These operations have the federal government's permission to dump wastewater on the land — so much that it creates streams that flow into natural creeks and rivers. And this water contains toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens and radioactive material, according to documents obtained by NPR through Freedom of Information Act requests.
The fumes hitting Martel's nose are hydrogen sulfide, which can be deadly. So Martel makes sure the wind is at his back before walking over to a pit the size of several tennis courts. Pipes are emptying dirty brown water that came up from oil wells into the pit, which is completely covered in goopy black oil.
The oil is supposed to float to the surface, and then a truck will vacuum it up. Any solid stuff should fall on the bottom of the pit, before the water rushes out and forms a stream. But there are still chemicals in the water — some from the earth, some from the oil, and some the companies add to make the oil flow faster.
About a half-mile from the pit, Martel stops the car on a bridge over that stream of murky gray water. A shiny film covers the water in some places.
"I wish a lot of people could see this," says Martel, the vice chairman of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council, the tribal government. "This is something that's going on in the reservation: This don't look too cool."
In most of the country, this would be illegal. Most oil fields reinject wastewater far underground, where it cannot cause harm.
So why is this wastewater being released into a desert wilderness of sagebrush-covered foothills and sandstone cliffs that blaze with reds and oranges?
The few cows grazing nearby provide a clue.
"You can see the tracks into the water here," says Martel. "This is one of their watering holes."
Inside EPA, Distress Over Dumping Loophole
Without the wastewater, this area would be bone dry most of the year.
In the 1970s, when the Environmental Protection Agency was banning oil companies from dumping their wastewater, ranchers, especially in Wyoming, made a fuss. They argued that their livestock needs water, even dirty water.
So the EPA made an exception, a loophole, for the arid West. If oil companies demonstrate that ranchers or wildlife use the water, the companies can release it.
Off the reservation, Western states get to decide what oil companies must do with wastewater; over time, states' rules have become stricter than the EPA's. Some states have all but outlawed dumping.
But on the Wind River Reservation, the EPA controls whether companies can release wastewater on a case-by-case basis.
The EPA refused multiple requests for interviews, but in a statement, the agency said it was evaluating the permits it gives some of the companies to expel this water on the reservation.
"EPA is reviewing new information associated with these permits and intends to meet with the Tribes in upcoming weeks to discuss next steps," the statement reads.
The responses to NPR's two Freedom of Information Act requests include emails between staffers, correspondence with the companies, results of water-quality tests, the permits, and documents justifying each permit. Most of this information had not been public before.
The documents show hints of mutiny inside the EPA. Some EPA staffers clearly are appalled by the wastewater releases.
One wrote in an email to colleagues: "Can we get together and discuss a strategic approach for sending our message of concern? I have attached pictures of this ridiculousness."
Another staffer warns that the chemicals in the water could have "irrevocable human health and environmental impacts."
The documents also show recent detective work that some EPA staffers did to try to figure out what chemicals companies are putting in the water. Their research reveals that some of the waste streams sometimes include chemicals from hydraulic fracturing, an engineering technique designed to increase the flow of wells. They also include chemicals whose warning labels clearly state "toxic to aquatic organisms," "prevent material from entering sewers or waterways," and warnings about cancer and birth defects at low levels.
The documents suggest that at least some people inside the EPA are advocating for stricter rules. But much of this debate has been kept secret. The EPA refused to give NPR 757 documents about the loophole, claiming they can be kept secret because they are between the EPA and its attorneys or among EPA staffers.
'We Should Know Better By Now'
Experts, including scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, say it's very rare for oil field water to be released into drainages or streams because it nearly always contains harmful chemicals.
"It's a very uncommon situation in the United States and, I believe, most of the rest of the world," said John Veil, a retired wastewater expert at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, who now works as a consultant.
In one analysis that Veil did for Argonne, he found that 98 percent of the water that companies pump up with oil is reinjected deep underground. Veil says it's usually far too salty to discharge.
Some scientists were alarmed when they learned about the oil field wastewater releases, especially given that it is happening on tribal land.
"I was shocked when I heard this," says Rob Jackson, a Duke University environmental scientist. "I was very surprised this was allowed. It's just something that we should know better by now. We should know that dumping our waste onto the surface of the ground is a bad solution."
Other experts agreed that the chemicals in the water raise concerns. However, some scientists, including staffers from the U.S. Geological Survey, felt uncomfortable commenting for the record without doing their own testing.
Jackson reviewed many of the EPA documents released to NPR, including analyses of the chemicals in the wastewater streams and warning labels for some of the chemical treatments that companies add to the wells.
He stresses that they include hazardous air pollutants such as hydrochloric acid and naphthalene, and carcinogens like benzene and ethyl benzene.
"There are many things in this water that you don't want in the environment or in people's drinking water. You don't need to be a genius to know this is a bad idea," Jackson says.
He urges the EPA to consider the consequences of its policy and how it looks.
"Are we doing something on tribal lands we wouldn't allow somewhere else? I think that's something we have to be asking ourselves."
On The Reservation, Dead Ducklings, Dangerous Fumes
Outside the reservation, Western states decide how oil field waste is handled — and their rules are stricter than the EPA's. For instance, off the reservation, the state of Wyoming requires companies to inject wastewater deep underground and out of harm's way if they've added toxic chemicals to the wells. Other states have set tougher water quality standards that have nearly eliminated these releases.
