Meeting “Our” Two-Parent Meeting “Our” Two-Parent Participation RateParticipation Rate

Regional Conference CallRegional Conference Call

September 7, 2006September 7, 2006

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Why is There so Much Emphasis Why is There so Much Emphasis on the Two-Parent Rate Now?on the Two-Parent Rate Now?

Not a requirement in the pastNot a requirement in the past Not previously included in our all-Not previously included in our all-

families ratefamilies rate How will their inclusion affect this rateHow will their inclusion affect this rate

Lots of unknowns (issues with Lots of unknowns (issues with reporting, current rate, etc.)reporting, current rate, etc.)

Requirement is much higher and Requirement is much higher and harder to meet than the all-families harder to meet than the all-families requirement requirement

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Participation Rate Participation Rate RequirementRequirement

90% for two-parent families90% for two-parent families Caseload reduction credit will apply, Caseload reduction credit will apply,

however, the amount of the credit is however, the amount of the credit is not known at this timenot known at this time

Requirement could be as high as Requirement could be as high as 60% after caseload reduction credit 60% after caseload reduction credit is appliedis applied

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How do we Look Today?How do we Look Today?

Approximately 850 two-parent Approximately 850 two-parent (family) cases in the FLORIDA (family) cases in the FLORIDA SystemSystem

Approximately 2050 two-parent Approximately 2050 two-parent (individual) cases open in OSST(individual) cases open in OSST

DCF estimates our current two-DCF estimates our current two-parent rate to be between 30-35%parent rate to be between 30-35%

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Minimum Hours RequiredMinimum Hours Required Average of at least 35 hours per Average of at least 35 hours per

weekweek Minimum of 30 hours required in core Minimum of 30 hours required in core

activitiesactivities

If less than 30 hours in core activities, If less than 30 hours in core activities, none of the hours will count, even if the none of the hours will count, even if the family participated 35 hours per weekfamily participated 35 hours per week

Either parent, or both parents may Either parent, or both parents may participate to meet the required participate to meet the required hourshours

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Minimum Hours RequiredMinimum Hours Required

Combined average of at least 55 Combined average of at least 55 hours per week, hours per week, ifif receiving receiving federally funded child care, federally funded child care, andand neither parent is disabledneither parent is disabled Minimum of 50 hours required in core Minimum of 50 hours required in core

activitiesactivities

Both parents must participateBoth parents must participate

Neither parent can be required or Neither parent can be required or allowed to participate more than allowed to participate more than 40 hours per week 40 hours per week

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Requirements for Two-Parent Requirements for Two-Parent Families with Teen ParentsFamilies with Teen Parents

Married teens, or single teen Married teens, or single teen heads-of-household will count in heads-of-household will count in the numerator if they: the numerator if they: Maintain satisfactory attendance at a Maintain satisfactory attendance at a

secondary school (high school) or in a secondary school (high school) or in a GED program, GED program, oror

Participate in Education Directly Participate in Education Directly Related to Employment for an average Related to Employment for an average of at least 20 hours per week of at least 20 hours per week

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Calculating the Two-Parent Calculating the Two-Parent RateRate

Two-parent families participating Two-parent families participating the minimum number of hours the minimum number of hours requiredrequired

Two-parent families receiving TCA, Two-parent families receiving TCA, minus sanctioned families, if they minus sanctioned families, if they have not been sanctioned for have not been sanctioned for more than 3 months in the more than 3 months in the previous 12 monthsprevious 12 months

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Two-Parent Families with a Two-Parent Families with a Disabled ParentDisabled Parent

If one parent is disabled, the If one parent is disabled, the family is not included in the two-family is not included in the two-parent calculationparent calculation

HHS did not define “disabled” HHS did not define “disabled”

AWI/DCF/WFI currently trying to AWI/DCF/WFI currently trying to define disabled for this purposedefine disabled for this purpose

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All-Families RateAll-Families Rate Two-parent families will be Two-parent families will be

included in the all-families rate included in the all-families rate effective 10/1/06effective 10/1/06 Currently excludedCurrently excluded

The all-families hours standard The all-families hours standard appliesapplies 30 hours required, of which a 30 hours required, of which a

minimum of 20 must be in core minimum of 20 must be in core activitiesactivities

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Penalties for Not Meeting the Penalties for Not Meeting the Two-Parent Participation RateTwo-Parent Participation Rate

Penalty will be proportional to the Penalty will be proportional to the size of our two-parent caseload in size of our two-parent caseload in relation to the total caseloadrelation to the total caseload

In addition, if we fail to meet either In addition, if we fail to meet either rate, the TANF MOE requirement rate, the TANF MOE requirement would be raised from $368.4 million would be raised from $368.4 million per year to $392.9 million, an per year to $392.9 million, an increase of $24.5 million per yearincrease of $24.5 million per year

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Core ActivitiesCore Activities Unsubsidized EmploymentUnsubsidized Employment

Subsidized Private and Public Sector Subsidized Private and Public Sector Employment Employment

On-the-Job Training On-the-Job Training

Work ExperienceWork Experience

Job Search and Job ReadinessJob Search and Job Readiness

Community Service ProgramsCommunity Service Programs

Vocational Educational Training Vocational Educational Training

Providing Child CareProviding Child Care

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Core-Plus ActivitiesCore-Plus Activities No credit received unless combined No credit received unless combined

with 30/50 hours in core activitieswith 30/50 hours in core activities Job Skills training directly related to Job Skills training directly related to

employmentemployment

Education directly related to Education directly related to employment for those without a high employment for those without a high school diploma or GEDschool diploma or GED

