Clara Bates

1 week ago | kcur.org | Clara Bates

One year after a federal judge ruled Missourians were being illegally denied food aid by the state, the Department of Social Services has made “no progress” in addressing the problem, the judge wrote in a scathing order this week. “The excessive call wait times and denials based on the failure to provide a reasonable opportunity to interview persist and in some respects have deteriorated,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge M.

1 week ago | columbiamissourian.com | Clara Bates

"The excessive call wait times and denials based on the failure to provide a reasonable opportunity to interview persist and in some respects have deteriorated," wrote U.S. District Court Judge M. Douglas Harpool in an order late Tuesday afternoon, referring to the call wait times for participants to receive required interviews to enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. "The current efforts do not fulfill (the state's) responsibilities under federal law."

1 week ago | missouriindependent.com | Clara Bates

by Clara Bates, Missouri Independent May 7, 2025 Local laws prohibiting landlords from discriminating against tenants who receive public assistance would be unenforceable under legislation sent to the governor’s desk Wednesday. The bill passed by a final vote of 23 to 10 on Wednesday in the Senate, over the opposition of Democrats. It previously passed the House 103 to 37.

1 week ago | missouriindependent.com | Clara Bates

One year after a federal judge ruled Missourians were being illegally denied food aid by the state, the Department of Social Services has made “no progress” in addressing the problem, the judge wrote in a scathing order this week. “The excessive call wait times and denials based on the failure to provide a reasonable opportunity to interview persist and in some respects have deteriorated,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge M.

1 week ago | missouriindependent.com | Clara Bates

There are 430 Missourians across the state in jails waiting to be moved to state psychiatric hospitals, up from around 300 at this time last year. The average time those people wait in jail before receiving treatment has held steady at 14 months, according to Missouri Department of Mental Health data.