On the Wind River Reservation, these oil field wastewater streams have flowed for several decades without attracting much interest, even from the tribes, according to Wes Martel and other officials of the two tribes that share the reservation, the Eastern Shoshoni and Northern Arapaho.
"Most of our elders were very trusting, very trusting people. They were glad they had the opportunity to get some revenue. Most of them were just thinking, 'We're being watched over, and things are being taken care of,' " says Martel, 65, who was in tribal government many years ago and was elected two years ago to return to government.
But in 2005, the Wind River Environmental Quality Commission sampled the water downstream of some of the oil fields. Researchers found toxic levels of some chemicals, stretches of streams that were lifeless, and streambeds splotched with black ooze, white crystals and purple growths. They recorded water temperatures as high as 125 degrees, and found dead ducklings, according to a draft report prepared by the tribes' environmental department.
During tours of four of the oil fields earlier this fall, I witnessed visible violations of the plain language of the permits that the EPA gave these companies to discharge wastewater. For instance, I saw streambeds covered in white crystals and rock-like formations below outfall pipes. The permits prohibit visible deposits in the receiving waters or shoreline. They also prohibit any visible foam or sheen — I saw both. At the wastewater discharge site at one oil field, company officials warned us to leave after a few minutes because of the danger of respiratory distress or death from hydrogen sulfide fumes.
The companies were reluctant to talk. One agreed to meet at its oil field on the reservation but backed out the night before. Others failed to return multiple phone calls. Houston-based Marathon Oil Corporation, which runs three oil fields on the reservation, agreed to an interview but refused to be recorded.
"As far as I know, there has never been concerns and opposition for the quality of the water that I'm aware about," says Bob Whisonant, Rocky Mountain operations manager for Marathon Oil, which has three oil fields on the reservation.
Whisonant stresses that the water from his oil fields meets EPA's requirements.
"We're really fortunate within Wyoming that the water is extremely fresh, very suitable for livestock and agriculture purposes. That's why we're able to discharge," Whisonant says.
But the EPA's permits, which are reissued every several years, tell a different story. Even the state of Wyoming, which is known to be pro-industry, questioned the fact that the EPA's requirements didn't seem to protect aquatic life. The EPA's response was that the tribes had not adopted their own water quality standards.
The EPA permits acknowledge that oil field water may not meet the agency's own water quality criteria.
The agency requires only minimal water testing at most of the oil fields, and it does not do its own testing to verify the companies' claims; nor does it sample water quality in the streams receiving the wastewater.
In 2007, the EPA required one company to test aquatic animals to see if they'd die in the water flowing from one oil field — it's a standard test of water quality known as whole effluent toxicity. The minnows and bugs in the sample died within an hour. The EPA asked the company to figure out what was killing the animals and propose remedies, but it let the company go on releasing the water for years. Five years later, the company, Marathon, says it is waiting for the EPA to OK a plan to lower high levels of sulfide in the water.
Wes Martel says he's been pushing the EPA to thoroughly study the wastewater and then require the companies to purify it or inject it underground.
He worries about water quality and wildlife — and about food safety, too. Oil field water abounds on the reservation, and the cows that graze there will eventually end up on dinner plates.
"So it really makes you wonder: What impacts is this having on not only aquatic life, but our wildlife?" Martel says.
"You've got to wonder, what types of chemicals are those beef retaining? And when that goes to the slaughterhouse, what's in your steak?"
Ranchers Still Want The Water
But Eastern Shoshone member Darwin Griebel, one of a handful of ranchers whose livestock use the oil field water, pooh-poohs Martel's concerns.
"Animals drink it. People aren't going to drink it. Hell with the quality of the water," says Griebel.
Griebel has known Martel for nearly 60 years, since they were in elementary school and slept over at each others' houses. But he says they don't agree on this issue.
Griebel says his cows haven't suffered health problems from drinking the water, and the impurities clear up after the streams have run for a while. (The tribes' water study backs up that idea: Concentrations of various harmful chemicals tend to decrease the farther you get from the oil fields.)
What's most concerning to Griebel is that the water has been crucial to his family's business for generations. Without it, he says: "There would be no water for the cows. There would be no water for the deer, the antelope. Nothing. It would put us out of business is what it would do."
But Martel says that if the EPA does not put a stop to this, the tribes will step in.
If the oil companies say that reinjecting or cleaning the water would be so expensive that it would no longer be profitable to pump oil, Martel knows what his response will be: "Good riddance."
"We'll take it over ourselves and do it right," he says.
Martel dreams of putting tribal companies in charge of their oil fields. Then the tribes would get all the profits, instead of just the royalties the companies pay them. They'd also be able to protect water quality for future generations.
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.
And I'm Audie Cornish.
NPR has obtained internal documents from the Environmental Protection Agency that show that the agency has long been allowing oil companies to release polluted water on an Indian reservation in Wyoming. Millions of gallons every month create streams of this water, and it ends up in natural rivers.
NPR's Elizabeth Shogren is joining us to talk about the documents. And, Elizabeth, to start, what's going on here?