Satisfactory attendance at a Satisfactory attendance at a secondary school or in a GED secondary school or in a GED programprogram

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Documentation and JPRsDocumentation and JPRs Hours must be documented and entered Hours must be documented and entered

on the JPR screen timelyon the JPR screen timely

Hours on JPR screen must match the Hours on JPR screen must match the documentation receiveddocumentation received

Too many hours are being changed on the Too many hours are being changed on the JPR screens after being reported to HHSJPR screens after being reported to HHS Don’t change hours unless they are being Don’t change hours unless they are being

changed from zero after receiving changed from zero after receiving documentation documentation

Hours greater than zero should not be Hours greater than zero should not be entered until documentation is receivedentered until documentation is received

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Anticipated ChangesAnticipated Changes Work Experience and Community Work Experience and Community

ServiceService

Include Food Stamps in the calculation of Include Food Stamps in the calculation of hours required for Work Experience as we hours required for Work Experience as we currently do for CWEPcurrently do for CWEP

Considered to be meeting the core Considered to be meeting the core requirement (30 or 50 hrs) if the maximum requirement (30 or 50 hrs) if the maximum allowable hours obtained from the allowable hours obtained from the calculation are completedcalculation are completed

Based on Fair Labor Standards ActBased on Fair Labor Standards Act

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Anticipated ChangesAnticipated Changes Credit for holidays and excused absences Credit for holidays and excused absences

for unpaid work activitiesfor unpaid work activities

State must identify holidays in our Work State must identify holidays in our Work Verification PlanVerification Plan

Excused absences for a maximum of 10 Excused absences for a maximum of 10 additional days in a 12-month period, not additional days in a 12-month period, not to exceed two per monthto exceed two per month Individual must have been scheduled to Individual must have been scheduled to

participate in the work activity for the participate in the work activity for the period of the absenceperiod of the absence

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Working with the “Family” Working with the “Family” Rather Than Two Separate Rather Than Two Separate IndividualsIndividuals

Schedule both parents for Orientation Schedule both parents for Orientation at the same timeat the same time

Develop a family self-sufficiency plan Develop a family self-sufficiency plan that involves both parentsthat involves both parents

Have the same career manager Have the same career manager working with both parentsworking with both parents

Specialized caseloads that include only Specialized caseloads that include only two-parent families two-parent families

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Things to Consider When Things to Consider When Working with Two-Parent Working with Two-Parent HouseholdsHouseholds

Encourage both parents to attend follow-Encourage both parents to attend follow-up appointments to share successes and up appointments to share successes and ensure that both are on the same pageensure that both are on the same page

Remind them that if one parent fails to Remind them that if one parent fails to participate without good cause the participate without good cause the resulting sanction will affect the entire resulting sanction will affect the entire householdhousehold

They should be working toward the same They should be working toward the same goal—family self-sufficiencygoal—family self-sufficiency

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Things to Consider When Things to Consider When Working with Two-Parent Working with Two-Parent HouseholdsHouseholds

Look for signs of troubleLook for signs of trouble If one dominates/controls the If one dominates/controls the

conversation and decisions about conversation and decisions about activities the other will or will not do, activities the other will or will not do, there may be an issuethere may be an issue

Be sensitive to possible domestic Be sensitive to possible domestic violence issuesviolence issues

Meet privately at times to allow each Meet privately at times to allow each parent time to discuss issues parent time to discuss issues freely in a private and secure freely in a private and secure environmentenvironment

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Coding/Interface IssuesCoding/Interface Issues

Cases are not always identified Cases are not always identified correctlycorrectly

DCF is working to correct these DCF is working to correct these issuesissues

Interface issuesInterface issues

AWI is working to identify these and AWI is working to identify these and make correctionsmake corrections

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Coding/Interface IssuesCoding/Interface Issues

AlertsAlerts

If an exemption alert is received, If an exemption alert is received, check FLORIDA to make sure the check FLORIDA to make sure the case is “exempted”case is “exempted”

Sometimes a “to-do” states that a Sometimes a “to-do” states that a case “became exempt”, but the case “became exempt”, but the terminology interpreted by the terminology interpreted by the interface program is not the same as interface program is not the same as “exempt”“exempt”

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Changes Needed in OSSTChanges Needed in OSST Suggestions for OSST changes Suggestions for OSST changes

related to two-parent casesrelated to two-parent cases Another two-parent designation to Another two-parent designation to

indicate two-parent families in the indicate two-parent families in the systemsystem

Receive the two individuals as one Receive the two individuals as one family rather than two casesfamily rather than two cases

Indicator on the JPR screen to identify Indicator on the JPR screen to identify receipt of federally funded childcare receipt of federally funded childcare that could be used to determine that could be used to determine participation requirementparticipation requirement 35 or 55 hours?35 or 55 hours?

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Best PracticesBest Practices

Regions--discuss processes Regions--discuss processes currently in place that other currently in place that other regions might want to replicateregions might want to replicate

What is working and not What is working and not working?working?

What changes do you anticipate What changes do you anticipate making?making?