2023 Maryland Statutes › Human Services › Title 5 - Public Assistance › Subtitle 3 - Family Investment Program › Section 5-309 - Scope of Family Investment Program

(a)    Except for an applicant or recipient who is a single child, the FIP shall include:
(1)    an assessment of each applicant or recipient that considers:
(i)    the reasons for applying for or continuing to rely on assistance;
(ii)    an evaluation of appropriate work activities based on educational level, literacy, health, mental or physical impairments, housing stability, child care needs, transportation needs, history of domestic or family violence, job skills and readiness, and interests;
(iii)    personal and family resources available to facilitate independence; and
(iv)    whether the applicant or recipient qualifies for an exemption or has good cause not to participate in a work activity; and
(2)    welfare avoidance grants that:
(i)    meet immediate needs so that an applicant or recipient can avoid temporary cash assistance;
(ii)    may be granted as the Department considers appropriate;
(iii)    may not cover the same type of immediate need met by a previous welfare avoidance grant unless the Department determines that the current immediate need is a new and verified emergency;
(iv)    do not exceed an amount of 3 months of temporary cash assistance, unless the Department determines there is a compelling need for an amount not exceeding 12 months; and
(v)    may not duplicate periods of temporary cash assistance.
(b)    Except for a recipient who is a single child, the FIP for a recipient shall include:
(1)    an agreement between the Department and the recipient that:
(i)    requires the recipient to cooperate with the child support enforcement agency to obtain support from a noncustodial parent;
(ii)    requires the recipient to comply with reasonable requests for cooperation by case management workers in seeking and using programs and community and family resources that may be available to the recipient;
(iii)    specifies the work activities in which the recipient will participate;
(iv)    specifies the supportive services that the local department will assist in providing and that are necessary for the recipient to meet the recipient’s obligations under the FIP; and
(v)    specifies the reasonable accommodations that a local department will provide to a recipient with a disability that are necessary for the recipient to meet the recipient’s obligations under the FIP;
(2)    supportive services activities, including child care, to the extent resources allow;
(3)    referral, as appropriate, to family planning counseling and services that:
(i)    are not offered or conducted in a manner that:
1.    is coercive;
2.    violates the recipient’s confidentiality; or
3.    violates the recipient’s bona fide religious beliefs and practices; and
(ii)    give preference to eligible teen parents; and
(4)    temporary cash assistance, as a last resort.
(c)    Except for an applicant who is a single child, the FIP for an applicant shall include a child care voucher:
(1)    to the extent resources allow, if the applicant is required to participate in a work activity as a condition of eligibility; or
(2)    if providing child care eliminates the applicant’s need for cash assistance under the FIP.
(d)    For an applicant or recipient who is a single child, the FIP shall include:
(1)    referral to appropriate services; and
(2)    temporary cash assistance for the recipient, as a last resort.
(e)    To the extent resources allow, the FIP shall serve noncustodial parents who need employment services to pay child support obligations.