Policy                                                                       Issuance Number: TEA 98-4

Transitional Employment Assistance Manual      Issuance Date: May 1    , 1998

From: Ruth Whitney, Director                                       Expiration Date: Until Superseded

Subj: Implementation of Welfare-to-Work Program

Pages to be Deleted   Date                                                    Pages to be Added                 Date   

None                                                                                        TEA 3600-3640                   5/1/98                                                                                                                               Pages 132 (a)-132 (g)                                                                                                                              

                         Summary

Effective May 1, 1998, Arkansas implemented the Welfare-to-Work Program. The purpose of the Welfare-to-Work (WtW) Program is to move hard-to-employ TEA recipients and non-custodial parents of TEA children into lasting unsubsidized employment. The Welfare-to-Work program will be operated by each local Private Industry Coucil (PIC). The DHS county office involvement in the program will be to provide referrals and to follow up on participation. For the non-custodial parent, the county office’s only involvement will be complete a WtW certification form on the individual. 

                                                      Implementation Process

In order to have an effective program, we recommend county office staff take the following steps.

1. Identify the local PIC agency in your area that will be providing the WtW program.

2.      Contact the local PIC agency and develop referral and coordination procedures that will   

be needed to insure a successful program. (Please refer to TEA 3620 for mandatory referral procedures.)

3.      Identify possible cases for WtW referrals. NOTE: To help in identifying potential

referrals, OPPD will provide a listing of currently open TEA cash assistance cases, by county, which have been receiving AFDC or TEA for the past 30 consecutive months.                

4. An Employability Assessment and Educational Assessment must be conducted on each      TEA participant prior to referral to WtW agency. An Employability Assessment need not be completed if one was completed within the last six months.

Counties are encouraged to make an initial identification of eligible WtW clients, through the “30 consecutive month” listing or other means developed by the county, as soon as possible to start making referrals. After initial identification, then referrals should be made on an on-going basis as determined appropriate by the worker (e.g., at an Employment Plan update or other periodic contact).

An initial supply of WtW forms will be sent to each county office. Copies of the DCO-1425 and DCO-1426 are attached to this issuance. If needed, counties may photocopy these to use until the initial supply is received.

Inquires to: Linda Greer, TEA Unit, 682-8257          

                          Lorie Williams, TEA Unit, 682-8256       

                          Ron Johnson, TEA Unit, 682-8182

                          Renee Green, TEA Unit, 682-8266