ELIZABETH SHOGREN, BYLINE: Well, the federal government actually banned this kind of dumping in the 1970s, but they made an exception, a loophole for the arid West. And I learned about this recently. It surprised me, so I put in some Freedom of Information Act requests to the EPA to try to learn more.
CORNISH: So what did find in the documents?
SHOGREN: Well, what I found out is that there are some staffers at the EPA who are trying to figure out what's in this water. And they're learning it has some nasty stuff in it. There's some toxic chemicals and carcinogens and radioactive material. But there's a lot we don't know about the EPA's thinking. They kept 750 documents from us, and they wouldn't let me speak with anybody. So I felt like I really had to go to the Wind River Reservation to understand what's going on.
CORNISH: You actually went there. I mean, did you see this water? How much water are we talking about?
SHOGREN: Yes. One of the things that shocked me is how much water - it's literally small rivers of this water in the reservation in some places. And what I did expect is that I wouldn't want to take a sip of this water, but what I didn't expect is that it would be dangerous to even stand next to it. And that's where I'm going to start my story.
CORNISH: I'm with one of the tribal leaders, Wes Martel. He's a fit 65-year-old with a long graying ponytail. And he's taking me out to show me this water.
Ooh. Ooh, can you smell that?
WES MARTEL: Yeah.
MARTEL: That's why I'm hesitating in getting out here.
SHOGREN: We pulled up next to a big black pit. The air reeks of rotten eggs. Martel tells me it's hydrogen sulfide. It can be deadly. So before we get out of the car, we make sure the wind is at our backs. Martel takes me over to the pit.
This is like about a football field size, right?
MARTEL: Probably, three or four tennis courts maybe.
SHOGREN: The whole pit is covered with goopy black oil. There are these big pipes. Brown wastewater from oil wells is gushing out of them into the pit.
It's so much water that it creates those streams. Half a mile away, we stop the car on a bridge over this stream of wastewater.
SHOGREN: Does that look natural to you?
MARTEL: No way. Just that color. When a stream is healthy, it's green. This is not green.
SHOGREN: It's murky gray. In some places, there's a shiny film on the surface.
MARTEL: I wish a lot of people could just see this and - see, this is something that's going on on the reservation. This don't look too cool.
SHOGREN: Now, in most of the country, this would not be allowed. So why is it allowed here on the Wind River Reservation? It's beautiful here.
MARTEL: Yeah.
SHOGREN: You've got big sandstone hills that blaze with reds and oranges. Other than the oil wells, it's just desert wilderness, mostly empty except for a few cows. And these cows are supposedly the reason why oil companies get to do this.
MARTEL: You can just see their tracks right down - in that water. This is one of their watering holes.
SHOGREN: Without this water, this area would be bone-dry most of the year. Back in the 1970s, the EPA was banning this kind of dumping. But ranchers, especially here in Wyoming, fought back. They said their cows need this water, any water, even if it's dirty.
We're standing on the other side of the bridge where the stream is rushing out of big corrugated pipes.
SHOGREN: Wes Martel thinks this can't be good.
MARTEL: Well, you know, especially this volume of water, and this is constant. So it really makes you wonder what kind of impact is this having on not only aquatic life but our wildlife. And then, you know, you've got to wonder what types of chemicals are those beef retaining. And when that goes to the slaughterhouse, what's in your steak, right?
DARWIN GRIEBEL: Oh, come on, Wes. What difference does it make? Animals drink it. People aren't going to drink it. The hell with the quality of the water.
SHOGREN: That's Darwin Griebel. He's one of a handful of ranchers whose livestock use the water. He's known Martel since they were in elementary school together and slept over at each other's houses. He's talking to me while we're going to pick up some cows that escaped to a neighbor's ranch.
Have you ever noticed any health problems with your animals?
GRIEBEL: Oh, no. No, no, no, no. No. The production water leaves the oil field. By the time it runs probably four, 500 yards, it starts purifying. In fact, when you're in Five Mile Creek, there's fish in there.
SHOGREN: Have you ever noticed anything weird about the water?
GRIEBEL: No.
SHOGREN: All the kind of the white crystals and stuff?
GRIEBEL: Well, that's right at the start of it. But, you know, after, like I said, after it flows for a while, that's all gone.
SHOGREN: And then I ask Griebel about a suspicion I've had: Do cows really need this water? Or are oil companies just making it up, so they can have a cheaper way to dispose of it?
He tells me, yeah. For generations, his family has depended on this water.
What would it be like without the production water?
GRIEBEL: Then there would be no water for the cows. There would be no water for the deer, the antelope, nothing. It'd put us out of business is what it would do.
SHOGREN: Griebel has got a point. There's a lot of water flowing on the Wind River Reservation. All in all, there are about a dozen different oil fields here with permission to continuously spew out this water.
The water is from deep underground. It gets pumped to the surface with the oil. By the time it's released into streams, most of the oil has been separated out. But there are still chemicals in the water: chemicals from the earth, chemicals from the crude and chemicals that companies add to their wells to maintain them and get the oil to flow faster.
Now, the EPA does require some testing, but for the most part the agency doesn't know exactly what's in the water.
ROB JACKSON: I was shocked when I first heard this.
SHOGREN: Rob Jackson is an environmental scientist at Duke University. He researches the petroleum industry.
