Welfare Programs

The following programs can give welfare consumers a boost in making it successfully out of the system:

• KEYS Program (Education & Training):
• Maximizing Participation Program: a program for clients with lots of barriers that keep them from working.
• Work Support Component:
• TANF Diversion: an alternative to participating in TANF
• Extended TANF: a way to extend your 5 year TANF clock
• Time Out: a way to stop your TANF clock

KEYS PROGRAM (Education & Training)

KEYS (Keystone Education Yields Success Program) assists TANF clients who enroll in a degree or certificate program at CCAC or another Community College in Pennsylvania. The purpose of KEYS is to help TANF parents pursue education by forming a link between DPW and community colleges across Pennsylvania. A KEYS student facilitator at CCAC works individually with TANF parents who are enrolled in the program to:

• Work closely with the participant to develop an educational plan
• Assist students in overcoming barriers to success
• Maintain ongoing and scheduled contact with participants to ensure attendance and monitor progress in classes
• Communicate with participants’ caseworker, as needed; (should cut down on office visits to the welfare office)
• Coordinate college supports for participants, mentoring and academic intervention such as tutoring and workshops
• Make referrals to other community services as needed
• Assist participants in obtaining supportive services from welfare.

If you or someone you know is interested in going to CCAC or if you are already going to CCAC, this is a great program. The CCAC Student Facilitator for Allegheny County can be reached at the CCAC Allegheny Campus on the Northside, at 412-237-2672. Call today to enroll, but don’t forget you need to contact your caseworker to!!

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Maximizing Participation Program (MPP)

MPP is a program designed for people who are experiencing barriers to finding unemployment. It is also one of the tracks that families can be enrolled in when applying for Extended TANF.

Who can participate?	What happens?	What kind of services become available?	Why should people participate?
TANF participants who are exempt from the work requirement because of a disability	Multi-Disciplinary Team conducts Case Management to identify barriers to employment Client gets access to more kinds of services Participate in a minimum of 10 hours/wk in activities recommended by the Team. (Activities can include doctors and therapy appointments.)	The Multi-Disciplinary Team includes professionals from OVR, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol and others as needed. A Disabilities Advocate can be involved to help clients apply for SSI.	Participating in MPP can get consumers with multiple barriers plugged into programs that can genuinely help their families. For participants who are exempt from work, MPP can stop your clock through the Time-Out Program. Clients who hit their five year time limit may be able to continue to receive assistance if they are enrolled in MPP.

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Work Support Component (WSC)

Work Support Component (WSC) is a diversion job search/placement program that keeps applicants off TANF for up to 4 months, but gives them cash assistance and special allowances. Applicants are immediately referred to the program and have to report for orientation anywhere between 1 to 7 days (first available opening). If the applicant does not show up for the orientation, an advance notice to terminate benefits is immediately sent out. The applicant has 10 days to show up or contact his/her caseworker, otherwise benefits will be terminated. Since the implementation of WSC there have been about 2,600 enrollments. However, there has been a significantly high no-show rate which means that there have been a high number of advance notices to terminate benefits sent out as well.

We have communicated to DPW that it is unreasonable to require consumers to report to this program in 1 to 7 days, for a number of reasons. We know that it is almost next to impossible to reach a caseworker to let him/her know that you need to reschedule, so it is only reasonable for DPW to allow more time for consumers to make the necessary arrangements.

Be aware that good cause to not comply and exemptions still exist, so if there is some reason why you cannot start right away, you need to tell the caseworker ASAP. Specifically, if you are having problems with getting childcare, if domestic violence is involved in any way or if there is a mental/medical condition that prevents you from participating tell your caseworker.

If you or anyone that you know has experienced problems regarding this new program, contact Rochelle at Just Harvest.

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TANF Diversion

TANF Diversion is an alternative to receiving ongoing TANF cash assistance. It is a way for families to get short-term help without using up time on their TANF clock. The program provides financial assistance to individuals whose earned income has been reduced due to loss of a job or a reduction in earnings. Diversion is short-term assistance until self-sustaining income begins again. It is a one-time payment, maximum amount is equal to up to three months of a monthly grant for a particular family size. For instance, a family of four can receive up to $1491.00 for expenses. Families can receive this lump sum once every 12 months.

To be eligible for TANF Diversion, a family must:

• Be eligible for regular TANF (meet income requirements in the month of application).
• Be currently employed or have received earned income within 90 days of application.
• Have a verified financial need:
  • Work expenses, such as uniforms, tools, etc.
  • Transportation expenses, such as car repairs/inspections, car payment or car insurance
  • Child Care costs
• Be expecting self-sustaining income:
  • Employment
  • Child Support
  • Workers Compensation
  • Unemployment Compensation
  • Veterans Compensation
  • Retirement/Pension
  • Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income

TANF Diversion is different from TANF because:

• There is no child support requirement; Client receives the entire amount of any child support payments.
• There is no employment and training requirement.
• It does not count toward the TANF time clock.

Also:

• There is an option to receive Extended Medical Coverage for up to one year if the applicant chooses to apply for Medicaid.
• Benefits are put on the EBT card

Anyone applying for TANF Diversion must not have received cash assistance for any days in the month of application and can only apply once in a 12 month period. Receiving a Diversion payment will not affect your other benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid and child care. To apply for Diversion you need to fill out the regular application, but be sure to inform your caseworker or intake worker that you want to apply for TANF Diversion and not TANF. Call Just Harvest if you have questions or run into problems.

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Extended TANF

Extended TANF is a safety net program for those families who exhaust their initial 5-year time limit on TANF. Essentially, it is an extension of Welfare benefits beyond five years and with additional requirements.

About Extended TANF...

• Has no time limit
• Has eligibility requirements
• There must be an adult head-of-household or spouse in the family who has exhausted his/her five-year time limit
• Individuals must meet income and resource requirements of TANF
• Individuals must comply with one of the seven Extended TANF tracks

Seven tracks in which you may qualify for Extended TANF...

1. Domestic Violence
2. MPP (Maximizing Participation Project)
3. Deferral
4. Employment & Training
5. WPP (Work Plus Program)
6. JRARRE (Job Retention and Rapid Re-Employment)
7. Working 30 hours/week

Your past/current circumstances & barriers determine what track you may qualify for, but there is a lot of flexibility!!

*If you would like more information, call Just Harvest at (412)431-8960 and ask to speak to Rochelle.

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Time Out

Time-Out is a way to continue receiving cash assistance for up to 12 months, but not use up the 5-year TANF limit. It is also a way to go to school during your first year of TANF, while receiving cash assistance, and not use up your time-limit on TANF. You can be eligible for Time-Out if you fall into one of these three categories:

1. During your first year on TANF and after your initial job search, you participate in an approved education or training activity for at least 30 hours per week, or attend a full-time postsecondary education program. or
2. You work at for least 30 hours a week or work at least 20 hours and have additional hours in an approved education or training activity that, when combined with your work, equals or exceeds 30 hours per week. Some two-parent families must work a total of 55 hours a week. or
3. You are exempt from the work rule, but volunteer for the Maximizing Participation Project (MPP).

ADDITIONAL TIME OFF THE TANF CLOCK MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE IF:

• You are a victim of domestic violence. or
• You care for a related child (not your own), receive assistance for yourself and the related child, are not receiving cash assistance for your own child(ren), and either
  • You have already received cash assistance for yourself and a related child (not your own) for 24 months, or
  • The child has been placed with you by a court order, through the Children and Youth agency.

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