TEA Policy - 1000 Section

TEA Manual 2/1/06

1000 General Provisions

1010 Purpose of Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA)

The purpose of the Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) program is to help needy families become economically self-sufficient by providing opportunities to obtain and retain employment sufficient to sustain the family.  Central to this purpose is helping adults and minor parents to reduce out-of-wedlock births, and promoting family unity.  Employment improves the quality of life for parents and children by increasing family income and assets and by improving self-esteem.

 

It is the goal of the TEA program that all participants receive services that best prepare them for long-term self-sufficiency.  Therefore, it is important that eligible families receive the supportive services, and, in some cases, education and training to enable them to make the transition from welfare to work.  Through employability assessments, employment planning, and the provision of employment related services, the TEA program helps recipients recognize their employment possibilities.  TEA recipients are also encouraged and allowed to participate in education and training activities as a component of their individual Employment Plan.  Minor parents are encouraged and supported in completing a high school education or equivalency so that they are better prepared to enter the job market as adults.  Since TEA benefits are time-limited, emphasis is placed on short-term goals so that the recipient enters employment before the end of his or her time limit.

In addition to case management and employment related services, the TEA program provides monthly cash assistance to eligible families to help meet the family’s basic needs while the parent or other adult relative works toward increasing his/her earning potential.

TEA cash assistance is also available to help meet the needs of children who are being cared for by non-parent adult relatives. Assistance to such relatives may be provided without regard to a specified time limit.

TEA Diversion Assistance provides a one-time lump sum payment in lieu of other TEA services or assistance to help a family accept or retain employment.

TEA Manual 7/1/97

1020 Administration

The Transitional Employment Assistance program is governed by federal law (Title IV-A of the Social Security Act), State law (Arkansas Act 1058 of 1997), and the state’s Transitional Employment Assistance Program State Plan.

The program is jointly funded by the State and Federal governments. The federal funding source is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act. State general revenues also fund the program.

The TEA program is administered by the Department of Human Services with primary responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the program vested with the Division of County Operations.

An individualized approach to the delivery of TEA services is paramount to the program purpose of moving families to self-sufficiency in a short timeframe. To promote this approach, the program is administered with a high degree of flexibility provided to the county office, or front-line, staff.

TEA Manual 7/1/97

1030 Personnel

The Division of County Operations is responsible for the provision of personnel to determine eligibility, authorize payments, and provide case management services to eligible families.

DHS County Administrators will develop procedures within their individual offices, through training and supervision, whereby decision-making occurs at the lowest possible level.

TEA Manual 7/1/97

1040 Volunteers

Volunteers are subject to the rules, regulations, and policies of the office where they are assigned. This includes the policies which govern the disclosure of information concerning DHS and its clients. The volunteer’s supervisor in the DHS County Office is responsible for informing the volunteer of the disclosure policy for each program in which the volunteer works.

Volunteers may perform any duty in the DHS County Office as determined appropriate by the County Administrator. However, a paid DCO employee, as designated by the County Administrator, must review and approve any certification or benefit determination decisions recommended by a non-paid volunteer.

TEA Manual 7/1/97

1050 Disclosure of Information

Information concerning an applicant, recipient, or other persons known to the agency will not be made available without the written consent of the client except to authorized employees of the Department of Human Services, the Office of Child Support Enforcement, the Social Security Administration, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, or for purposes directly connected with the following:

  1. Any investigation, prosecution, or criminal or civil proceeding conducted in connection with the administration of any program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.
  2. The administration of any other Federal or federally assisted program which provides assistance, in cash or in-kind, or services, directly to individuals on the basis of need.
  3. The certification of receipt of TEA cash assistance to an employer for purposes of claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.
  4. Any audit or similar activity, e.g., review of expenditure reports or financial review, conducted in connection with the administration of any such program by any governmental entity which is authorized by law to conduct such audit or activity.

In addition, the current address of a recipient may be disclosed to a state or local law enforcement officer at his/her request without the recipient’s consent provided the law officer provides the recipient’s name and Social Security number and satisfactorily demonstrates that (1) the recipient is a fugitive felon, a probation or parole violator, or is fleeing prosecution for a felony offense, (2) the location or apprehension of such person is within the law officer’s official duties, and (3) the request is made in the proper exercise of those duties. A felon is defined as a person who has been convicted of a crime which was termed a felony by the court which heard the case.