JACKSON: I was very surprised that this was allowed. It's just something that we should know better by now. We should know that dumping our wastes onto the surface of the ground is a bad solution.
SHOGREN: Other experts, including scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, say dumping oil field water is rare because it nearly always contains harmful chemicals.
Rob Jackson reviewed many of the documents the EPA gave NPR in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. These documents include analyses of chemicals found in the water and warning labels for treatments the companies put in the wells.
JACKSON: The chemicals that are in this water contain hazardous air pollutants, such as naphthalene and hydrochloric acid, and carcinogens like benzene and ethyl benzene. There are many things in this water that you don't want in the environment or in people's drinking water. You don't need to be a genius to know that this is a bad idea.
SHOGREN: You can tell from reading the internal EPA documents that some EPA staffers are appalled. One staffer refers to what's happening on the Wind River Reservation as, quote, "ridiculousness." Another staffer writes about, quote, "irrevocable human health and environmental impacts."
Duke University's Rob Jackson agrees that the EPA needs to reconsider how this looks and the consequences.
JACKSON: Are we doing something on tribal lands that we wouldn't allow somewhere else? I think that's a question we need to be asking ourselves.
SHOGREN: Off the reservation, the states decide what companies get to do with the water. Their rules are stricter than the EPA's, and some states have virtually outlawed dumping. Most oil companies re-inject this water deep underground where it can't do harm. But on the Wind River Reservation, the EPA has control.
Eastern Shoshone leader Wes Martel believes this problem has escaped scrutiny for so long because the oil fields are remote and on tribal land. Royalties from this oil help support the tribes and their members.
MARTEL: Yeah, most of our elders were very trusting, very trusting people. And they had the opportunity to, you know, get some revenue. And, you know, most of them were just thinking we're being watched over.
SHOGREN: Martel is pushing the EPA to make oil companies clean up this water or put it back underground.
And if the operators say, well, it's too expensive to re-inject it, we're packing up and going away, what would you and your people think about that?
MARTEL: Good riddance. We'll take it over ourselves and do it right.
SHOGREN: Martel dreams of putting tribal companies in charge of their oil fields. Then the tribes would get all the profits instead of just royalties. They'd also be able to protect water quality for future generations.
But the EPA hasn't told the tribes what its plans are. It also refused to give interviews to NPR. But the agency said in a statement that it's evaluating the permission it gives some companies to do this.
Elizabeth Shogren, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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October 1, 2013 PEN (pdf)
Hello Friends -
It's an exciting time to work in the field of health care and human services. Not only does the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expand health coverage to help improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, but it is also a defining time for generations to come, and you get to be a part of it!
While most of you have heard a lot about the ACA recently, many questions remain unanswered. In this special issue of our Public Engagement Newsletter, we want to share with you some key points about health care reform and showcase Get Covered Illinois, the state's online platform for uninsured residents.
With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there are also a lot of changes happening at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). As you read further, you will hear about the IDHS' new Integrated Eligibility System (IES); become familiar with the Department's new customer Application for Benefits Eligibility portal for Medicaid, SNAP, and cash assistance - ABE for short; and find out more about the new ABE Customer Call Center.
We want to thank our sister agencies, staff and allies who have partnered with us - both formally and informally - to prepare for the open enrollment period, which began last week. We also want to acknowledge and give a special "thank you" to our staff from the Family Community Resource Centers who have been making time to learn new eligibility policies and attend training on the new systems, all in the midst of serving our customers day-to-day.
As we embark on these exciting changes, we recognize that updating our system to accommodate the ACA will be challenging at first. But please do not worry. We believe our staff is our greatest asset and fully capable of meeting these challenges head on and finding solutions, quickly. To help us succeed, we have devoted extensive resources to training and support to help our staff transition and ensure the best outcome throughout this landmark expansion.
If you have occasion to work with our staff as we make this monumental transition, we hope you will "pardon our dust." In the meantime, the talented staff at the Illinois Department of Human Services - with the support of our community partners - are striving to seize this opportunity to spread our culture of coverage, which is something we can all be proud of!
As always, we are committed to partnering with you to serve the individuals, families, and communities who need us now more than ever. Enjoy!
Last week Governor Pat Quinn launched Get Covered Illinois, the state's comprehensive education and enrollment online platform for uninsured residents to sign up for health coverage under the Federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Last week's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's commitment to improve the health and well-being of the people of Illinois.
"We are launching a new state of health care for more than one million of our uninsured relatives, loved ones, friends and neighbors," Governor Quinn said. "Get Covered Illinois - the state's new health insurance Marketplace - will make health care more affordable than ever for those who need it. While there may be bumps along the way, this is a turning point in our nation and the state as we strive to provide decent healthcare to all."
GetCoveredIllinois.gov is the official website marketplace where individuals, families and small business owners can get connected to their new health insurance options with coverage starting January 1, 2014. The state is working with community groups in every corner of the state to provide direct enrollment assistance.
Get Covered Illinois will be robust with eight major companies that are participating:
"Illinois is excited and proud to launch the most ambitious wellness initiative in our state's history," Deputy Governor Cristal Thomas said. "This will require a massive education and sign-up effort, and we are committed to working with our partners across the state to ensure that all of those who are eligible know about their options and are able to select a health plan that meets their needs."
