The final proposal will be submitted to the 2001 Legislature with implementation tentatively scheduled for July 2001. Better alternatives to cash assistance for low-income working families. Better assessment and individualized services to families on cash assistance. Better support for families leaving assistance. Better service through a customer focus.
Current design focuses on development and implementation of policy and procedures.
Detailed data is collected, reviewed and planned through the cooperative efforts of management, policy specialists and legal staff. The knowledge, technical advice and experience of the staff who developed the original Welfare Reform package have proven invaluable in this program redesign. Future plans include continued bi-weekly Program Design Meetings, expanding components of the plan for development, and getting ready to share the proposal with the Legislature in January 2001. Efforts to educate the public on the plan are ongoing. Conferences involved the Child Support Enforcement Division, the National Association of Social Workers-Montana Division, and the Montana Eligibility Workers Association.