NOTICES
TANF Time-Out
[31 Pa.B. 1639] The purpose of this notice is to announce the Department of Public Welfare's (DPW) intent to amend the Commonwealth's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 601--619) State Plan. The proposed amendment will permit persons who otherwise qualify for TANF to receive cash assistance that does not count toward the 60-month TANF time limit.
Federal law permits a state to have a fiscally segregated state-funded program (SSP). If a state segregates its TANF state funds from its Federal TANF funds, assistance benefits funded solely through state funds are subject to many TANF requirements such as work and child support, but are exempt from certain other requirements such as the 5-year time limit (42 U.S.C.A. § 609(a)(7)(B)(i)). DPW intends to amend its TANF state plan to create an SSP known as the Time-Out initiative.1
The Time-Out initiative will be implemented effective July 2, 2001. It will provide incentives for families meeting and/or exceeding minimum work participation requirements, or participating early in work and/or other employment-related activities. This initiative will also provide incentives to persons who are addressing barriers to self-sufficiency by working toward goals for self-sufficiency that are tailored to individual needs and situations.
Time-Out benefits may be granted to persons in the following groups as long as they meet all other TANF eligibility criteria:
1. Working
* A recipient who is working (in paid employment) 30 hours per week, or
* A recipient who is working 20 hours per week and is also engaged in 10 hours or more of approved employment and training activities, or
* A two-parent family in which both parents are working a combined 55 hours per week.
2. Early Engager
* A recipient who has received not more than 12 months of cash assistance, and
* Has completed the required 8-week job search, and
* Who is enrolled in a contracted or otherwise DPW-approved Employment and Training program for 30 hours per week, or
* Who is enrolled in a post-secondary educational activity defined as full-time by the college, university or institution.
3. Exempt Volunteer
* A recipient who is exempt from participating in work or work-related activities due to a temporary or permanent physical or mental disability, and
* Who participates in the Maximizing Participation Project (MPP).2
4. Kinship Caregiver
* A non-parental caretaker who has received 24 months or more of cash assistance for himself/herself and a related minor dependent child, and
* Who is not receiving cash assistance for children of his/her own, and
* Who is meeting the 20-hour weekly work requirement.
5. Victim of Domestic Violence
* A person who has been identified as a victim of domestic violence, and
* Who maintains compliance with a domestic violence plan developed with the assistance of a person trained in domestic violence counseling or services.
Participation in Time-Out is limited to 12 months in a person's lifetime for persons who meet the criteria specified in numbers 1-3 above. Victims of domestic violence may receive a Time-Out for 6 months with an additional 6 months if they are complying with their domestic violence plan.
Kinship caregivers may receive Time-Out indefinitely as long as they meet the criteria specified in number 4 above. The limit on the number of months a person can receive Time-Out benefits applies regardless of whether the months are consecutive.
A person may receive Time-Out benefits under one criterion and later receive Time-Out under another criterion, as long as the combined periods do not exceed the 12-month lifetime limit (excluding kinship caregivers).
This notice and subsequent State Plan amendments do not create a duty or obligation upon DPW to continue, renew or extend availability of the Time-Out Initiative. Continuation or renewal of the initiative is subject to availability of funds.
DPW invites interested persons to submit written comments regarding this notice within 30 days. Comments should be addressed to Edward J. Zogby, Director, Bureau of Policy, Office of Income Maintenance, Room 431, Health and Welfare Building. P. O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675.
Persons with a disability may use the AT&T Relay Service by calling (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (Voice users).
FEATHER O. HOUSTOUN,
SecretaryFiscal Note: 14-NOT-275. (1) General funds; (2) Implementing Year 2001-02 is $28,132,000; (3) 1st Succeeding Year 2002-03 is $29,635,000; 2nd Succeeding Year 2003-04 is $29,635,000; 3rd Succeeding Year 2004-05 is $29,635,000; 4th Succeeding Year 2005-06 is $29,635,000; 5th Succeeding Year 2006-07 is $29,635,000; (4) 1999-00 Program--$311,394,000; 1998-99 Program--$259,688,000; 1997-98 Program--$323,388,000; (7) Cash Grants; (8) recommends adoption. Funds are included in the recommended budget for 2001-2002 for this purpose.
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1 Funds expended in the Time-Out initiative will count towards the Maintenance of Effort requirement of § 409(a)(7) of the Social Security Act. That provision (42 U.S.C. § 609(a)(7)) and Federal regulations at 45 CFR § 263.1(a)(1) provide that states must spend in every fiscal year at least 80 percent of what they spent in fiscal year 1994 on expenditures to eligible families (in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program).
2 The Maximizing Participation Project (MPP) is a new initiative that involves multidisciplinary social service teams working with TANF recipients. The goal is to develop a services plan which fosters self-sufficiency in TANF clients who have experienced physical or mental illnesses.
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-517. Filed for public inspection March 23, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]
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