[Vision2020] polygamy update

[ttrail at moscow.com]

Constituents

  I received several calls from constituents inquiring about members of 
polygamist families in N. Idaho who might be receiving welfare checks.  
There is a polygamist colony in Southern British Columbia called 
Bountiful (an offshoot of the Texas compound recently in the news).  An 
investigation was launched by Health and Welfare in 2005 concerning 
complaints that "single" mothers from the colony were crossing the border 
and collecting welfare checks.  There were similar reports of such 
activity concerning members of the Texas compound.  Health and Welfare 
set up new rules that eliminated this activity, i.e.  Welfare recipients 
have to live in the U.S. and not abroad.

With the recent publicity of the Texas compound, constituents wondered if 
this practice was still going on.  This is the reply from Dick Armstrong, 
Health and Welfare in Boise.  Mr. Armstrong is in charge of the 
Department's fraud division.  It appears the situation is under control.

Rep. Tom Trail

Representative Trail,
 
The Department of Health and Welfare is aware of providing food stamp 
benefits to one polygamy family, who lives in Boundary County.  The 
household includes multiple adults, who are self-declared polygamists.  
The Department takes into account and verifies household income based on 
information obtained through tax verifications, bank account 
verifications, and employment records.  The family must recertify every 
six months.  This is the same process used to determine eligibility for 
any household.  Additionally, the Department performs random home visits 
as a quality control measure; any suspected fraud would be investigated 
by our Fraud Unit.
 
The number of known polygamist families is declining in Idaho; it seems 
they are migrating into Canada.
 
If you have additional questions or would like to discuss this issue, 
please give me a call.
 
Dick Armstrong
(208) 334-5500



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