As you are aware, for federal fiscal year 2003, Arkansas failed to meet the two-parent work activity participation rate.   Applying our caseload reduction credit to the two-parent 90% rate reduced our target for two parent families to 43.3%.  However, our actual reported two-parent rate for FFY 2003 was 31.8%.

The federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has accepted Arkansas’ Corrective Compliance Plan (CCP) to address this failure to meet the target.  Therefore, the fiscal penalty has been delayed to allow the state to raise the rate to an acceptable level.  

Listed below are the corrective actions included in the CCP that each county should be doing to increase the two-parent participation rate.

·        Designated Staff

Each County Office will continue to have designated staff work with all two-parent families in the county.  Emphasis will be placed on giving priority to two-parent cases in the designated staff’s caseload so that assessments are completed and Employment Plans developed as soon as possible following application approval.  The designated staff will have weekly contact with the two-parent families and will make bi-weekly home visits.

·        Review Process For On-going Monitoring of All Two-Parent Cases

To ensure that TEA field staff is correctly identifying cases that meet the definition of a two-parent family and that appropriate actions are taken on the cases, the review and monitoring process of all two-parent cases will be continued.  This review and monitoring process will continue to identify needed training to field staff in relation to two-parent participation.  In addition, a designated person in each of the six state catchment areas will monitor the two-parent cases through ANSWER.  A monthly report from each county will be submitted to the Area Director. 

Quality Assurance staff will continue to perform supplementary reviews of two-parent cases for management purposes only.

·        Increase Work Opportunities and Supports for Two-Parent Families

This includes the continued development of On-the-Job Training (OJT) placements, work experience training sites, and Subsidized Employment sites in the towns or local areas in which two-parent families live.  Each area will be responsible for placing 20% of their two-parent cases in On-the-Job Training and Subsidized Employment worksites.  In addition, focus will be placed on referring two-parent cases to the local Workforce Center.  Supportive service needs such as transportation and other work-related needs for both parents will be provided. 

·        Continuation of Severe Barriers Project

Refer all two-parent adults who are not satisfactorily participating to the Severe Barriers Project for screening, assessment, and case management if a severe barrier(s) is determined to exist. 

CONCLUSION

It is important that each county ensures that these corrective actions have been implemented.  As a result of prior corrective actions, our two-parent participation rate has continuously increased.  With continued commitment to these corrective actions, we will see continued improvement. 

Inquiries to:    Paula Gentry, TEA Unit, 682-8182

                        Renee Green, TEA Unit, 682-8266

                        Donna Roshell, TEA Unit, 682-8250

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