All Marketplace plans cover important health benefits, including doctor visits, hospital stays, maternity care, emergency room visits, mental health services, chronic disease management, prescriptions and more. No one will be denied coverage because they are sick or have a pre-existing condition like asthma, diabetes or cancer. Preventive care will be covered at no cost to the patient. Individuals and families with income of up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level - $45,000 for individuals and $95,000 for a family of four - will receive subsidies on a sliding scale if they obtain coverage through the Marketplace.
"Illinois' health insurance plan rates are lower than many other states and 25 percent lower than earlier predictions," Illinois Department of Insurance Director Andrew Boron said. "Most people will also get help paying for their plan and many will be eligible for low-cost or free health coverage."
"This is an exciting day for the people of Illinois," Get Covered Illinois Director Jennifer Koehler said. "We are now on the cusp of achieving an historic advance in the health and well-being of our state." Get Covered Illinois is for any Illinois resident who had insurance, lost it and wants it again; residents who could never afford or obtain insurance before; or for those who have never attempted to get insurance but now must comply with the law.
From October 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, officials hope to enroll at least 300,000 in the Marketplace. Enrollment can take place online; with the help of a trained specialist over the phone by calling the Get Covered Illinois Help Desk at 1 (866) 311-1119; or in person at a state community partner agency with trained navigators to assist. The website also features community partner locations by zip code.
GetCoveredIllinois.gov includes a screening tool that asks users several simple questions about their income and family size and then directs them either to the Marketplace or to ABE (ABE.Illinois.gov) - the state's new smart online application system where consumers can apply directly for Medicaid, nutrition and income assistance.
The Get Covered Illinois Help Desk will provide support to Illinois consumers by answering basic questions about the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace, including questions about general eligibility for Marketplace plans and exemptions from the individual responsibility provision, how tax credits and cost-sharing reductions work and how to find someone who can provide personal assistance.
For more information, go to www.getcoveredillinois.gov.
Although no one plans to get sick or hurt, most people need to see a doctor or visit a hospital to get treated for an illness or injury at some point throughout their life. For Illinois residents, there's help: Get Covered Illinois!
Beginning October 1, 2013, Illinois residents can apply, compare and shop for comprehensive medical coverage online by visiting the state's new official health insurance marketplace at www.getcoveredillinois.gov. The plans that are offered in the Marketplace include 10 essential health benefit categories that are usually included in typical employer plans today. Having these essential benefits insurance plans will help to protect people by providing health coverage when they get sick or hurt and need it most.
The 10 essential health benefit categories are:
Hopefully by now you've heard that the Illinois Department of Human Services has launched a new benefits eligibility system and a new web application for customers starting October 1st. The new Integrated Eligibility System (IES) will replace many of the computer systems currently used to manage cases and determine eligibility for Medicaid, SNAP and cash benefits. The IES has many new features to assist caseworkers including budget calculation tools; electronic document management; and electronic validation of application information such as birthdates, wages, citizenship, and social security numbers.
The Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) is a new self-service website for customers to apply for benefits and eventually monitor their cases. ABE will replace both the IDHS web application and the All Kids online application. ABE is part of the overall IES implementation. You can visit ABE at www.abe.illinois.gov.
As we begin implementing the Affordable Care Act and process applications from people who are included in the new Medicaid eligibility groups, the IDHS is doing everything possible to help customers access health coverage and ease the burden of increased caseloads on offices and caseworkers. This newly eligible population is referred to as ACA Adults.
One strategy the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) will use to manage the influx of applications is to offer some customers a streamlined application procedure and process their Medicaid enrollment centrally. The federal government has granted the state a waiver to use a simplified express enrollment process for current SNAP customers who are members of the new ACA Adult Medicaid eligibility group without performing a full eligibility determination.
A short-form Medicaid application along with a notice regarding new Medicaid eligibility requirements were sent to targeted SNAP customers in late August. When the customer mails back the signed form, a caseworker at a designated central unit will perform a simplified eligibility determination in IES and add Medicaid to their SNAP case. Once completed, customers will receive an enrollment notice and a medical card.
However, as part of the authority granted by the federal government, the state will have to do a full eligibility determination no later than the point of the annual Medicaid redetermination. That means the ACA Adults that were enrolled based on their receipt of SNAP will have to submit income and household information for ongoing eligibility determination 12 months after they are enrolled. Caseworkers will process these redeterminations just like any other Medicaid case.
To be eligible for SNAP, an individual's income must be below 130% of the federal poverty level. The new Medicaid income eligibility limit is higher - at 138% of the poverty level. A person receiving SNAP will always have income below 138% of poverty and will be financially eligible for Medicaid.
The federal government understands the goal of enrolling as many uninsured individuals as possible in health coverage by January 1, 2014. To do this, they have offered states a number of strategies to simplify enrollment for individuals that are virtually certain to be eligible for Medicaid using new Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules, including SNAP Express Enroll. While IDHS has already received over 40,000 signed applications, enrollment is expected to reach up to 120,000 ACA Adults using the Express Enrollment strategy.
As part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is now accepting benefits applications over the phone. By calling the IDHS Help Line at 1 (800) 843-6154, individuals will be directed to the ABE Customer Call Center (ABE CCC) and can sign up for services.