TEA Manual 7/1/97

1060 Coordination with Other Programs

The County Administrator will establish procedures to insure coordination between the TEA program and other programs administered by the County Office.

TEA Manual 01/01/05

 

1070 Maintenance of Case Records

The maintenance of DCO case records is the responsibility of the County Administrator.  In order to facilitate the processing and review of case actions and participant activity, the case record will be maintained in a six (6) part folder

TEA Manual 01/10/05

1071               Case Record Organization

The following case record organization system will be followed for all TEA cash assistance cases.

A six-part letter file folder will be used to organize the case record. A six- part folder will be created for each budget unit head in the master case. Each of the six sections will be identified as followed.  The most recent information will be filed on top within each section.

 

Section 1: All Budget Units

·         ·        Request for Assistance (DCO-215)

·         ·        Client Declaration Statement

·         ·        Statement of Responsibility (DCO-216)

·         ·        Personal Responsibility Agreement (DCO-217)

·         ·        Assignment of Rights (DCO-237)

·         ·        Diversion Assistance Agreement (DCO-182)

·         ·        All initial, re-evaluations and re-certification applications

 

Section 2: Documents And Permanently Retained Forms For All Programs

·         ·        Birth Certificates

·         ·        Social Security Enumeration

·         ·        Citizenship

·         ·        Divorce Decrees

·         ·        Marriage License

·         ·        Driver License

·         ·        Life Insurance Policies

·         ·        Deeds

·         ·        Child Support (DCO-90 & 105)

·         ·        Overpayments (All Programs)

·         ·        Fraud Claims

·         ·        Fair Hearing Information

 

Section 3: Eligibility Information/Verification For All Programs 

·         ·        Income (Earned & Unearned)

·         ·        Resource

·         ·        Deduction

·         ·        Actual Shelter Cost

·         ·        Child Care Expenses

·         ·        Medical Expenses

·         ·        Child Support Paid

·         ·        Collateral Statements (when required)

·         ·        Computer Matches (IEVS, etc.)

·         ·        All Manual Notices (relating to eligibility-most recent on top)

·         ·        Any Change Report (including DCO-234)

·         ·        Any other Eligibility Related Forms

 

Section 4: Food Stamp & Medicaid Information

 

·         ·        Semi-Annual Reporting Form

·         ·        Midpoint Review

·         ·        Q & A Review

·         ·        Spenddown Budgets

·         ·        TPL (DCO-662)

·         ·        Primary Care Physician Selection (DCO-2609)

·         ·        Medicaid Card Information

 

Section 5: TEA Supportive Services

 

·         ·        All Reimbursement Documentation (Including Vehicle Purchases)

·         ·        Child Care Authorizations

·         ·        Job Retention Information

 

Section 6: TEA Case Management

·         ·        Assessments

·         ·        Employment Plans

·         ·        Narratives not on ANSWER

·         ·        Work Activity Verification

·         ·        Deferral Verification

·         ·        Staffings

·         ·        Home Visit Documentation

·         ·        Referrals

 

TEA Manual 11/01/07

 

1080                              Disposition of Records

 

 

TEA records may be destroyed when the case has been closed continuously for five years unless an audit is being conducted at that time or there is an outstanding overpayment claim.  In this context, “case closure” refers to the closure of the case for purposes of TEA program services, including Extended Support Services (and therefore does not refer to “closure” of the cash assistance aspect of the case).  When a TEA case record, or any of its contents, is to be destroyed, it will be done by burning or shredding to ensure the confidentiality of the material.

 

 

The five year timeframe will apply to cases in which the adult’s lifetime maximum period to receive TEA benefits has been reached.  This is to ensure case record information is available should an audit be conducted on the case during those five years following closure.

 

   *     A printout identifying cases which have been closed continuously for five years is sent to county offices monthly. This printout may be used to identify cases that can be destroyed, if determined appropriate.