Date of Adoption: August 6, 2001.

Purpose: Tighten up the support services program to be as efficient as possible while maintaining program integrity.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-310-0800.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.050, 78.08A.340, 74.04.050, and [WSR] 99-14-043.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 01-12-056 on June 1, 2001.

Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Only changes were in wording and ordering to clarify meaning.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Other Findings Required by Other Provisions of Law as Precondition to Adoption or Effectiveness of Rule: To meet the budgetary reductions mandated by the legislature in ESSB 6153. The start date needs to be September 1, 2001.
Effective Date of Rule: September 1, 2001.

August 6, 2001

Brian H. Lindgren, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

(((a) WorkFirst participants;

(b) Sanctioned WorkFirst participants during the two-week participation before the sanction is lifted;

(c) Unmarried or pregnant minors who are income eligible to receive TANF and are:

(i) Living in a department approved living arrangement (WAC 388-486-0005) and are meeting the school requirements (WAC 388-486-0010); or

(ii) Actively working with a social worker to remove the barriers that are preventing the minor from living in a department approved living arrangement and/or meeting the school requirements.

(d) Former WorkFirst recipients who are looking for work, preparing for work, or working.

(2) Why do I receive support services?

(a) Support services help you participate in work and WorkFirst activities that lead to independence. You can also get help in paying your child care expenses through the working connections child care assistance program. (Chapter 388-290 WAC describes the rules for this child care assistance program.)

(b) Support services help you to keep working, accept a job, participate in job search, advance in your job and/or increase your wages.

(3) What support services may I receive?

You may receive support services, including but not limited to any of the following:

(a) Employment related needs such as work clothing or uniforms, tools, equipment, relocation expenses, or fees;

(b) Transportation costs such as mileage reimbursement, public transportation vouchers, and car repair;

(c) Professional services;

(d) Personal needs such as clothing appropriate for job search or other work activities;

(e) Special needs such as accommodations for employment;

(f) Identified specific needs due to location or employment if you are an American Indian;

(g) Job skills training, vocational education and/or basic education if:

(i) It is an approved activity in your individual responsibility plan; and

(ii) You do not qualify for sufficient student financial aid to meet the cost.

(h) Transitional work expense of one thousand dollars if:

(i) You are in unsubsidized employment; or

(ii) You are in subsidized employment that does not use TANF funds or does not end with your grant; and

(iii) You are in the assistance unit and receiving a TANF/SFA grant of one hundred dollars or less a month; and

(iv) You or anyone in your assistance unit is not in sanction status; and

(v) You voluntarily stop receiving your TANF/SFA grant; and

(vi) You are an adult and have never received a transitional work expense.

(4) What are the requirements to get support services?

The department or its agents will decide what support services you will receive, as follows:

(a) You need the support services to do the activities in your individual responsibility plan, do job search, accept employment, do paid work, continue to work, to advance in your job and/or increase your wages; or

(b) You are a pregnant or parenting minor who is income eligible to receive TANF and you need support services to remove barriers that prevent you from living in a department approved living arrangement and/or meet the school requirements; or

(c) Your request is within twenty-four months after your TANF/SFA case closed; and

(d) It is within available funds; and

(e) It does not assist, promote, or deter religious activity.

(5) How much support services can I get?

The chart below shows the guidelines for the amount and type of support services you can get. There is a suggested limit of three thousand dollars per person per program year (July 1st to June 30th) for support services you can receive from the department and/or employment security.

Type of Support Service	Suggested Limit
Accommodation (reasonable)	$1,000 for each request
Car repair	$750 per program year
ClothingGeneral	Participant$250 for each request Each child$100 for each request
Clothing/uniformsEmployment	Participant$200 per program year
Counseling	No limit
Diapers	$50 per child per month
Educational expenses	$300 for each request
Employer reimbursement	No limit
Haircut	$40 for each request
License/fees/liability insurance	$600 per each license, fee or liability insurance request per program year
Lunch	Same rate as established by OFM for state employees
Medical exams (not covered by Medicaid)	$150 per exam
Mileage	Same rate as established by OFM for state employees
Personal hygiene	$50 for each request (up to three times per program year)
Professional, trade, association, union and bonds	$300 for each fee
Public transportation	$150 per month
Relocation	$1,000 per program year
Rent, housing, deposits	$500 per program year
Short-term lodging and meals	Same rate as established by OFM for state employees
TestingDiagnostic	$200 each
Tools/equipment	$500 for each request

(6) What if I request more support services than the suggested maximum amounts, or ask for services not specifically covered in the guidelines?

If you request support services from your case manager, you can:

(a) Ask to see a copy of these guidelines;

(b) Ask for additional services, if you are requesting more than the guidelines allow or asking for services or goods not mentioned in the guidelines; and/or

(c) Request a fair hearing, if your request for support services is denied.

(7) What happens to my support services if I do not participate as required?