Approximately 100 IDHS clerical staff, caseworkers and managers will be housed at the ABE CCC and receive the same training as all other IDHS local office staff. Furthermore, call center staff will receive supplemental training on call center specifics, the new IES system, MAGI policy, plus Cisco Telephone System and "soft skill" training. Since many staff members are new to casework, they will also receive in-depth policy training.
The ACA requires the state to take Medicaid applications over the phone, but in order to best serve our customers, the ABE CCC will take both Medicaid and SNAP applications by phone. Applicants will be able to telephonically sign their application so the process will be complete at the end of the call. The ABE CCC will not accept applications for cash assistance at this time; these customers will be sent directly to the online application ABE or their local Family Community Resource Center.
Furthermore, staff at the ABE CCC will be able to answer questions about the application process, assist individuals apply for benefits, and help individuals access or use ABE. The ABE CCC is staffed with caseworkers who can also take case changes. In the beginning, case changes will be limited to address changes, but the types of case changes the ABE CCC can assist with will expand over time.
To reduce confusion about which number to call, the IDHS Help Line 1 (800) 843-6154 remains the central access point for all IDHS programs and services. Callers with questions can quickly choose options for assistance with Medicaid, SNAP, or cash assistance from the Help Line menu options. Extra capacity has been added to the Help Line to help handle the increased volume of calls.
The ABE CCC's hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
In honor of the 23rd anniversary of the historic signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) sponsored a special event in July at the James R. Thompson Center showcasing Illinois' continued commitment to persons with disabilities.
"We're committed to keeping the promise of equality and continuing to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities in the state of Illinois," said IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler. "During fiscal year 2013, the IDHS Division of Rehabilitation Services helped more than 5,000 individuals enter the workforce and live independently."
Governor Pat Quinn also proclaimed July 16, 2013, as Americans with Disabilities Act Day in Illinois and encouraged all citizens to reaffirm the principles of equality and inclusion by ensuring that people with disabilities are included in the mainstream community life.
This year's celebration, "ADA Breaking Down the Barriers," highlighted the talents and accomplishments of people with disabilities through art and interactive exhibits, entertainment provided by performers with disabilities, workshops and a three-on-three wheelchair basketball exhibition. In partnership with the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the IDHS' Division of Rehabilitation Services, the celebration also included a job fair for persons with disabilities.
The "ADA Breaking Down the Barriers" celebration encourages the state and persons with disabilities to work together in the same spirit that accompanied the original enactment of this law. This celebration highlights the contributions of persons with disabilities in Illinois, as well as their everyday challenges and successes. It also serves as a reminder to every citizen of the importance of civil rights protections for Illinois residents and facilitates broader awareness about an inclusive society.
For the last 23 years, IDHS has joined with a coalition of other state agencies and councils to sponsor a statewide event commemorating the passage of the ADA, which was signed into law in 1990. The celebration not only recognizes the accomplishments of people with disabilities, it shows how state agencies, programs and other organizations have worked to implement the law. Illinois has a long standing history of protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, going back more than 30 years to the passage of the Illinois Human Rights Act (December 6, 1979), which prohibits discrimination against any person with a "physical or mental disability."
For more information about IDHS programs and services for persons with disabilities, please visit www.dhs.state.il.us.
Governor Pat Quinn recently signed the "Employment First Act," a new law which requires Illinois state agencies to work together to make employment for people with disabilities a priority.
The legislation was first proposed by Governor Quinn in his 2013 State of the State address and is part of his agenda to ensure all people have the opportunity to follow their dreams and reach their full potential.
"Every person in the Land of Lincoln should have the opportunity - regardless of the challenges they face - to pursue their dreams and achieve their full potential," Governor Quinn said. "My goal is to make Illinois the nation's leading employer of people with disabilities. We've made historic progress to change Illinois through our Rebalancing Initiative and today, we are breaking down more barriers to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in our state."
Sponsored by State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Skokie) and State Rep. Esther Golar (D-Chicago), House Bill 2591 requires all state agencies to work together to make competitive employment for people with disabilities a priority and establish measurable goals
and objectives for the state. The law requires the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force (EEOPWD) - created in 2009 - to monitor progress towards this mission. All state agencies will be required to share data and information and ensure all policies, procedures and practices are aligned to these goals and objectives. The EEOPWD Task Force includes advocates, individuals with disabilities, business community members, disability services providers, representatives of state agencies and other stakeholders.
"The Employment First Act will go a long way toward aligning state policy with Illinois' values of inclusion and fair pay for people with disabilities," Sen. Biss said. "Illinois residents with disabilities have much to contribute to our workforce, and the law signed today will maximize their opportunities to live and work with dignity."
"People with disabilities deserve an equal opportunity to receive gainful employment," Rep. Golar said. "This legislation will level the playing field and make sure that no one is denied employment at a state agency simply because they have a disability."
The Employment First Act is modeled from a national movement that believes employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred option when exploring goals and a life path for people with disabilities. Competitive work in integrated settings for people with disabilities has proven to foster self-sufficiency, independent living, higher self-esteem and better integration into the community at-large.
