Stimulus check update : In 11 days, applications for the monthly $1,000 direct payment will be open
In 11 days, Los Angeles County will open applications for its guaranteed income program. Over a two-year period, the program will send $1,000 in monthly payments.
Over the course of two years, the Breathe program will select 200 former foster children to receive these payments. June 20 is the opening date, and July 3 is the closing date.
According to a Los Angeles County spokesperson, the same program selected 1,000 people last year to receive $1,000 every month for three years, and now, 200 more people will receive the same amount for two years.
Previously, 1,000 recipients were randomly chosen from a pool of eligible applicants.
New applicants must be at least 21 years old and must not turn 24 before Sept. 1. They must also be former foster youth in Los Angeles County Department of Children and Families care.
For households with two or more persons, applicants must be at or below 100% of the area median income. For households with one person, applicants must be at or below 120% of the area median income. As well, they must have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and not be enrolled in another guaranteed income program.
A randomized control study will be conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and other research partners to assess the effectiveness of the program. It is not necessary to participate in the study to receive the monthly payments, but participants will be asked to provide information periodically on their overall health and well-being. Each survey they complete will earn them a $30 gift card.
An additional 2,000 participants were randomly selected for the control group. In the control group, the $1,000 payments are not made every month, but they are compensated with a $30 gift card for completing the periodic surveys and interviews.
