Meeting “Our” Two-Parent Participation Rate Regional Conference Call September 7, 2006

2 Why is There so Much Emphasis on the Two-Parent Rate Now?  Not a requirement in the past  Not previously included in our all-families rate How will their inclusion affect this rate How will their inclusion affect this rate  Lots of unknowns (issues with reporting, current rate, etc.)  Requirement is much higher and harder to meet than the all-families requirement

3 Participation Rate Requirement  90% for two-parent families Caseload reduction credit will apply, however, the amount of the credit is not known at this time Caseload reduction credit will apply, however, the amount of the credit is not known at this time Requirement could be as high as 60% after caseload reduction credit is applied Requirement could be as high as 60% after caseload reduction credit is applied

4 How do we Look Today?  Approximately 850 two-parent (family) cases in the FLORIDA System  Approximately 2050 two-parent (individual) cases open in OSST  DCF estimates our current two-parent rate to be between 30-35%

5 Minimum Hours Required  Average of at least 35 hours per week Minimum of 30 hours required in core activities Minimum of 30 hours required in core activities If less than 30 hours in core activities, none of the hours will count, even if the family participated 35 hours per week If less than 30 hours in core activities, none of the hours will count, even if the family participated 35 hours per week Either parent, or both parents may participate to meet the required hours Either parent, or both parents may participate to meet the required hours

6 Minimum Hours Required  Combined average of at least 55 hours per week, if receiving federally funded child care, and neither parent is disabled Minimum of 50 hours required in core activities Minimum of 50 hours required in core activities Both parents must participate Both parents must participate Neither parent can be required or allowed to participate more than 40 hours per week Neither parent can be required or allowed to participate more than 40 hours per week

7 Requirements for Two-Parent Families with Teen Parents  Married teens, or single teen heads- of-household will count in the numerator if they: Maintain satisfactory attendance at a secondary school (high school) or in a GED program, or Maintain satisfactory attendance at a secondary school (high school) or in a GED program, or Participate in Education Directly Related to Employment for an average of at least 20 hours per week Participate in Education Directly Related to Employment for an average of at least 20 hours per week

8 Calculating the Two-Parent Rate Two-parent families participating the minimum number of hours required Two-parent families receiving TCA, minus sanctioned families, if they have not been sanctioned for more than 3 months in the previous 12 months

9 Two-Parent Families with a Disabled Parent  If one parent is disabled, the family is not included in the two-parent calculation  HHS did not define “disabled”  AWI/DCF/WFI currently trying to define disabled for this purpose

10 All-Families Rate  Two-parent families will be included in the all-families rate effective 10/1/06 Currently excluded Currently excluded  The all-families hours standard applies 30 hours required, of which a minimum of 20 must be in core activities 30 hours required, of which a minimum of 20 must be in core activities

11 Penalties for Not Meeting the Two- Parent Participation Rate  Penalty will be proportional to the size of our two-parent caseload in relation to the total caseload  In addition, if we fail to meet either rate, the TANF MOE requirement would be raised from $368.4 million per year to $392.9 million, an increase of $24.5 million per year

12 Core Activities  Unsubsidized Employment  Subsidized Private and Public Sector Employment  On-the-Job Training  Work Experience  Job Search and Job Readiness  Community Service Programs  Vocational Educational Training  Providing Child Care

13 Core-Plus Activities  No credit received unless combined with 30/50 hours in core activities Job Skills training directly related to employment Job Skills training directly related to employment Education directly related to employment for those without a high school diploma or GED Education directly related to employment for those without a high school diploma or GED Satisfactory attendance at a secondary school or in a GED program Satisfactory attendance at a secondary school or in a GED program

14 Documentation and JPRs  Hours must be documented and entered on the JPR screen timely  Hours on JPR screen must match the documentation received  Too many hours are being changed on the JPR screens after being reported to HHS Don’t change hours unless they are being changed from zero after receiving documentation Don’t change hours unless they are being changed from zero after receiving documentation Hours greater than zero should not be entered until documentation is received Hours greater than zero should not be entered until documentation is received

15 Anticipated Changes  Work Experience and Community Service Include Food Stamps in the calculation of hours required for Work Experience as we currently do for CWEP Include Food Stamps in the calculation of hours required for Work Experience as we currently do for CWEP Considered to be meeting the core requirement (30 or 50 hrs) if the maximum allowable hours obtained from the calculation are completed Considered to be meeting the core requirement (30 or 50 hrs) if the maximum allowable hours obtained from the calculation are completed  Based on Fair Labor Standards Act

16 Anticipated Changes  Credit for holidays and excused absences for unpaid work activities  State must identify holidays in our Work Verification Plan  Excused absences for a maximum of 10 additional days in a 12-month period, not to exceed two per month Individual must have been scheduled to participate in the work activity for the period of the absence Individual must have been scheduled to participate in the work activity for the period of the absence

17 Working with the “Family” Rather Than Two Separate Individuals  Schedule both parents for Orientation at the same time  Develop a family self-sufficiency plan that involves both parents  Have the same career manager working with both parents  Specialized caseloads that include only two-parent families

18 Things to Consider When Working with Two-Parent Households  Encourage both parents to attend follow-up appointments to share successes and ensure that both are on the same page  Remind them that if one parent fails to participate without good cause the resulting sanction will affect the entire household  They should be working toward the same goal—family self-sufficiency

19 Things to Consider When Working with Two-Parent Households  Look for signs of trouble If one dominates/controls the conversation and decisions about activities the other will or will not do, there may be an issue If one dominates/controls the conversation and decisions about activities the other will or will not do, there may be an issue Be sensitive to possible domestic violence issues Be sensitive to possible domestic violence issues Meet privately at times to allow each parent time to discuss issues freely in a private and secure environment Meet privately at times to allow each parent time to discuss issues freely in a private and secure environment

20 Coding/Interface Issues  Cases are not always identified correctly DCF is working to correct these issues DCF is working to correct these issues  Interface issues AWI is working to identify these and make corrections AWI is working to identify these and make corrections

21 Coding/Interface Issues  Alerts If an exemption alert is received, check FLORIDA to make sure the case is “exempted” If an exemption alert is received, check FLORIDA to make sure the case is “exempted”  Sometimes a “to-do” states that a case “became exempt”, but the terminology interpreted by the interface program is not the same as “exempt”

22 Changes Needed in OSST Suggestions for OSST changes related to two-parent cases Suggestions for OSST changes related to two-parent cases  Another two-parent designation to indicate two-parent families in the system  Receive the two individuals as one family rather than two cases  Indicator on the JPR screen to identify receipt of federally funded childcare that could be used to determine participation requirement 35 or 55 hours? 35 or 55 hours?

23 Best Practices  Regions--discuss processes currently in place that other regions might want to replicate  What is working and not working?  What changes do you anticipate making?