Governor Quinn has been recognized both nationally and locally as a champion for people with disabilities. Two years ago, the governor launched his Rebalancing Initiative to improve the state's system of caring for those with disabilities and mental health challenges. The initiative has successfully moved hundreds of people with disabilities out of institutions and into community-based care.
The Arc of the United States recently named Governor Quinn the Advocacy Matters! Award recipient for 2013, which is The Arc's most prestigious honor. The award is presented annually to proven leaders who advocate and protect the civil and human rights of people with disabilities and increase resources, services and supports that promote their full inclusion and participation in the community.
"Governor Quinn is to be commended on his vision and perseverance in guaranteeing people with disabilities the chance to live their dreams," said Tony Paulauski, executive director of The Arc of Illinois. "The Employment First initiative provides equal opportunity to achieve their potential and benefits the people of Illinois by offering a diverse workforce and unique perspective."
The bill signing took place at the Illinois Department of Human Services' event in July, which celebrated the 23rd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. This year's 23rd anniversary celebration, titled "ADA Breaking Down the Barriers," highlighted the accomplishments of people with disabilities and recognized how state agencies and other organizations have worked to comply with this law, improving access to environments, programs, services and opportunities for people with disabilities.
"Nothing could be more important and it is wonderful that we have connected two excellent systems of care to provide a program that helps end this terrible offense," said Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler, as she addressed the Illinois Imagines conference in Springfield.
Secretary Saddler welcomed the more than 100 rape crisis staff, DD providers, community partners, ICASA, and the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission and praised them for working to protect our most vulnerable citizens. "We're pleased that Illinois Imagines has received another year of funding from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)," added Saddler.
The IDHS received a grant from the OVW to improve the systems responding to women with disabilities who experience sexual violence. The IDHS' project, called Illinois Imagines, is designed to strengthen the service delivery systems so that women with disabilities who survive sexual violence will receive a proactive, individualized, compassionate response to their experience.
The project team includes key partners in the fields of disability and sexual assault, self advocates, members of various IDHS Divisions, representatives from the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council (IFVCC), Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL), and The Alliance and Blue Tower Training Center (BTT).
The four core initiatives work together to provide a comprehensive approach to systems change and promote sustainability at both the local and state levels.
For additional information about the Illinois Imagines project, contact Teresa Tudor at 1 (217) 558-6192 or via email at email@example.com.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michele R.B. Saddler was recently joined by U.S. Congressman Danny Davis as she gave a U.S. house subcommittee a look at what Illinois is doing to improve the safety net for people in need. The House Subcommittee on Human Resources held a hearing in August on improving the safety net. Witnesses described what improvements are needed to the nation's safety net programs, but more importantly, Secretary Saddler highlighted what is already being done in Illinois to better serve families.
Programs such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) are safety net programs that can help low income working adults stay in the workforce and promote the success of children in school and later in life. However, many people can be confused by how to enroll in these programs and encounter numerous barriers when navigating these complex and bureaucratic systems.
This is why innovative efforts such as the Work Support Strategies (WSS) initiative, are key to helping policy makers, administrators and other stakeholders improve and better serve families to get and keep the supports for which they are eligible. WSS is a multi-state effort in partnership with three national organizations, the Ford Foundation and three other philanthropic partners. WSS seeks to design, test and implement 21st century public benefits systems that would dramatically improve the delivery of work support benefits to low-income families. This involves creating and incorporating more effective, streamlined and integrated approaches to how service is delivered.
Secretary Saddler testified on the department's experiences in being at the forefront of streamlining programs to provide coordinated access to benefits programs. "We've streamlined our service delivery in Illinois. We have improved efficiencies to help people better navigate the system. We have done this in two ways. First of all, we have looked for and created efficiencies and we have also used technology," Sadler said.
The IDHS received support from the Work Support Strategies Project, funded largely by the Ford Foundation, and this gave the department a framework to review our system including the environment, IDHS policies, and business processes.
"We started with quick easy ones like establishing specialized cues and posting clear signage. We listened to our customers and staff to figure out what in our procedures could change. We also are using technology. Thanks to the 90 percent funding afforded to us by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we are replacing actually five of our 30-year-old legacy systems with a modern integrated system that covers Medicaid, TANF and SNAP. This will allow our customers to apply online 24/7, not having to miss work or come in during our office hours. For our workers, the use of electronic cross-matches will expedite verification of eligibility factors. We have streamlined and will continue to do so," Saddler added.
The IDHS has also used current flexibility to design programs and systems that encourage work participation and streamline access. One excellent example of that is that we used the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund that was part of the stimulus plan, we used that to place 35,000 people in temporary jobs giving them not only financial support but also valuable work experience and support to our business community.
The department has also used TANF funding to increase the investment in child care, making it possible for families to work and providing valuable learning experience for children as well. The IDHS is also using a current Medicaid Waiver to conduct express enrollment of certain SNAP benefits into the new Medicaid eligibility group. This avoids conducting redundant application and verification procedures. So we do make use of the flexibility that we have, Secretary Saddler said of the safety net works. In Illinois, 10,000 cases, (10,000 families) graduate from the TANF program every year because of their increased earnings. "Clearly, our safety net provides basic needs for our families," Saddler said.
Governor Pat Quinn recently announced a capital investment of $2.2 million for a construction project to renovate a wing at the Chicago-Read Mental Health Center. The project is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois' economy forward.
