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C1.9 Economic Supports and Safety Net

Legal Authority

921 KAR 2:006 Technical requirements for the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP)...

Introduction

Although poverty is not neglect, poverty and economic hardship increase the likelihood that a family will become involved with the child welfare system. Economic and concrete supports have been shown to reduce both reports and substantiations of maltreatment. Economic and concrete supports have also been recognized as key components of evidence-based practices (EBP) approved on the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. Effective strategies for prevention and well-being must support families’ access to economic and concrete supports, which can help families meet their basic needs and promote well-being. These include supports such as medical cards, food assistance, child care assistance, and other economic assistance.

Collaboration among child welfare staff, prevention staff, and entities that assist families with accessing economic and concrete supports is necessary to reduce the need for child protective services (CPS) and promote child and family well-being. The Division for Family Support (DFS)is a key partner in this effort. DFS administers all of the major federally funded public assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP), Kentucky Works Program (KWP), and Medicaid programs. Families may apply for assistance in any Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) office in all one hundred and twenty (120) counties by phone toll-free at (855) 306-8959 or online at Kentucky Benefits| kynect.

Safety net services are part of KTAP, Kentucky’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funded services. Safety net services are short-term intervention or maintenance services to a family to help develop and maintain skills and abilities to prevent out-of-home placement for a child or monetary benefits to assist in maintaining self-sufficiency. Safety net services shall be provided for a former K-TAP recipient who has a total income at or below two hundred (200) percent of the federal poverty level and is no longer eligible for K-TAP.

Practice Guidance

The Division of Protection and Permanency (DPP) and Division of Prevention and Community Well-being (DPCW) staff share information about economic and concrete supports, including how those may be accessed, with families and community partners whenever relevant.

Safety net assessment factors that are addressed may include:

Reason(s) for discontinuance;
Resources that the family is using;
Resources needed;
Referrals needed to community resources;
Amount of income and whether the family is eligible for benefits;
Rights to reapply for KTAP benefits;
Living environment;
Observed indicators or risk factors of abuse, neglect, dependency, or exploitation; and
Any identified problems.

Expenditures may include interventions in the following situations:

Fuel shortage;
Utility shutoff;
Insufficient food, clothing, or housing; or
Items needed to accept or continue employment.

Funds may not be used for medical services, including prescriptions, dentures, eyeglasses, etc.
All correspondence or attempted correspondence is documented on the DPP-1020-Safety Net Assessment.
Through the service region, central office forwards to each FSOS the following listings from the Kentucky Automated Management Eligibility System (KAMES), with the names and addresses of welfare recipients who are being discontinued:

HRKIMR81-K-TAP Cases Discontinued Due to 3-Month Sanction Policy;
HRKIMR83-KTAP Children Discontinued Due to 3-Month Sanction Policy;
HRKIMR84-Cases/Children Disc. Due to the 3-Month Sanction Policy; and
HR-KIMR-8C-Cases Discontinued Due to Sixty (60) Months K-TAP Lifetime Limit.

The FSOS receives the PAFS-628-Exchange of Information directly from DFS, indicating a discontinuation of benefits.

Procedure

The SSW:

May be invited by a family support worker to be a part of a parental responsibility opportunity (PRO) team prior to a family being discontinued from KWP for:

Failure to complete a KTAP Transitional Assessment Agreement (KW-202);
Failure to comply with K-TAP after receiving six (6) cumulative months of K-TAP and has been sanctioned for three (3) cumulative months in Kentucky (the months need not be consecutive); and
Having received K-TAP for sixty (60) months;

Determines if a CPS or adult protective services (APS) case is already opened;
Contacts the family by telephone or (if the client cannot be reached by phone or does not have a phone) by mail to arrange a home visit within fifteen (15) working days of the effective date of discontinuance;
Makes a home visit and follows up with a telephone contact within three (3) working days if there is no response;
Participates in any meetings or home visits and shares knowledge or insight as appropriate when invited;
Conducts an assessment using the DPP-1020 Safety Net Assessment;
Assists the family in developing a plan of action and provides referrals to any community resources as appropriate if the SSW and family determine that the resources available are not adequate to keep the family safe and together;
May seek authorization for the expenditure of monetary assistance, up to a total of six hundred thirty-five dollars ($635) over four (4) months within the twelve (12) month period following discontinuance if the family’s income is at or below two hundred percent (200%) of the poverty level;
Uses the following steps, in concert with the DFS worker, to coordinate payment of any requested expenses to make sure that duplicate payments are not made:

Obtains documentation of need (e.g., disconnect notices, eviction notice, etc.) and submits it with the completed DPP-1021 Safety Net Verification Form to the FSOS; and
The SSW or FSOS submits the bills to the designated regional staff for payments to be issued;

Discontinues safety net funds:

When appropriate under the limits of eligibility; or
If the DFS worker notifies the SSW, the K-TAP case is reapproved, which disqualifies the client from safety net funds eligibility;

Develops an aftercare plan with the family or open a case for ongoing services, as appropriate;
Provides the family with a DPP-154 Protection and Permanency Service Appeal and informs the family of their right to file a service complaint;
Notifies the DFS worker of the outcome of the referral using the PAFS-628-Exchange of Information;
Completes the DPP-1022 Safety Net Report Form and submits the report to the FSOS, who approves it and submits it to the designated central office staff by the third (3rd) working day of the month.

The designated regional staff:

Instructs the SSW to make every effort to get a signed agreement from the vendor that the deposit will be returned to the local or regional office if the premises are vacated or there is a balance to be refunded when deposits are made for rent or utilities;
Instructs the SSW that if utility companies only return refunds to the client, the SSW may ask the client to return any unused portion of the deposit, but that no efforts are made to collect the refund; ₁
Instructs the SSW that food, clothing, and furniture purchases may be made from vendors with the most cost-effective merchandise;
Instructs the SSW to return the itemized receipt for the region’s file so that they may each month: ₂

Reconcile the checking account with their monthly log and
Submit to the director of the Division of Administration and Financial Management (DAFM) by the tenth (10th) of the month:
A copy of the reconciliation form;
A copy of the bank statement;
The monthly log; and
Original receipts;

Requests the bank to process the voided check (e.g., a check that is not cashed by the vendor within ninety-five (95) days) and reports the void to DAFM;
Maintains all safety net services records for a minimum of five (5) years.

The FSOS:

Checks KAMES for the following information if the documents from central office are received without the corresponding PAFS-628 Exchange of Information form:

Effective date of discontinuance;
DFS worker code; and
Current address of the family;

Notifies the family support field services supervisor that the safety net referral was not received;
Assigns an SSW to complete an assessment of the family’s needs upon receipt of one of the above reports of discontinuation.

Footnotes

Any funds received from clients are returned to the director of DAFM.
All receipts should include the item and purchase price listed. Clothing purchases should be documented regarding quantity, price, and client name. All receipts should also contain the check number, check amount, client name, and payee on the check.