Interim Activities (FAM)

SR 12-07 Dated 06/12

Previous Policy

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An individual may participate in interim activities when the activity has been determined to be reasonable and necessary for his or her entrance into or success in the work force. * NHEP participants enrolled in Interim Activities must fulfill all agreements outlined in their employment plan. Activities include:

• Barrier Resolution; and

• Family Intervention.

Barrier Resolution

A serious and substantial personal barrier is the temporary inability of the individual to seek and accept employment due to a debilitating situation including but not limited to:

• Homelessness;

• Impending eviction;

• Substance abuse or addiction of *a family member;

• A crisis within the family or with a child or another family member;

• Finding Child Care*;

• Finding Transportation*;

• Short-term recovery from injury/surgery;

• Legal problems; or

• Any other situation, which is out of the NHEP participant’s control, that impedes the NHEP participant from complying with NHEP requirements*.

Barrier resolution services, classified as an interim activity, are available to NHEP individuals in any phase of the program and whenever possible should be combined with any other NHEP activities specified on the EP.

Barrier Resolution Participant Requirements

• Individuals are required to participate in NHEP services or be referred to community services as their NHEP activity to resolve the temporary serious and substantial personal barriers when agreed upon with the individual and identified on their Employability Plan. Interim activities that address a serious personal barrier are only required provided that the services are covered by Medicaid, or do not generate a cost to the NHEP individual.

• Individuals must not be referred to any barrier resolution activities unless agreed upon by the participant.

• Minimum hourly participation requirements do not apply to individuals actively participating, cooperating, and progressing in barrier resolution activities.

• Hourly participation in barrier resolution activity is not counted toward federal participation.

Barrier Resolution Documentation and Verification

Barrier Resolution activities can be reported on Form NHEP269, Client Statement For NHEP Non-Participation And Plan, or can be self-reported by the client either verbally or in writing.

Barrier Resolution Support Services

The following support services may be authorized for this activity:

• Child care *registration fees;

• Transportation assistance (payment to enrolled public/private carriers, mileage and auto repair reimbursement).

• Other employment training services approved at the State Office level; and

• Assessment. When an assistance group (AG) reaches a third level sanction, the AG may participate in a telephone-based assessment with an Assessment and Intervention Unit (AIU) Counselor to identify barriers causing the lack of engagement in NHEP:

- if barriers exist which inhibit the AG’s ability to comply with NHEP work requirements, the AG’s employability plan (EP) is revised accordingly. Upon 2 weeks of full cooperation with NHEP and the revised EP, the AG’s payment level is returned to its pre-sanction amount; or

- if no barriers are determined to exist, upon 2 weeks of full cooperation with the NHEP, the AG’s payment plan is returned to it’s pre-sanction amount.

Family Intervention

Family Intervention is an Interim activity when the following exists:

• * the activities have been approved by the NHEP ECS and are described on the NHEP participant’s EP;

• * a qualified medical, mental health, or substance abuse professional provides the activity; and

• * a qualified medical, mental health, or substance abuse professional has determined the activity to be necessary for the NHEP participant.

 *

Family Intervention activities include the following activities only:

• Mental Health Counseling

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• Life Skills Training

• Rehabilitation

• Domestic Violence Counseling

Individuals can use hours spent in Family Intervention activities towards participation in the NHEP work program and these hours are counted towards federal participation rates.

*

Family Intervention Documentation and Verification

Family Intervention activities are reported on Form NHEP268, Family Intervention Activity, on a biweekly basis, and must be signed by the qualified medical, mental health, or substance abuse professional.

Family Intervention Support Services

Family intervention participants may be authorized for the following support services for this activity:

• Child care registration fees;

• Auto repairs;

• Transportation assistance;

• Education or training related fees;

• Books and supplies;

• Uniforms;

• Tools of the trade;

• Auto insurance;

• Auto registration;

• Driver’s license fees;

• Dental work;

• Work office clothing;

• Personal care items; and

• Other employment training services approved at the State Office level.

Time Limits

To count toward federal participation requirements, hours participating in the Family Intervention activity combined with the Job Readiness activity, and Job Search activity cannot exceed the following in a rolling 12-month period:

• 240 hours for households whose youngest child is under 6 years of age; or

• 360 hours for all other households.

Participants can only participate in Job Search and Job Readiness activities for a maximum of 4 consecutive weeks to meet federal participation. Hours spent in a 5th consecutive week do not count towards federal participation.

Hours spent in Job Readiness, Job Search, or Family intervention can be added to the participant’s hours spent in another activity to meet minimum weekly participation hours.