"This construction project will provide more treatment space for persons with mental illness," Governor Quinn said. "Additionally, it will also employ a number of construction workers, which will help the local economy as well."
The project, administered by the Illinois Capital Development board, will involve remodeling the east half of Unit J including new partitions, floor finishes, ceilings, nurse stations, electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and sprinkler system as well as an exterior fenced exercise area. The project includes six contracts:
"We are very pleased Governor Quinn has made this funding available," Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "Equally as important as creating jobs is the improvement in our capacity to serve people with mental illness."
This project is part of Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest capital construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest capital construction programs in the nation.
The successful Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) program has received a boost allowing the program to expand to additional counties. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) was awarded a $7 million state grant for ARI, an initiative that diverts non-violent justice involved individuals from prison into more effective community-based services.
Administered by ICJIA, ARI provides financial incentives to counties or judicial circuits to create or expand diversion programs that employ evidence-based practices and encourage the successful local supervision of eligible offenders. The results are better outcomes for offenders at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Locally designed ARI programs offer offenders a chance to avoid prison by committing to intensive supervision and services, including cognitive behavioral and trauma-informed therapy, and problem-solving drug, mental health, and veterans' courts.
"Adult Redeploy Illinois has proven to be successful in helping non-violent justice involved individuals to get back on the right path," said Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board (ARIOB) Co-Chair Michelle R.B. Saddler, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services. "This expansion will allow more participants to get treatment for mental health and substance abuse problems along, with the other services that help avoid recidivism."
With this funding, ARI will sustain and expand programs already serving Cook, DuPage, Jersey, Macon, Madison, McLean, St. Clair and Winnebago counties, and the 9th Judicial Circuit. In addition, ARI will begin funding programs in the counties of Boone, Lake, Peoria, and Sangamon, as well as the 2nd Judicial Circuit and the 4th Judicial Circuit, expanding outreach to a total of 15 sites covering 39 counties, including 12 county-wide programs and three judicial circuit-wide programs.
Awarded jurisdictions must agree to reduce by 25 percent the number of commitments to the Illinois Department of Corrections from a defined target population of prison-bound, non-violent offenders.
Planning grants of up to $30,000 are currently available to county governments interested in ARI funding for local programs.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Serve Illinois Commission announced that funding is available for agencies interested in administering AmeriCorps programs in the state. AmeriCorps members serve their communities by improving education and healthcare, protecting public safety, safeguarding the environment, providing disaster relief and promoting civic engagement.
"AmeriCorps is an excellent opportunity for people to commit their time and talents and give something back to their communities," said Brandon Bodor, Executive Director of the Serve Illinois Commission. "Illinois has a strong tradition of supporting national service programs, and AmeriCorps members make a real and lasting difference in the communities in which they serve."
The Serve Illinois Commission, part of the IDHS and the office of the Governor, administers the AmeriCorps state programs in Illinois, and is charged with enhancing and supporting community volunteerism. Serve Illinois is funded by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and currently supports nearly 30 AmeriCorps programs throughout the state.
Serve Illinois will host mandatory meetings for interested parties in Belleville, Chicago, Dixon and Springfield. Proposals are due by November 22, 2013. Funded programs will begin their work in July 2014. Meeting details and information about the application process can be found at www.Serve.Illinois.gov.
AmeriCorps members dedicate a year to helping communities meet their unmet human service, education, public safety or environmental needs. They receive a modest living allowance, student loan deferment and training. Full-time members are also eligible to receive health insurance. Members who successfully complete their service receive an educational award of up to $5,645 to help pay for college, graduate school, vocational training or to pay off student loans.
For more information about AmeriCorps or Serve Illinois, please visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov or call 1 (800) 592-9896. The website is a valuable resource for Illinoisans seeking information about volunteer agencies, trainings, nonprofit resources and national service programs, including AmeriCorps. The website includes a user-friendly volunteer matching portal where you can search for a volunteer opportunity in your area.
Governor Pat Quinn proclaimed September as "Recovery Month" in the state of Illinois to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders. "Recovery Month" celebrates the continued success of many people in Illinois who have achieved recovery from alcohol and substance addiction and mental illness. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) last month celebrated with a special softball game and ice cream social in Springfield.
"I want to commend those who are in recovery and urge those who need assistance to seek it out. Treatment is effective and people can and do recover," IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "I also want to recognize the tremendous dedication of prevention, treatment and recovery support providers across the state."
This year's theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Together on Pathways to Wellness," highlights the many ways that people can prevent behavioral health issues, seek treatment and sustain recovery successfully. Last year, IDHS funded substance abuse treatment services for nearly 80,000 people and mental health services for approximately 140,000 people in Illinois.
The IDHS and the Chicago Department of Public Health also co-sponsored the Recovery Walk in Chicago on Saturday, September 21 at Washington Park.
For more information about "Recovery Month," visit www.recoverymonth.gov.
We hope you enjoyed reading this edition of our Public Engagement Newsletter. As always, please feel free to forward and share our newsletter with your networks, partners, colleagues, customers, and friends.
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Aurelio Huertas Fabrizio
Editor-in-Chief | Public Engagement Newsletter
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Office: 312.793.9959 | Cell: 312.515.8039 | Fax: 312.793.2351