The department will give you ten days notice, following the rules in WAC 388-310-1600, then discontinue your support services until you participate as required)) People who can get support services include:

(a) WorkFirst participants who receive a TANF cash grant;

(b) Sanctioned WorkFirst participants during the two-week participation before the sanction is lifted;

(c) Unmarried or pregnant minors who are income eligible to receive TANF and are:

(i) Living in a department approved living arrangement (WAC 388-486-0005) and are meeting the school requirements (WAC 388-486-0010); or

(ii) Are actively working with a social worker and need support services to remove the barriers that are preventing them from living in a department approved living arrangements and/or meeting the school requirements.

(d) Former WorkFirst recipients who are working at least twenty hours or more per week for up to one year after leaving TANF if they need support services to meet a temporary emergency. This can include up to four weeks of support services if they lose a job and are looking for another one (see also WAC 388-310-1800); or

(e) American Indians who receive a TANF cash grant and have identified specific needs due to location or employment.

(2) Why do I receive support services?

Although not an entitlement, you may receive support services for the following reasons:

(a) To help you participate in work and WorkFirst activities that lead to independence.

(b) To help you to participate in job search, accept a job, keep working, advance in your job and/or increase your wages.

(c) You can also get help in paying your child care expenses through the working connections child care assistance program. (Chapter 388-290 WAC describes the rules for this child care assistance program.)

(3) What type of support services may I receive and what limits apply?

There is a limit of three thousand dollars per person per program year (July 1st to June 30th) for WorkFirst support services you may receive. Most types of support services have dollar limits.

The chart below shows the types of support services that are available for the different activities (as indicated by an "x") and the limits that apply.

Definitions:

Work-related activities include looking for work or participating in workplace activities, such as community jobs or a work experience position.

Safety-related activities include meeting significant or emergency family safety needs, such as dealing with family violence. When approved, safety-related support services can exceed the dollar or category limits listed below.

Some support services are available if you need them for other required activities in your IRP.

Type of support service	Limit	Work	Safety	Other
Reasonable accommodation for employment	$1,000 for each request	x
Clothing/uniforms	$200 per adult per program year	x
Diapers	$50 per child per month	x
Employer reimbursement	Reimburse 50 percent of employer costs during on-the-job training	x
Haircut	$40 per each request	x
Lunch	Same rate as established by OFM for state employees	x
Personal hygiene	$50 per adult per program year	x
Professional, trade, association, union and bonds	$300 for each fee	x
Relocation related to employment (can include rent, housing, and deposits)	$1,000 per program year	x
Short-term lodging and meals in connection with job interviews/tests	Same rate as established by OFM for state employees	x
Tools/equipment	$500 for each request	x
Car repair needed to restore car to operable condition	$500 per program year	x	x
License/fees/liability insurance	$600 per each license, fee or liability insurance request per program year	x	x
Mileage, transportation, and/or public transportation	Same rate as established by OFM for state employees	x	x
Counseling	No limit	x	x	x
Educational expenses	$300 for each request if it is an approved activity in your IRP and you do not qualify for sufficient student financial aid to meet the cost	x		x
Medical exams (not covered by Medicaid)	$150 per exam	x	x	x
Public transportation	$150 per month	x	x	x
Testing-diagnostic	$200 each	x	x	x

(4) What are the other requirements to receive support services?

Other restrictions on receiving support services are determined by the department or its agents. They will decide what support services you receive, as follows:

(a) It is within available funds; and

(b) It does not assist, promote, or deter religious activity; and

(c) There is no other way to meet the cost.

(5) What is a transitional work expense?

(a) A transitional work expense is a special type of support services that is only paid once in a lifetime. It is authorized in two payments of five hundred dollars to cover your work expenses and help you exit TANF sooner and stay off of assistance longer. The first payment is made in the month after your TANF grant closes if you can show you have a plan for staying employed and off of TANF. The second payment is paid if you are still employed and off of TANF three months later.

(b) To qualify for the first transitional work expense payment of five hundred dollars, you must also meet the following conditions:

(i) You are in unsubsidized employment; or

(ii) You are in subsidized employment that does not use TANF funds or does not end with your TANF grant; and

(iii) You are in the assistance unit and getting a TANF/SFA grant of one hundred dollars or less a month; and

(iv) Neither you or anyone else in your assistance unit is in sanction status; and

(v) You voluntarily stop getting your TANF/SFA grant.

(6) What happens to my support services if I do not participate as required?

The department will give you ten days notice, following the rules in WAC 388-310-1600, then discontinue your support services until you participate as required.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.050, and 78.08A.340. 00-13-106, 388-310-0800, filed 6/21/00, effective 7/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.050. 99-14-043, 388-310-0800, filed 6/30/99, effective 7/31/99; 97-20-129, 388-310-0800, filed 10/1/97, effective 11/1/97.]

Washington State Code Reviser's Office