Director: Mississippi does not track welfare program results

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi’s scandal-plagued welfare program turns away most applicants for cash assistance, and it has not been tracking whether its programs fulfill the goal of lifting people out of poverty in one of the poorest states in the nation, lawmakers were told Tuesday.

Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said that when he became director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services in March 2020, he found the agency had “output numbers” to track spending.

“But we didn’t have a lot of outcome information,” Anderson said. “We were not tracking outcomes as an agency.”

In response to questions from Democratic Rep. Robert Johnson of Natchez, Anderson said Human Services is looking at data to define whether programs are effective, but he did not say when a program to track outcomes will be in place.

Anderson spoke at the state Capitol during a hearing held by the state House and Senate Democratic caucuses.

Democratic leaders said they convened because Republicans, who control the two chambers, have not held hearings on a multimillion-dollar welfare misspending scandal that has ensnared several prominent figures, including retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre.

“We cannot help but to recognize that Mississippi has two hands — one hand that is basically taking aid from the poor and another hand that is basically giving it to the wealthy,” said Sen. Derrick Simmons of Greenville. “And Mississippi needs to do a better job.”

Anderson said about 90% of people who apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in Mississippi don’t receive it, either because their applications are denied or because they abandon their applications. He said Human Services is considering using “navigators” to help applicants.

Brandy Nichols of Jackson told lawmakers that she has four children — an 8-year-old, 5-year-old twins and a 4-year-old. She has worked several different jobs, including as a cashier and a housekeeper.

She said she never expected to need government aid, but TANF helped her pay for groceries, cleaning supplies, clothing and unexpected expenses such as emergency car repairs. She said she has already used the five-year limit on payments under the program.

“I can no longer receive TANF,” Nichols said. “But my children’s most expensive years are ahead.”

Anderson is a former assistant U.S. attorney, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves nominated him to lead Human Services just weeks after one of the agency’s former directors, John Davis,…