2018 TANF Drug Testing Costs
| Submitted | May 6, 2019 |
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Communications
From: Dustin Jayroe
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
- The number of TANF applicants in 2018
- The amount of those applicants who were drug tested
- The total dollar amount spent on the TANF drug testing program in 2018 (this includes cost of the tests, staffing, and all other relevant costs)
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 3 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Dustin Jayroe
From: Department Of Workforce Services
Mr. Jayroe,
Non-Arkansas residents are not beholden to our FOI laws.
As requested:
- The number of TANF applicants in 2018: 16,460
- The amount of those applicants who were drug tested: 3
- The total dollar amount spent on the TANF drug testing program in 2018 (this includes cost of the tests, staffing, and all other relevant costs): $105
Respectfully,
Zoë Calkins
Communications Director
Arkansas Department of Workforce Services<https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/>
2 Capitol Mall PO Box 2981
Little Rock, AR 72203
Office: (501) 683-1606
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are the property of the State of Arkansas, are confidential, and are for authorized use only by the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or otherwise have reason to believe that you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and delete this message immediately from your computer. Any unauthorized use, retention, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be punishable under Federal or State law.
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From: Dustin Jayroe
Zoë ,
Thank you so much for your response.
I am an Arkansas resident.
The information you provided seems to contradict a recent news report on the subject here: https://thinkprogress.org/states-cost-drug-screening-testing-tanf-applicants-welfare-2018-results-data-0fe9649fa0f8/
All of the numbers are in line with each other, except for their reporting asserts $14,985 was spent in 2018. Can you advise me on that discrepancy?
Thanks!
-Dustin Jayroe
From: Department Of Workforce Services
Mr. Jayroe,
Thank you for your inquiry. The $14,985 in the linked report included salaries of ADWS TANF staff whose duties under TANF include, but are not limited to, activities related to drug testing. No new employees were hired and their salaries would have been paid regardless if TANF drug testing existed. $105 was the cost of the actual drug testing.
Respectfully,
Zoë Calkins
Communications Director
Arkansas Department of Workforce Services<https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/>
2 Capitol Mall PO Box 2981
Little Rock, AR 72203
Office: (501) 683-1606
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are the property of the State of Arkansas, are confidential, and are for authorized use only by the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or otherwise have reason to believe that you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and delete this message immediately from your computer. Any unauthorized use, retention, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be punishable under Federal or State law.
From: Dustin Jayroe
Great. Thank you very much for the clarification.
Appreciate all of your help!
-Dustin Jayroe
From: Dustin Jayroe
Great. Thank you very much for the clarification.
Appreciate all of your help!
-Dustin Jayroe