‘‘(4) takes into account the participant’s sup-
portive services needs, available program resources,
and local employment opportunities; and
‘‘(5) shall not be considered a contract.
‘‘(c) AGREEMENT TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN.—
After a self-sufficiency plan has been developed under sub-
section (b) with respect to a participant, the State agency
shall—
‘‘(1) require the participant (or the adult care-
taker in the family of which the participant is a
member) to negotiate and enter into an agreement
with the State agency that specifies such matters as
the participant’s obligations under the program, the
duration of participation in the program, and the ac-
tivities to be conducted and the services to be pro-
vided in the course of such participation; and
‘‘(2) give the participant such assistance as the
participant may require in reviewing and under-
standing the agreement.
‘‘(d) AUTHORITY TO ASSIGN CASE MANAGERS.—The
State agency may assign to each participant in the pro-
gram and the participant’s family a case manager who is
responsible for assisting the family to obtain any services
which may be needed to assure effective participation in
the program.
‘‘SEC. 494. PROVISION OF PROGRAM AND EMPLOYMENT
INFORMATION.
‘‘(a) The State agency shall ensure that all applicants
for and recipients of aid to families with dependent chil-
dren are encouraged, assisted, and required to fulfill their
responsibilities to support their children by preparing for,
accepting, and retaining such employment as they are ca-
pable of performing.
‘‘(b) The State agency shall inform all applicants for
and recipients of aid to families with dependent children
of the education, employment, and training opportunities,
and the support services (including child care and health
coverage transition options), for which they are eligible,
the obligations of the State agency, and the rights, respon-
sibilities, and obligations of participants in the program.
‘‘(c) The State agency shall—
‘‘(1) provide (directly or through arrangements
with others) information on the types and locations
of child care services reasonably accessible to partici-
pants in the program;
‘‘(2) inform participants that assistance is
available to help them select appropriate child care
services; and
‘‘(3) on request, provide assistance to partici-
pants in obtaining child care services.
‘‘(d) The State agency must inform applicants for
and recipients of aid to families with dependent children
of the grounds for exemption from participation in the
program and the consequences of refusal to participate if
not exempt, and provide other appropriate information
with respect to such participation.
‘‘(e) Within 1 month after the State agency gives a
recipient of aid to families with dependent children the in-
formation described in the preceding provisions of this
subsection, the State agency must notify the recipient of
the opportunity to indicate a desire to participate in the
program, including a clear description of how to enter the
program.
‘‘SEC. 495. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES UNDER THE PRO-
GRAM.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program,
each State may make available the services and activities
authorized to be made available under part F, family
counseling services, mental health treatment services, and
such other services and activities as the State deems ap-
propriate.
‘‘(b) AUTHORITY TO USE AMOUNTS THAT WOULD
OTHERWISE BE EXPENDED FOR FOOD STAMP BENEFITS
TO PROVIDE JOBS
FOR, SUBSIDIZED WAGES
OF, OR
MAKE CASH PAYMENTS TO PARTICIPANTS.—