Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 20 - Division of County Operations › Rule 016.20.99-007 - Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) Title IV - A: State Plan Section 3 and Section 6.8 - Local TEA Coalition Services

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Section 3 POPULATION TO BE SERVED
Transitional Employment Assistance will be available to
				economically needy families with children under the age of eighteen (18) years
				who are residing in the State of Arkansas and meet specified eligibility
				requirements.
Families receiving cash assistance must meet all of the
				following eligibility criteria. Families receiving only services provided
				through the local TEA Coalitions must meet the criteria as specified in
				Sections 3.1 - 3.5.
3.1
Definition of Needy Family
A needy family is defined as one which includes a child or
				children under the age of 18 years and the parent(s) or other adult relative
				caretaker who is living with such child(ren) and whose family income and
				resources are within specified limits.
3.2
Definition of Other Adult Relative
			 Caretaker
Other adult relative caretaker is defined as a non-parent
				relative who is providing care for the child (when there is no natural parent
				in the home) and is in one of the following degrees of relationship to the
				child:
a. A blood or adoptive relative
			 within the fifth degree of kinship (e.g., grandparent, aunt, etc.);
b. Step-father, step-mother, step-sister,
			 step-brother;
c. A spouse of any of
			 the above.
For purposes of determining family size and family income and
				resource eligibility, an other adult relative caretaker as defined above, with
				the exception of a step-parent, may choose to be included as an eligible family
				member or not. If such relative chooses not to be included (i.e., is a payee
				only), then his/her income and resources will not be considered when
				determining * eligibility. In addition, employment services described in
				Section 4 will not be available to such excluded adult relative and the time
				limit described in Section
				3.6 will not apply.
3.3
Income
			 Limit
3.3.1
Cash
			 Assistance
The family's countable income (as defined in the State policy
				and procedures manual) must be equal to or below $223 per month. The one income
				limit applies to all family sizes and to initial and on-going eligibility. This
				amount is 25% of what a full-time (40 hours/week) worker would earn at the
				federal minimum wage which will be effective on September 1, 1997 ($5.15/hour)
				in a month.
For purposes of income eligibility, the following deductions
				will be made from a family's gross monthly earned income:
a. For initial eligibility, a 20% deduction
			 for work related expenses (e.g., taxes).
b. For on-going eligibility, the 20%
			 work-related deduction followed by
a
60% work incentive deduction
			 from the remainder.
3.3.2
TEA Coalition Services
For services provided through the local TEA Coalitions, the
				family's gross monthly income must be at or below 185% of the federal poverty
				level applicable to the family size. No deductions are allowed from the monthly
				gross when making this determination.
3.4
Resource Limit
3.4.1
Cash Assistance
The family's countable resources must be equal to or below
				$3000. The one resource limit applies to all family sizes and to initial and
				on-going eligibility.
Resources include real and personal property which are
				currently available or for which the -family has the legal ability to make
				available for current use. The following will be excluded as countable
				resources:
a. The family's
			 homestead.
b. One operable motor
			 vehicle.
c. Household and personal
			 goods.
d. Income-producing
			 property.
e. Monies deposited in an
			 approved Individual Development Account (IDA) or approved escrow account for
			 business or career development
f.Any other property specified in the State
			 policy and procedures manual which the agency has determined would be
			 cost-efficient to exclude or which must be excluded due to federal or state
			 statute.
3.4.2
TEA Coalition Services
For services provided through the local TEA Coalitions, there
				is no resource test.
3.5
Citizenship Requirement
Recipients must be citizens of the United States of America, or
				qualified aliens lawfully present in the United States before August 23,1996,
				or aliens to whom public benefits must be provided by federal law.
3.6
Time Limit
			 Requirement
A needy family who meets all other eligibility requirements
				will not be eligible to receive TEA benefits if the family includes an adult
				parent (or other adult relative caretaker who is included as an eligible
				member) who has received such assistance for twenty-four (24) months unless it
				is determined that the family meets one of the criteria outlined in Section 5
				(Exemptions/Deferrals). The twenty-four months need not be consecutive months.
				The twenty-four (24) month count will begin July 1,1998.
NOTE: Services provided through the local TEA Coalitions are
				not considered assistance for purposes of the time limit requirement.
3.7
Personal Responsibility
			 Agreement Requirement
The adult caretaker and/or minor parent(s) of the child(ren)
				must sign a Personal Responsibility Agreement (PRA) as a condition of the
				family's eligibility when application for TEA is made and must adhere to the
				provisions of the PRA as a condition of continued eligibility. (See Section
				8.1 for a description of the
				PRA.)
3.8
Assignment
			 of Child Support
As a condition of the family's eligibility, the adult caretaker
				must agree to assign child support rights to the State. Such assignment will
				become effective upon receipt of cash assistance.
3.9
Drug-Related Convictions
An individual who has been found guilty of or has pleaded
				guilty or nolo contendere to any state or federal offense classified as a
				felony by the law of the jurisdiction involved, and which has as an element of
				the offense, the distribution or manufacture of a controlled substance (as
				defined in section 102(6) of the Controlled Substances Act) will be ineligible
				for TEA benefits. This provision applies only to offenses occurring after July
				1, 1997.
The eligibility of the other family members will not be
				affected by the ineligibility of a person described above. The amount of
				assistance for which they may be eligible will be determined without regard to
				the ineligible member's needs. However, if such ineligible person is the
				child's parent, his or her income and resources will be considered in
				determining the children's eligibility and amount of assistance.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Arkansas Personal
				Responsibility and Public Assistance Reform Act, Arkansas opts out of Section
				115 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996.
3.10
Minor Parent Living
			 Arrangements
An unmarried parent under the age of 18 must reside in a place
				of residence maintained by a parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative
				except in the following situations:
a.
			 It has been determined that the unmarried minor parent's current living
			 arrangement is appropriate. In this situation, the minor parent and child will
			 be required to continue to reside in such living arrangement as a condition of
			 eligibility unless it is determined that such living arrangement is no longer
			 appropriate due to changed circumstances.
b. The minor parent has no parent, legal
			 guardian, or other adult relative of his or her own who is living or whose
			 whereabouts are known.
c. The minor
			 parent's parent or legal guardian will not allow the minor parent and child to
			 live in his/her home and there is no other adult relative who will allow the
			 minor parent and child to live in their home.
d. The minor parent or child is being or has
			 been subjected to serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or
			 exploitation in the home of the minor parent's parent or legal
			 guardian.
e. Substantial evidence
			 exists of an act or failure to act that places the minor parent or child at
			 risk of imminent or serious harm in the home of the minor parent's parent or
			 legal guardian.
f. The agency
			 determines that it is in the best interest of the minor parent's child to waive
			 the living arrangement requirement for the minor parent and child.